Item added 3rd May 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Reports - 28th April 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

Here is this week's crime briefing. It is rather larger than usual, as we had some problems with email last week, so I have included those that were missed out then. I apologise if there are any duplicates.

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (82k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 23rd April 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Reports - 21st April 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

Here is the crime briefing for this week. Unfortunately, we have not had a full set of figures this week, so the attached briefing does not reflect the true position. I hope that I will be able to bring you up to date next week.

One of our quick-witted co-ordinators managed to avoid being caught recently by a woman who called at his door early one morning, asking for money. She said that her daughter was on dialysis and she needed £5 cash, as the cash point had failed to work and she needed the money to restore the gas and electricity. To emphasise the point she showed him her empty wallet and Barclaycard. She was white, in her twenties, 5' 5" tall, with brown shoulder length hair and a poor complexion. She was smartly dressed and was smartly asked to leave.

Many of you probably use the Ebay auction site. Did you know that the police have an auction site of their own, where items that have been recovered from criminals, but cannot be identified, are sold off to members of the public? It is at http://www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk/ and also has a link to the Virtual Bumblebee site, at http://www.virtualbumblebee.co.uk/Display/Default.asp where you can search for lost and found items.

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (72k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 16th April 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 14th April 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (77k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 10th April 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Reports - 31st March & 7th April 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

Please find attached the latest crime briefing for your sector, together with last week's, which apparently did not go out to you as planned, for which I apologise.

Click the logo to get LAST week's full crime report (77k)

Click the logo to get THIS week's full crime report (74k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 25th March 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 24th March 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

Please be careful if you are approached by a double glazing company, claiming to be associated with Age Concern and offering free replacement windows to elderly people. When pressed, it turns out that they are only offering free quotations, and there does not seem to be any link to Age Concern. Please make any elderly people in you Watch aware of the situation.

A reminder that there are still FREE places available for both performances of "Ma Kelly's Doorstep", by the Attic Theatre Company, at 11am or 2pm on Thursday 31 March, at the Civic Suite, Wandsworth High Street, SW18. For more information, or to arrange transport if needed, call Age Concern on 020 8870 2020.

Click the logo to get the Ma Kelly's Doorstep flyer (135k)

I have also attached a wanted poster, concerning graffiti in your area.

Click the logo to get the graffiti poster (366k)

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (77k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 19th March 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 17th March 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

If you or any of your neighbours has a blue badge disabled parking permit please take extra care of it. A large number are being stolen, possibly as many as 6000 a year, and as they are not specific to any one vehicle, there is a ready market for them at up to £1000 each.

If you have to display your badge, please ensure that all the windows and doors of your vehicle are securely locked when you leave it. Also, make a point of removing it when it is not required, for example in areas where there are no parking restrictions or at night. The inconvenience of doing this is little in comparison to the problems and costs entailed in replacing your badge.

If any of your neighbours has a blue badge, please pass the information on to them.

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (79k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 13th March 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 10th March 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (72k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Please find attached a promotional flyer from the Distraction Burglaries Steering Group. The event featuring the production of Ma Kelly's Doorstep staged by the Attic Theatre company is being held on 31 March at the Civic Suite. Please attend if you can and circulate, copy or display the flyer.

Click the logo to get the Ma Kelly's Doorstep flyer (135k)

Finally for this week, did you know that the Metropolitan Police are now displaying pictures of recovered stolen property that they have been unable to identify, via Wandsworth Council's web site.

If you or your neighbours have had property stolen in a burglary and it has not yet been returned to you, please have a look.

For pictures of recovered stolen property - CLICK HERE

Item added 13th March 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 4th March 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (79k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 27th February 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 24th February 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports). An amazingly quiet week!

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

Here is this week's crime briefing. I have also attached a warning from Trading Standards concerning builders cold-calling in the area; I apologise if you have already had this.

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (69k)

Click the logo for the Trading Standards warning (78k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 19th February 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 17th February 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

A bit of good news, for a change. Last weekend members of a Neighbourhood Watch in central Wandsworth detained a young man found in one of the members' car. He was held until the police arrived. Congratulations!

We often get reports of bogus builders/ driveway specialists knocking on doors and offering to complete work. Even when the homeowners have not agreed to work being carried out they have woken up the next day or returned from work to find their drive being dug up. Many of these unscrupulous traders charge excessive amounts for poor quality work and sometimes charge for work they have not even completed.

If homeowners feel threatened at any time by people knocking at their door or by workmen aggressively demanding money for work not agreed, they should contact the Police. Homeowners should remember the following tips in case they are approached by such traders.

• When an unannounced trader calls and claims to be from a specific company, telephone the company to check the details. The number listed for the company in the telephone book should be used instead of any number the trader provides.
• If you feel unsure about letting the trader carry out a visit, do not feel pressured into letting them into your home.
• Do not feel pressured into having any work done - give yourself time to think it over. It is a good idea to get quotes from several companies before deciding.
• Ask for customer references from previous clients.
• Check any association claims e.g. Federation of Master Builders; Guild of Master Craftsmen, the trader makes. Obtain the membership number from the trader.
• Obtain a written quote/estimate from the trader before any work is undertaken. Ask for the costs to be broken down clearly.
• Do not feel pressured into making large pre-payments.
• Do not feel pressured into paying by cash and NEVER accompany a trader to your bank to withdraw cash.
• Ensure that paperwork is provided by the trader, which details his name or business name, and trading address. Before agreeing to work being carried out check that the address exists and that the trader does have premises there. Many bogus builders provide fake addresses.
  

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (78k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 12th February 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 9th February 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (77k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 6th February 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 3rd February 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

I'm afraid that since last week's warning we have had more instances of people posing as police officers and getting into houses. There have also been at least two instances of men purporting to come from the waterboard, and stealing from the victims once they have been allowed inside. Please ask any vulnerable residents in your area to make sure that they check any callers' identity thoroughly, and if in any doubt at all, refuse entry, despite any threats they may receive.

A rather shocking statistic has recently come to light. Some parts of the borough are the worst in the country for thefts of mail. This is usually as a result of post being stolen from postmens' trolleys, and in some cases the trolleys have also been stolen. An even more worrying incident occurred on 1st February, when a postman was pulled from his van in Putney, and the van and contents were stolen.

Thefts of mail affect many people, from the child expecting a birthday card to a business which might lose a large amount of business. If the rate of theft increases, it is possible that some bulk users will pull out of the service altogether, which is likely to result in the existing mail service becoming poorer for the rest of us.

If you see anyone loitering near a postal trolley and you have any suspicion about them, please call the police, using the 999 system. Postmen and postwomen now all wear a distinctive uniform, so a potential thief should be easier to see.

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (79k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 6th February 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 27th January 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

There has been a worrying increase in the number of thieves who are posing as police officers and tricking their way in to houses and flats, particularly of the elderly. They work singly and in pairs, and sometimes produce identification, often of poor quality. Could you please warn any of your members that you think could be vulnerable to this type of crime.

You will have noticed that many of the street crimes reported each week are thefts of mobile phones. The mobile phone industry, together with the police, and with backing from the Home Office, recently launched a new initiative to try and combat these. They are compiling a national database of mobile phones to enable you to be reunited with your phone should it be stolen and recovered. It will also enable the phone to be blocked, so that the thief is unable to use it.

Registration is free, and can be done online at www.immobilise.com. You will need your IMEI number, which you can get by dialling *#06# on your phone, and the process only takes a couple of minutes. If it is stolen, a call to 08701 123 123 will allow you to report it and block it.

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (79k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 24th January 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 19th January 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports). Lots of burglary to report again this week (including one at 8.30am on Sat 15th Jan in our road), but very little street crime.

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (76k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 16th January 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 13th January 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

Here is this week's crime briefing, which includes figures from the beginning of the year, missing from last week's.

Scotland Yard report that a number of frauds have started, following the Asian tsunami. To avoid becoming a victim their advice is as follows:-

Several scams have now been identified, including unsolicited emails (SPAM) offering to locate loved ones; requesting money be deposited in overseas banks to support the tsunami relief effort, and emails which seek personal or financial information in an effort to retrieve large amounts of inheritance funds tied up in relation to the tsunami disaster.

Other criminal activity also coming to light includes using the disaster as a front for spreading computer viruses. False websites have also been created purporting to be managed by legitimate relief organisations asking for donations. One of these sites contains an embedded object that can infect computers with a virus if accessed.

We do not in any way wish to dissuade members of the public from donating money to the registered charity Tsunami appeals. But we urge them to exercise vigilance in order to prevent and disrupt these and other possible criminal scams. In particular:

• Do not respond to any unsolicited (SPAM) incoming emails.
• Do not respond to text messages on mobile telephones from unknown sources.
• Be sceptical of individuals claiming to be surviving victims or foreign government officials asking you to place large sums of money in overseas bank accounts.
• Ensure that contributions to non-profit organisations are used for intended purposes. Contribute only to known charities and recognised outlets collecting on behalf of these charities.
• Go directly to the websites of recognised charities and aid organisations rather than following a link to another site.
• Try to verify the legitimacy of non-profit organisations (e.g. use Internet-based resources to help confirm the existence of the organisation and its non-profit status). Genuine charities are all registered with the Charities Commission. For a full list pls visit the Charities Commission website :
  www.charity-commission.gov.uk
• Be wary of emails that claim to show pictures of disaster areas in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• If any suspicious activity is reported to you, forward the details to NCIS at the following email address: tsunamifraud@ncis.x.gsi.gov.uk
  

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (84k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk

Item added 8th January 2005
FROM EMAIL FROM WATCHLINK UNIT, WANDSWORTH COUNCIL:
Tooting & Balham Crime Report - 6th January 2005:

The file attached below has the week's report on burglary and street crime (note that car crimes are not included in these reports).

Message from Steve Selby,
Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division:

Here is today's crime briefing for your sector. Unfortunately, we only have figures up to the end of 2004; I hope to bring you the missing ones next time.

Click the logo to get this week's full crime report (76k)

If you have information on the above incidents - CLICK HERE

For local places to get Crime Prevention Advice - CLICK HERE

Information on crime in other parts of Wandsworth can be found under 'crime bulletins' on www.wandsworth.gov.uk