This briefing covers the period December 2011.
Information from Cheshire Police.
BURGLARY
BOLLINGTON:
Nothing reported for Bollington this month except in the car crime section
below!
MACCLESFIELD:
On 8.12.2011 an offender entered an insecure vehicle on the driveway of a
house in the Chestnut Avenue area of Macclesfield. After making an untidy search
of the vehicle he then entered the house through an insecure porch whilst the
occupant was in the house. It is thought that he searched through the pockets
of a coat which was hanging in the hall before leaving the house. A male was
seen by the occupant in the vicinity before he ran off.
The owner of a house situated in the Rainow Road area of Macclesfield returned
home to find the back door forced. Jewellery and some electrical Xmas presents
had been taken from the house.
Offenders entered a property in the Priory Lane area of Macclesfield by smashing
the glass in the rear French windows. Once inside, the alarm activated but
the offenders pulled the alarm from the wall. Nothing stolen.
An attempted burglary occurred in the Robin Lane area of Lyme Green on 15.12.2011.
The offender was disturbed and ran off after smashing a rear door window
Three high value bikes and a selection of tools were taken from a garage at
a house in the Buxton Road area of Macclesfield.
On 9.12.2011 a distraction burglary occurred at the home of an elderly couple
in the Hobson Street area of Macclesfield. The offenders used water board techniques
to gain entry.
GAWSWORTH:
Between 7.12.2011 and 10.12.2011 offenders removed padlocks on a container
situated in a field in the Marton Lane area of Macclesfield and stole a Polaris
Ranger UTV buggy, three petrol strimmers, a chainsaw and other tools.
MOTTRAM ST ANDREW:
A burglary was reported at a house in the Withinlee Road area of Mottram St
Andrew on 20.12.2011. CCTV shows offenders gaining entry to the property via
a downstairs kitchen window. Enquiries are ongoing.
DISLEY:
A rear door was forced when offenders gained entry to a house in the Heybank
Road area of Disley on 7.12.2011. The incident happened during the day. An
untidy search was carried out and a quantity of jewellery was taken.
Another rear door was forced to gain entry to a house in the Ashwood Road
area of Disley on 13.12.2011. Jewellery was taken from a ground floor bedroom.
A burglary was reported on 29.12.2011 in the Peveril Gardens area of Disley.
Offenders smashed a glass panel on the conservatory to gain entry.
POYNTON:
On 14.12.2011 the occupants of a house in the Dickens Lane area of Poynton
returned home to find that someone had broken into their property. The thieves
had smashed a rear window in order to gain entry.
During the afternoon of 29.12.2011 a burglary occurred in the Carleton Road
area of Poynton. Offenders entered the property by smashing a rear window and
stole jewellery from inside.
At approx 5pm on 31.12.2011 a male dressed in black, wearing a balaclava and
gloves sneaked into a property in the Mallard Cresent area of Poynton through
an unlocked front door. He then took a purse and a set of car keys from a hall
table. The male was disturbed by the owner who chased him out of the house.
The offender dropped the car keys but made off with the purse.
SUTTON:
Offenders entered an insecure stable in the Hollin Lane area of Sutton and
stole logs from inside.
LOWER WITHINGTON:
A quantity of copper cable was stolen from premises in Lower Withington on
20.12.2011.
THEFT FROM VEHICLE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE FOLLOWING
AREAS:
Bollington Road, Bollington (two incidents)
Jackson Edge, Disley
Cliifford Road, Poynton
Nelson Street, Macclesfield,
Richmond Place, Macclesfield
Chestnut Avenue, Macclesfield
Saville Street, Macclesfield
Barton Street, Macclesfield
James Street, Macclesfield
Greendale Lane, Mottram St Andrew
Boden Street, Macclesfield
Buxton Old Road, Disley
Calamine Street, Macclesfield
London Road, Lyme Green
West Bond Street, Macclesfield x 2
Great King Street, Macclesfield
Ryles Park Road, Macclesfield
Bedford Road, Macclesfield
Buxton Road West, Disley
THEFT OF VEHICLE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE FOLLOWING
AREAS:
Wellington Road, Bollington
Marley Road, Poynton
Bond Street, Macclesfield
Eden Drive, Macclesfield
Wilmslow Road, Mottram St Andrew
Hatton Street, Macclesfield
Trap Street, Lower Withington
Ash Grove, Macclesfield
George Street, Macclesfield
Most Vehicle Crime is opportunistic and therefore preventable. By following
some straightforward advice, and working in partnership, we can ensure this
type of crime keeps falling.
- Make sure windows and sunroofs are left shut when the vehicle is left
unattended and all doors and the boot are locked;
- No valuables such as CDs, Sat Nav systems and mobile phones are left
visible;
- Even if you don’t think it’s of any particular value someone else think
differently, this includes loose change;
- Don’t leave coats or clothing visible. They may be empty but someone
searching your pockets won’t know that and they might take the coat
anyway;
- Carry as little as possible in your cars; don’t assume it's safe if it’s
in the boot; if someone wants to get in badly enough they will look
everywhere;
- Park your car in a safe well lit place and use a garage if you
have one at home;
- Always take the front face off your radio into the house with
you;
- Always park where there is natural surveillance or if you
have a garage use it to park your car in and not as an extra
store room;
- Never leave your keys in view of the letter box or windows.
"STOP! THINK! CHAIN!"
Don't let people you don't know into your home without checking their ID. If you don't know whether their ID is valid call their employer and ask. If they need something from inside the home shut them out side a locked door while you get what they want - or just tell them to go away AND LOCK THE DOOR!
Special risk awareness ...
Bogus 'water board' operatives are a regular modus operandi for distraction burglars. Please don't let these people into your house! Make sure your elderly relatives and neighbours know not to let these people into their houses!
Genuine water company staff all work for United Utilities and always carry an ID card. They will let you use this card to phone the company to verify their identity if you wish to make sure. There are no 'water boards' any more! Meter readers work for other companies but do not generally need access to your house. Meter readers normally work alone so beware if two turn up.
Never let 'water board' workmen into your house without asking for their identity then checking up on it.
United Utilities operate a password scheme to provide further assurance. Call them for details.
And in Pickmere a company was offering free security and fire safety checks for your home. This is the same company that we have been warned about several times in the last couple of years and they have been operating in the Macclesfield division.
We cannot name the company but a typical approach is to telephone asking if you would like a company representative to come round to your property to complete a security survey. The caller intimates that they are working in conjunction with the fire and police services or with Group4 - this is untrue.
The security survey is actually a hard sell technique which gets a salesman into your home with the aim of getting you to purchase as much security equipment from them as possible.
As well as offering security and fire advice they are now offering advice on electrical problems.
The company seems only to contact the more elderly residents of an area.
As this company has been the subject of a BBC Watchdog report, I suggest you inform your local Trading Standards if this company contact you and you are advised to decline the security check.
Scams - a wide variety of ways to part you from your cash!
There are as ever a wide variety of scams on the go. Two favourites at the moment are the 'we'll put manure on your garden' scam and the 'phone this number to arrange a parcel delivery' scam.
The manure scam involves confidence tricksters who 'sell' garden manure but then want one or more open cheques to pay for it. Needless to say they write a large value into the cheque after telling the account holder that it would only be a small sum. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give out a blank, signed cheque to anyone, especially someone you never saw before!
The phone scam involves getting a card delivered through the door saying that they have a parcel for you, please phone this number to arrange delivery. Look at the phone number - if it starts 09 or maybe 03 or 001 then it is a premium rate call that could prove very expensive. Do not call it but consult the local Trading Standards officer to check it out.
There are frequently variations on all the common scams so be alert. Unfortunately the crooks tend to go for the elderly, those most likely to accommodate them, those most easily convinced of their story.
Please stay vigilant!
Macclesfield Neighbourhood Policing Team 0845 458 6371
Police non-emergency number: 101
