Cheshire Police Update 29.6.2014

Cheshire Police Update -week ending 29.06.14

• There have been several incidents reported recently by shops, of forged Scottish £20 notes. Because people are less familiar with Scottish issue bank notes, it is more likely that forgeries may go unnoticed. If anyone tries to pass you a Scottish £20 note as payment or change, please be sure to inspect it and satisfy yourself that it is genuine. If you have any doubts, just decline to accept it and insist on denominations that you are familiar with.

• There have also been a number of reports this week across the whole area, of young lads breaking into disused or abandoned buildings. Whilst such buildings may be currently unused, they still belong to someone. Criminal offences will be committed if anything is damaged or taken. If you have ˜adventurous young men" in your household, please be sure to advise and warn them that such buildings are NOT a playground, are potentially dangerous and that trespassers may find themselves liable for any property damaged or missing.

• Unfortunately, burglaries have featured again this week. Houses have been broken into in Mollington and Tarvin. However, I am pleased to report that two males have been arrested following an extensive police search, involving the helicopter in the small hours of Thursday 26th June after one of the burglaries in Tarvin.

• On Monday 23rd June, a vehicle was stolen in Tarporley after the driver left the vehicle with the keys in for only two minutes! This goes to illustrate that even in the nicest of quiet rural villages, there is always an opportunistic thief ready to take advantage of just a moment's lapse in security. Please keep this in mind during the hot relaxing weather when people tend to leave doors and windows open and perhaps enjoy a relaxing drink!

• On Sunday 22nd, a car in Waverton was broken into and the Sat-Nav was taken from where it had been hidden under the seat. Whilst it was not on view, please consider that many sat-navs are attached to the windscreen with a suction cup. These leave a circular mark when removed. A number of such marks on the windscreen, over a period of time, clearly indicate that a sat-nav is used in the car. Most thieves realise that many drivers will not bother to take a sat-nav into the house when not in use. To avoid making your vehicle a target, please wipe off any tell-tale circular marks from your windscreen and also hide the charging cable out of sight.

• Lastly, there have again been a number of shed / stable /outbuilding burglaries committed all across the area, but usually in small villages and at isolated properties. Typically, quad bikes and petrol power tools are being stolen. Unfortunately, some of these buildings were unlocked or only had very poor security. Due to the on-going nature and distribution of these offences and type of property being stolen, it is likely that it is a small number of offenders committing repeated offences. It is essential that people living in rural areas improve the security of such locations. Fitting battery powered security lights and alarms is a great deterrent where there is no electric supply to buildings. Offences have occurred in Waverton, Tilston, Rowton, Stoak, Kingsley, Backford and Marlston-cum-Lache. Most have been overnight, but some during the day.

Regards

Inspector Keith Curbishley