Adam Sackett has sent a leaflet from a Victim Support Team giving advice for individuals regarding Covid 19 Scams and Fraudster, please follow this link

If you have been the victim of a crime and need support your local team has provided the following information

Adam Sackett has distributed the West Kent Newsletter - WATCHOUT - there is a plethora of information about the area together with useful contact numbers.

Read your copy here

A motorbike was stolen from St Helens Lane at 5:05 am this morning by a Silver Audi Estate with a very loud and noisy exhaust - possible reg no V610 OPU. The motorbike was later found on fire at the bottom of St Helen's.

Could local residents check their cameras to see if we can identify the vehicle. Police have been informed. Motorbike has been recovered sadly damaged. Any help would be gratefully received. 

Please let the Police know if you find it - or alternatively ring one of the NHW coordinators

Kent Police have launched a Citzens Academy in order to share information about the range of duties they carry out and the organisation they interact with and to promote a better understanding of the needs of the communities they serve.

As one of the Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators, I was invited to and atttended 

Kent Police College last Autumn to learn about this new initiative, the purpose of which is to provide free training to the public about Kent Police, its working practices, why they make certain decisions and how they fit into the criminal justice framework. It was also set up to enable the police interact better with communities in which it serves.  In order to achieve this, an interactive website has been set up to enable volunteers like myself to get more engaged and gain a better understanding of this very complex service.

The course covers 10 modules, the first two of which I have completed, they are:

Module 1 Introduction Kent Police and a high-level overview of how the police work, including allocation of resources

Module 2 How is a crime investigated? What process do police officers go through from the reporting of a crime to its detection? 

Module 3 An opportunity to visit the FCR (Force Control Room) 

Module 4 Introduces Tactical Operations (Tac Ops) - an 'umbrella' for all the supporting groups that provide specialist tactics, skills and equipment to support the policing of the county. 

Module 5 covers Domestic Abuse and Child Sexual Exploitation.

Module 6 offers an opportunity to visit a police custody suite

Module 7 introduces the various forensic evidence-gathering methods used. Also to learn more about various crime prevention methods, including Country Eye/Neighbourhood Watch.

Module 8 introduces the more specialist roles and skills in Kent Police:

• Firearms
• Driver training and skid pan demonstration
• Police dogs

Module 9 covers Special Branch and Major Crime/Serious Crime. Learn the terrorist threat, international and cross-border crime and how they are being fought

Module 10 covers Partnerships & Volunteering. Learn about some of the many volunteering strands within Kent Police and the amazing work they do, including:

• Special Constabulary
• Police Volunteers
• SE 4x4
• KSAR
• IAG
• Police Cadet Leaders
• Community Police Volunteers

In addition, there are a number of on-line courses such as Rural Crime, Fraud, Protecting your identity etc – all of which I hope will enhance the impact of our Neighbourhood Watch pages.

The audience was quite diverse ranging from serving police officers, to volunteer special constables to Neighbourhood Watch and Speed Watch volunteers as well as other external agencies that the police such as NHS, Fire & Rescue

A poster from the course proudly stated:

Kent Police wouldn't be able to provide the service it does to the people of Kent without the help of hundreds of volunteers. From the 268 volunteer police officers in the Special Constabulary to the 101 CPV volunteers, 348 cadets to 160 general volunteers, every single one is a vital component in keeping Kent safe.

Dear Neighbour

Our Kent Volunteer & Police Neighbourhood Watch Liaison Officer, Adam Sacket, will be sending information through about scams, fraud and other neighbourhood crimes.  It is essential that we remain safe during these times where opportunist criminals are escalating their activities towards all members of the community but especially the vulnerable.

The links below will take you to his latest information

ROGUE TRADERS TARGET MAIDSTONE RESIDENTS

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH  - SCAMS UPDATES

Please dont hesitate to contact your Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators should you have any concerns you would like to be addressed

Please be vigilant and report any suspicious activity you see to the police -  ring 101 if its non-emergency or one of the Neighbourhood Watch coordinators if you are just concerned and 999 if you think an actual burlary is taking place. 

 A villager reported seeing two middle-age men wearing black hoodies filming over their garden wall this morning.  In these times of rising  crime it is more important than ever to keep us all safe.

This has come from Adam Sackett - our NHW liason officer

Please find attached a document about dodgy emails or more commonly known, Phishing emails. This has come from the National Cyber Security Centre and Aimee Payne, who is the Kent lead on Cyber security. With some many of us likely to be spending more time on line over the coming months,  this may timely reminder about staying safe on-line.

Additionally, below is a useful little video that also helps with regards to social media security etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YRs28yBYuI

Please remember ABC message. Do not ASSUME or BELIEVE that what you receive is genuine, always CONFIRM by ringing a trusted number and do not click on any links you receive from unsolicited emails or via text message on mobile phones and never press button 1 on your mobile, as most scam callers request you to do.

Covid 19 Scam Prevention Advice

Scammers and criminals are already looking for opportunities to scam people as a result of the Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic. Happily, there are many more stories of kindness and generosity but we want to make people aware of the scams as they emerge – which they seem to be on a daily basis.

There have been reports received by Kent Police of people door-knocking and claiming to be from the Health Authority.

What happens:

• The criminal knocks on your door.
• They claim to be from the Health Authority.
• They offer to do COVID-19 testing on residents.
• There are also reports of the criminal offering to take the residents temperature.

THIS IS A SCAM!

What to do: 

• Do not let them in.
• Do not allow them to take any money or details from you.
• Report to Kent Police on 101.
• If you ask them to leave and they don't, contact the police on 999.

Please warn vulnerable family members, friends and neighbours.

Report
There has been a report of an elderly Kent resident who lost money when they gave their bank card to someone who offered to do some shopping for them. They received one of these cards through their door and an individual offered to help, however, they actually stole money from the resident and were not seen again.

Payment
Don’t ever give your bank or card details to anyone, even if you think you know them very well.  You could either agree to pay in cash after they have delivered the shopping or pay them online if you have the facility to do so. Or maybe you could agree another method of payment - but never give your bank or card details. 

For advice and to report issues to KCC Trading Standards contact
Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133
Consumer Advice scams action line  on 0808 250 5050
Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Please remember you can also contact me should you need any further advice or help,

Kind regards,

PSE 59753 Adam Sackett

Volunteer & Neighbourhood Watch Liaison Officer

East Kent Police

Police Station, Fort Hill, Margate, Kent, CT9 1HL

Telephone: 07980683802

Email : adam.sackett@kent.police.uk

We have just been informed by PSE Andrew Judd, NHW Liaison Officer,  of a new scam targeting the elderly: “criminals have tried to enter the home of an elderly vulnerable lady by knocking on her door, telling her they were from the Health Authority and had to test her for the Covid 19 virus. Fortunately she did not let them in, but someone may be fooled by this con..”. Please inform all elderly family and friends not to let unexpected people in.