Albury, Shalford, Compton, Holy Trinity, Shere, Gomshall, Peaslake & Farley Green - My Neighbourhood - Surrey Police

You said… We did

You told us... of your concerns about inconsiderate parking in Shere
We responded... by carrying out patrols which resulted in two drivers each receiving a £60 endorsable Fixed Penalty Notice and three penalty points on their licence - for using a mobile phone while driving through the village.

Another driver was prosecuted for blocking the Sandy Lane/Pathfields junction. Numerous other car users were giving advice by PCSO Hyde.

Please make use of the free car park at the Recreation Ground in the village - and be aware that parking within 10 metres of a junction can cause unnecessary obstruction.


Shere and surroundings
An unknown person damaged both wing mirrors on a car parked outside the Shere Museum sometime between 21-22nd June.

Criminal damage was caused to Shere's public car park in Upper Street on the evening of Sunday, 4 July - and in several further incidents, resulting in hundreds of pounds worth of damage.

Fences and benches in the Goose Green playground were damaged on Saturday, 12 June. If anyone has any information about these incidents, please call Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222.


Shalford and surroundings
A car was broken into in Little Orchard Way, Shalford and a mobile phone stolen.

An unknown person took the badge from a Ford parked in Station Road on Friday, 4 June.

Two men caught poaching in Compton pleaded guilty to possession of a loaded airgun in public. They were fined £200 each and the weaponry forfeited.



Brothers jailed for burglary spree!
Three brothers who went on a burglary spree across five counties have been jailed for a total of 15 and a half years following an investigation by Surrey Police’s Cross Border Crime Team.

John Sayers(24), Jason Sayers (23) and James Sayers (20), of Rushetts Common Road, Bramley, all admitted their part in a string of burglaries carried out using a stolen getaway car.

This was the result of a complex investigation by Surrey Police to gather evidence linking the trio to 12 smash-and-grab burglaries at supermarkets and convenience stores involving the theft of thousands of pounds worth of alcohol and cigarettes.

John Sayers was sentenced to five and half years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary non-dwelling in a separate hearing on 7 May.

The three carried out their offences in a silver Audi stolen from an address in Ifold, Sussex, on 18 October 2009. The property was broken into and the car keys taken along with other valuables including a laptop, satellite navigation system and three handbags.

The Audi then became a getaway car during a five-day crime spree which saw the trio smash their way into supermarkets and convenience stores across the south-east using crow bars, sledge hammers and an axe.



Crime trends
Lead, copper, car batteries, catalytic converters and scrap metal are being stolen all over the county. This is due to rising commodity prices and because property is often left unprotected.

Sheds in which high value goods are often stored without any thought to security are once again being subjected to thefts across the Borough.

Burglars don’t like to carry tools with them because if they are stopped and searched they can be nicked for “going equipped”. They know it's far safer to raid a shed and use whatever comes to hand – a garden fork or shovel, a hammer, even secateurs – to prise open a door or window. So, we urge you to check that your sheds and outbuildings are as secure as you can possibly make them.

Burglars also love a garden gate, especially one that’s unlocked. A gate opening onto a side or back alley is an open invitation for a crook to try his luck…so don’t make it easy for them. If you have a garden gate, keep it locked while you’re out and about



Operation Drive SMART Update
Pupils from Tillingbourne School in Chilworth joined Surrey Police Officers and Surrey County Council Safer Smarter Travel Team in June on joint patrols outside their school where there is a 30mph speed limit. The aim was to educate drivers on the effects of speeding.

Pippa James, Community Travel Advisor (West) said: “The scheme has proved highly successful elsewhere in the county and really brings home the safe driving message to motorists. It makes a real impact when a child stands in front of you with a clipboard and says:

“We hope talking to me today will make you think about driving more slowly in the future.”

And: “If you hit me at 40mph – what is the likelihood that I will die?”

The scheme was launched following feedback from the local PCSO that local residents were worried about speeding motorists and parking issues in the area.

During the three day exercise, some 91 vehicles were stopped by Safer Neighbourhood and Casualty Reduction Team officers. The average speed of vehicles was 37mph with the highest recorded at 52mph.

PC Sharpe commented “It was really good working with these young people who gave speeding motorists the chance to hear from them. Some of the speeds were too high, even for this intervention opportunity, and a £60 fine and three points lasting three years will be the consequence. Thank you to the local people who told us they really appreciated this work.”

The initiative, part of the ‘Drive SMART’ anti-social driving campaign, aims to educate children about safe transport and traffic awareness, educate motorists about their driving behaviour and reassure local residents that action is being taken.

‘Drive SMART’ is a year-long campaign by Surrey County Council and Surrey Police to tackle the problem of anti-social driving. One of the first initiatives by Dr Andrew Povey, when elected Leader of Surrey County Council, was to pledge £1million to set up the campaign after the issue was regularly identified as a concern by residents to local councillors.



Tip top data security
Computers and the Internet are undoubtedly useful and bring many benefits. But as with any tools, there are risks involved – and it pays to know how to use them safely. The website of the Financial Services Authority, the regulator of the financial services industry in the UK, offers sound advice on a number of topics related to scams, swindles and cons. It also provides helpful tips for using computers safely.

For more information about security, scams and swindles, visits the FSA Web site at www.fsa.gov.uk/ and click on the 'Customer Information' tab.

Written by FIN: 1945

You said… We did

You told us… of your concerns about speeding in Chilworth, Gomshall, Albury, Shalford and Compton.
We responded… by continuing with speed enforcecment throughout the area. This year to date, we have stopped 29 vehicles for driving-related offences including speeding, driving while using a mobile phone, driving without a valid licence and/or insurance, expired tax discs and not using a seatbelt.


You told us… you wanted more patrols in rural car parks.
We responded… by carrying out high-visibility patrols in rural car parks especially at weekends. We urge car owners in the Guildford area to be on their guard following a recent spate of laptop thefts from vehicles. Although car stereos and clothing are the most common items stolen, thieves will take anything left on display including CDs and tapes, tools, laptops, mobile phones, bags, briefcases, sunglasses and credit cards. The solution is to hide eveything away - to avoid tempting would-be theives. If they can’t see it, they won’t know it’s there.

More tips on keeping your car safe:
• If you have an alarm, turn it on each time you park
• Your registration document, MOT and insurance certificate could help a thief sell your car. Keep these documents in a safe place at home – not in the car
• When at home, the safest parking place is in your garage, if you have one. If not, choose a busy, well-lit area. Thieves won’t risk being seen


You told us… that inconsiderate parking in Shere village and Pathfields is an issue.
We responded… by working with the local Parish Council on this issue. We hope that the new car park in the village will be finished very soon.


You told us… of your concerns about off-road vehicles being driven in an anti-social manner in the area.
We responded… by carrying out an operation to tackle anti-social driving both on and off-road in the east of Guildford borough. This led to a trail bike being seized. The report of an off-road trail bike being used in a children’s playground in Albury, on Sunday 9 May, led officers to trace the owner. As a result, the bike was seized and will be crushed.

PC Sharpe said: “I hope this recent action sends out a clear message that Surrey Police will not tolerate this kind of anti-social behaviour. If you are caught using a vehicle or motorbike illegally, police officers can issue a notice to seize and destroy it. Similarly if you have a mini-moto you may only ride it on a legal site and with written permission from the landowner. Protective clothing including a helmet should always be worn and you will need a full MOT, insurance and a valid licence. The illegal use of a mini-moto or any motor vehicle could mean a driving ban, even if you do not have a licence.”


Recent thefts
Please be aware of recent thefts of catalytic converters on motor vehicles, scrap metal (especially copper) - and of burglaries in which offenders have gained access to the rear of properties using home owner’s wheelie bins.


Recovered property: is it yours?
If you had items of tack or garden ornaments stolen prior to October 2009, you are invited to come and view the recovered items on Saturday, 19 June 2010 11:00am-3:30pm. Proof of purchase/ownership will need to be provided in the event that stolen items are recognised. Please call Sussex Police on 0845 607 0999 for further details.


Four jailed over £2.5m drugs conspiracy
Four men have been jailed for a total of nearly 14 years after a covert police operation caught a drugs gang red-handed with ketamine worth over £2.5m at a storage yard in Shalford.

Packages containing a total of over 179kg of the Class C drug were discovered inside metal cabinets when officers raided two shipping containers. Detectives from Surrey Police’s Serious Crime Investigation Team (SCIT) were carrying out surveillance at the storage depot close to Shalford railway station on 27 November last year, as part of an intelligence-led enquiry.

Classified as a Class C drug in 2006, ketamine has become one of the new drugs of choice. It can lead to amnesia and may render users unable to move while under its influence. The total amount found in the vast quantity of bags had an estimated street value of just over £2,688,000 and was the largest ketamine seizure in the country in 2009. In addition, officers also seized over 1.2kg of cannabis with a street value of over £3,000, around £3,680 in cash, a further €3,000 and a number of kitchen scales from inside one of the containers.

This huge seizure has prevented a dangerous and addictive drug from reaching the streets. Surrey Police will not tolerate the supply of drugs and will continue to target those involved and use all methods at our disposal to disrupt their activities.


Shalford
There was an attempted burglary in Tillingbourne Road, Shalford on Monday, 26 April, when someone tried to jemmy open a double-glazed rear window at the rear of an unoccupied house. The catalytic converter from a Ford Ranger parked in Mitchells Row, Shalford was stolen on Sunday, 9 May, and in Dagden Road, a 4ft wooden fence was pulled down on Saturday, 1 May. If you see anyone breaking into a house or vehicle, please dial 999 and never put yourself at risk of harm.


Holy Trinity
Following numerous reports of chalk crosses marked on gate posts in the Holy Trinity area, we urge local residents to be watchful for any suspicious activity. If you see anything suspicious, please report it on our non-urgent number 0845 125 2222.


Albury
In Shere Road, Albury, both the driver’s and passenger’s side door locks of a Nissan were damaged on Wednesday, 5 May in what must have been an attempted break-in.


Shere
At a detached house in The Spinning Walk, Shere on Saturday, 8 May, a thief or (probably) thieves stole a 3ft bronze fountain and a set of three hollow, bronze deer statues from the back garden. A collection of workman’s power tools were stolen from a Toyota Hiace van parked in Lower Street, Shere on Thursday, 22 April; and in Hound House Road, a Mercedes E220 estate was vandalised on Friday, 23 April.


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Written by FIN: 1945