Repeat Burglary and Fraudulent Callers

Autumn update from Neighbourhood Watch

Burglary in Hamilton Road
During the early morning of Friday 3rd October, a home on the north side of Hamilton Road was burgled by someone who appears to have climbed over a wall in Brook Lane North to get into the back area of properties in Hamilton Road.  Worryingly it would seem that the residents living in the targeted property were up at the time of the burglary.  Noises were heard by the residents but dismissed simply because it was thought that other residents residing in the property were making the noise.  The burglary was only realized when one of the resident's returned to their room to find that a mobile phone, a bag containing money, credit cards, house and car keys were missing.

Between 17.00 and 20:00 on Friday 17th October, someone forced open the locked back door of the same house, entered and proceeded to steal a Kindle Fire Tablet, an iMac and a laptop. 

Do not hesitate to contact the police by dialing 101 if you do see/hear anything.  The police will send a patrol car to speak to any individual(s) seen or heard acting suspiciously.  

Greenwich Mean Time
At 02.00am Sunday 26th October, British Summer Time ends and Greenwich Mean Time begins.  Clocks go back one hour.  The Brentford Ward Neighbourhood Police Team warn residents that with the dark nights and Christmas fast approaching, there should be added emphasis on home and vehicle security.  The Police and Neighbourhood Watch advise residents to keep all windows and doors leading to outside areas secure. Before retiring each evening please go round the home and check to see that everything is closed and locked.  Residents are also reminded that nothing of value should ever be kept inside motor vehicles, even if it is out of sight of passer's by.

Halloween
Friday 31st October is Halloween night.  While no one wants to spoil the immense fun young children have dressing up as witches, wizards and skeletons, going house to house 'trick or treating', please do not be distracted by less welcome callers who may use Halloween as an excuse to gain entry into homes for unlawful purposes.

Fraudulent Phone Calls
Telephone phone calls by fraudster impersonating 'friendly' police officers and/or bank officials have risen by 40% in the past year.  The fraudster will sound extremely kind, concerned and plausible, but the aim of the calls is to gain the victim's trust and to get the victim to divulge their personal bank details and PIN number.  The moment the fraudster asks for your PIN number you can be certain that the person on the other end of the phone are not who they say they are.  Put the phone down immediately.

Fraudsters wishing to reassure their targeted victims that the call is 'genuine' may ask their victim to call back, but the fraudster does not end the call, they simply hold onto their phone until their victim proceeds to dial out, in which case the fraudster will still be waiting at the other end of the phone to take the call.  If you are concerned and wish to verify with the police or bank that the call is genuine, use another phone, or if that is not possible put the phone down and wait 20 minutes to dial out, by which time the fraudster would have wasted their time and given up waiting.

Bogus Callers
In the Hounslow area there have been recent incidents of criminals posing as gas or water board officials attempting to enter homes with intent to steal.  To prevent becoming a victim of this type of crime always ensure that you check carefully the identification of any cold caller(s) who are claiming to be from a utility company or indeed  the local council requesting  to enter properties.  Do not let any cold caller enter your property who are not showing, or refuse to show authentic identification, or who show you identification that looks bogus and/or tampered with. 

October 20, 2014