Local News

Dear residents,

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Please find attached the latest Fraud Newsletter from your Sussex and Surrey Police Police Economic Crime Unit.

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In this month’s edition, we focus on Whatsapp scams, phishing emails and text messages, and raising awareness on elder abuse.

Each month we see many incidents of fraudsters targeting our residents in an attempt to defraud them. We’re working hard to prevent this and support vulnerable victims of fraud or scams.

By following our tips and encouraging family, friends and colleagues to do so too, you can reduce the risk of becoming a victim.

T/Detective Chief Inspector Simon Doyle, Surrey Police & Sussex Police Economic Crime Unit

Click, Call & Connect

For non-emergency incidents or crime prevention advice, click www.sussex.police.uk,  (If you report a crime online, we will assess it in the same way as a 101 call).

Call 101 when you don’t require an urgent response. In an emergency when life is threatened or there is immediate danger always call 999.

Connect with us face-to-face at a police station or contact the local policing team at www.sussex.police.uk/area/your-area.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, you can contact us using TypeTalk on 18000 or by sending a text to 65999.

Operation Sceptre

As part of our continued work to help keep your communities safe from violent crime, your Wealden Neighbourhood Policing Team have been out and about conducting 'sweeps' of local parks, and public spaces, removing and identifying any hidden or discarded items that could be used in a serious crime.

Regular sweeps are conducted across the district throughout the year, as well as during Operation Sceptre week; a national campaign which takes place twice a year, supporting the work Sussex Police carries out all year round to ensure residents are safe from knife crime in their communities.

The campaign comprises a mix of targeted operational and educational activities to remove unwanted knives off the streets of Sussex, and to reassure and educate young people on the dangers of carrying knives.  

Spot the signs, find support, and how to open conversations with youngsters around knife crime on our Sussex Police website here.

Police have seized 99 cannabis plants at a former pub site in Uckfield

Officers from East Sussex’s Tactical Enforcement Unit (TEU) gained entry to the former Brickmakers Arms in New Road, Ridgewood, Uckfield, on Tuesday 25 April following reports of suspicious activity from members of the public.

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Inside, they found the cannabis plants, which were in the early stage of growth, alongside growing equipment. Superintendent Till Sanderson said: “The site was previously found to be a cannabis factory in May 2021, which was disrupted, but members of the public thought it had started up again.

“It looks like we disrupted the grow at an early stage. The offenders had spent a considerable amount of time, effort and money in constructing the site which they have now thankfully lost. “Cannabis is a harmful, banned substance and its cultivation, sale and distribution brings criminality to an area. It can lead to more serious crimes and goes hand-in-hand with violence, exploitation and addiction, sowing devastation among our communities. “This operation proves that we will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of perpetrators, while working with our partners to address the root causes of this behaviour and safeguard those most at risk of harm.”

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Vehicle pursuit

We made three arrests and recovered two suspected stolen vehicles following a pursuit from Hove to Hailsham (Tuesday, May 2). Highly-trained officers were able to safely bring a vehicle to a stop on the A22, where the arrests were then made. Officers from across the force were also joined by the National Police Air Service helicopter to track one of the vehicles after a driver had earlier decamped from a separate vehicle.

Sussex Police's Head of Roads Policing Superintendent Rachel Glenton said: "The teamwork was seamless, and NPAS provided excellent oversight which helped us reduce the risk to the public, to officers and to those in vehicle itself."

Read more about the incident, and our appeal for witnesses and information, online here.

Click, Call & Connect

For non-emergency incidents or crime prevention advice, click www.sussex.police.uk,  (If you report a crime online, we will assess it in the same way as a 101 call).

Call 101 when you don’t require an urgent response. In an emergency when life is threatened or there is immediate danger always call 999.

Connect with us face-to-face at a police station or contact the local policing team at www.sussex.police.uk/area/your-area.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, you can contact us using TypeTalk on 18000 or by sending a text to 65999.

After receiving dozens of requests from residents regarding the increase in speeding traffic along Seven Sisters Road, community speed watch will be fitting Speed Watch signs along that road for the safety of residents , wild life, dog walkers and local pussy cats.

Patrols this week

Our patrols of local parks and recreational grounds across the district continue this week. Yesterday afternoon officers from your local Neighbourhood Policing Team took to patrolling Lower Horsebridge Recreation Ground following concerns raised by residents on social media last weekend.

As we head into the weekend, these patrols will continue with Officers keeping an eye out for any suspicious activities, ASB, and crime – we continue to encourage residents to report anything we need to know about at the time.

All non-emergency crime or can be reported by calling 101 or reporting online to our Sussex Police website.

Remember always call 999 in an emergency, a crime in action, or where there is threat to life and/or property.

Do you recognise this quad?

This week Officers from your Hailsham Neighbourhood Policing Team recovered this quad bike, which we believe may have been stolen earlier in the year.

If this quad is yours, and you have details of ownership from your crime report please get in touch online here asking that your contact form is passed to PC Williams at Hailsham NPT.

Following a number of dedicated patrols of our more rural locations across the Wealden district, and as a result of various activities conducted by our RCT we continue to commit to reducing Rural Crime and returning any seized or found property to their rightful owners.

You can follow your Sussex Police Rural Crime Team (RCT) over on social media, on their very own Twitter account which can be found here.

Our latest RCT newsletter can also be found online here.

CVU and DVSA checks and patrols

Our Commercial Vehicle Unit have been out and about with DVSA this week (6th March) conducting vehicle safety checks along stretches of both the A22 and A27 area.

Results include:

7 x vehicles stopped and made safe

5 x fixed penalties issued

2 x offered advice on load security

The highest overweight check conducted was a staggering 44% over the max gross.

The Commercial Vehicle Unit (CVU) provide specialist enforcement, knowledge and investigative capability in respect of commercial vehicle activity, alongside contributing towards improving the safety of all those using the roads in Sussex.

Follow our Roads Policing Unit on Twitter here.

Burglary Advice and Summary

An attempted garage burglary was reported on the 5th March which is believed to have occurred between the 28th Feb-2nd March at a property off Bocking Close, Wadhurst. Owners returned to their garage to find tool marks, and damaged caused whereby unknown suspect/s have attempted to gain entry. (440 of 5/3)

During the daytime of the 4th March a property off Ashdown Road, Forest Row reported a laptop stolen from their property. Unknown suspect/s have entered the victim's address as a trespasser to commit offences. (1381 of 4/3)

Members of the public and business owners are asked to remain alert to any suspicious activity in their area, and to report any concerns to police online or by calling 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

There are a number of steps residents can take to property their property, including alarm systems and CCTV cameras, for a range of crime prevention advice, support and tips to keep you and your property safe click here.

If you have been the victim of a burglary, please report online, or by calling 101 – always dial 999 in an emergency/burglary in action.

Help us keep Sussex safe

If you saw or heard anything, or have any information about any incident in this message please contact us online, or call 101, quoting the reference number provided.

Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

You can also visit our website at www.sussex.police.uk where you can find our easy to use online forms to report all non-emergencies to us.

On our website you can also find police advice to keep you safe and help you understand the law, and also browse our crime prevention pages for first-hand knowledge, industry best practices and practical crime prevention advice from officers and specialist teams all across the police.

Have you ever had a policing question that doesn't actually require direct police involvement to answer?

Ask the Police is a great online source of information for the most frequently asked policing questions, visit www.askthe.police.uk/ for more information.

Your local teams

What's happening in your area?

Get the latest crime statistics and advice, help us with appeals for information and find out what we’re doing to tackle crime in your area online here.

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