Local Crime

28/06/2024

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Arrests

Last week saw a total of 22 arrests made across the district, for a variety of offences.

- Officers made 7 separate arrests for common assault in Crowborough, Polegate, Uckfield, Hellingly, Hailsham and Heathfield.

- 5 arrests were made for criminal damage in Hailsham, Pevensey, Uckfield and Crowborough.

- We arrested 2 drivers in Uckfield - one for driving whilst over the drink limit, and one for driving whilst over the drug limit.

Other offences throughout the week included handling stolen goods, failing to appear at court and theft of a motor vehicle.

On top of this, we also arrested a prolific shoplifter, who was regularly offending in areas of South Wealden and Eastbourne.

Your policing teams in Wealden are consistently working hard around the clock, responding to reports received by the public in order to keep our communities safe.

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Charged

We have charged a former housemaster at Tylehurst School in Forest Row with sex offences against children in the 1970s.

The offender faces 15 charges relating to incidents alleged to have taken place between 1977 and 1979.

The school has since closed.

This is an open investigation, so please refrain from speculation in the comments. But if you have any information relating to this case, please report it to us, quoting serial 472 of 23/09.

More details can be found here  Man charged with non-recent sexual offences at East Sussex school | Sussex Police‍

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Tribute

Tributes have been paid to an “adored dad, son, brother and partner” who tragically died in a collision in Hailsham.

Officers were called to the incident involving a motorbike on the A22, Hailsham Road shortly after 5am on Saturday, 15 June.

Sadly, the motorcyclist, 34-year-old Adam Standen from Hailsham, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Adam's family has released the following tribute, click here Tributes paid to motorcyclist following Hailsham collision | Sussex Police

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Road safety reminder

We have seen numerous road traffic accidents across the district, with the majority involving motorcycles. With the weather being warmer, we urge all road users to take extra precaution when out and about.

As a road user, you are responsible for keeping yourself safe and those around you too. Stay alert, so that everyone stays alive.

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Local engagement

PCSO Thompson and PC Solla attended a road closure for a road traffic collision earlier this week. Whilst there, they came across a young person on a bike who couldn’t get home. Officers worked quickly to organise a safe return home by getting in touch with their family to arrange a lift. There was only one problem - they were unable to take the bike with them! Luckily, with more quick thinking, we offered to keep the bike safe in our own car, and return it once stood down from the road closure. It was a rewarding end to our shift returning the bike safe and sound, and we were pleased to have been there to help!

Hundreds gathered at the weekend (Saturday 22nd) for Hailsham's first 'Stand Proud' event!

The sun was shining and there was a cheerful atmosphere from start to finish. It was great to be able to get involved in such a fun and successful event. We were able to engage with so many people throughout the community, providing support and offering advice on all sorts of topics - and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves whilst doing so!

This month we have taken part in the Safety In Action annual event run by East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Over the course of three days, we engaged with 510 children from 22 local schools across East Sussex, equipping them with the knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves safer in a range of different scenarios.The feedback received from a Year 6 teacher at Buxted school summarised the event perfectly:

"I think it is a fabulous event and so very worthwhile. An awful lot of information is taken in by the children in a fun and interactive way and they really enjoy it as well as learn from it. Some really useful life skills and knowledge that will help them keep safe. I think it is perfectly pitched for the age group. Thanks very much and I hope it can continue on for many more years.”

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 do not 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.

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Motorbike thefts

Between the 24th and the 26th May, we received multiple reports of motorbikes being stolen across the Wealden district.

Investigations to each case are still ongoing, with officers following all lines of enquiry.

As always, if you see or hear anything we should know about please call us on 101, or 999 in an emergency. There is also the option to contact us online, too.

We urge the public to take extra precaution in ensuring their property is protected from theft. To find out more on how to protect your motorcycle, moped or scooter from theft please read here

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Protect your motorcycle, moped or scooter from theft | Sussex Police

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Keeping your property protected!

Recent reports of burglaries across Wealden have included outbuildings being targeted, resulting in various items being stolen; from lawn mowers and power tools, to cables and copper.

It may not seem obvious, but protecting your garden and outbuildings not only keeps bikes and other valuables safe, but can also stop burglars accessing tools to get into your home. With the prices of copper increasing as well as the weather getting warmer, we urge you to take extra caution in protecting your home and valuables.

Here are some of our top tips when it comes to protecting your home:

• Low front boundary; keep hedges and walls at the front of your house low (under one metre) so burglars have nowhere to hide.
• Secure side gate; keep side gates locked at all times. Open gates mean burglars can easily access your home without being seen by passers-by or neighbours.
• High side and rear boundaries with trellis and spiky defensive planting; keep hedges, walls and fences around your back garden high (over 1.8 metres). Add lightweight trellis to gates and fences and plant some prickly plants to make it harder for burglars to climb over.
• Gravel driveway and path; gravel driveways and paths make it harder for burglars to go undetected.
• Security light; install an outside security light so that intruders can’t approach without being seen.
• Intruder alarm system; install a burglar alarm system.
• Secure your shed; always keep your shed locked and secured, and make sure it is anchored down to prevent it from being lifted in order to gain access. Often sheds contain valuables such as power tools and bicycles.
• Never leave tools lying around; never leave tools lying around as they can be used as a way of breaking into your home.

Stay secure in Summer

Leaving ground floor windows, doors and patio doors open in the summer can give burglars the perfect opportunity.  If you’re upstairs or out of the room, even just for a few minutes, close them and help shut burglars out.

Extra steps you can take

Consider buying a shed alarm. These are usually quite cheap but still effective.

Add an extra layer of protection to shed windows with laminate sheets of film or internal metal grills.

Create a natural defence against burglars

Planting particular shrubs (in their mature or semi mature form) along garden walls and fences can make it harder for burglars to access your property or put them off completely. To maximise this effect plant them close to each other.

You can read more on keeping your shed or garage safe and secure here > Keeping your shed or garage safe and secure | Crime prevention | Sussex Police

Arrests

Last week, officers made a total of 17 arrests across Wealden for offences including criminal damage, theft and assault.

The neighbourhood policing team also responded to a multitude of reports from anti social behaviour to traffic collisions, whilst regular patrols took place throughout the district.

We were able to attend different events and raise awareness on subjects like dementia and fraud, as a continuous effort to support our local community and keep everyone safe.

Electric Scooters

Did you know it's illegal to use e-scooters on the road or in public spaces?

Officers seized 2 e-scooters over the weekend after being caught riding in the road and on the pavement. It's currently not possible to get insurance for privately owned e-scooters, so using one in public risks the vehicle being seized.

They're classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988, which means the rules that apply to motor vehicles, also apply to e-scooters. This includes the need to have a licence, insurance and tax.

It's legal to use an e-scooter on private land with the permission of the land owner.

If you don't have a licence, or the correct licence, or are riding without insurance you could face a Fixed Penalty notice.

For further advice on e-scooters, have a read here 👉 Advice on e-scooter usage | Sussex Police

Careers day!

A slightly different day for our officers yesterday, who took part in careers day at Eastbourne sports park!

It was a great opportunity for us to engage with over 1000 students from schools all over the district as well as discuss a variety of policing careers from sergeants to dog handlers. We love being able to share what we do with the community and love to hear from students who aspire to join the force one day!

When joining the force, you understand that every day really is different and you never know what you're going to be faced with. However, our officers weren't quite expecting 'cockroach handling' to be part of the job! Thanks to Drusillas for bringing these along!

If you or someone you know wants to join the team, you can see our current vacancies here Police Jobs Surrey and Sussex – Police Jobs Surrey and Sussex

Stop Think Fraud

There has been an increase in fraudulent text messages being sent.

Fake texts are often short and simple, but fraudsters use cunning tactics to make them believable. They can even ‘spoof’ the mobile number they message from, so it appears in the same thread as a genuine contact, such as your bank.

Be wary if you receive text messages of the following nature:

💰 An ‘irresistible’ product offer or prize

⚠️ An urgent alert about security, for example your bank account details have been compromised

📦 A delivery company demanding you pay a fee before they deliver a parcel

👪 An appeal from a family member asking you to send money

💬 Messages sent outside normal business hours, especially if they’re very late at night or very early in the morning

If you've been a victim of fraud, find out here what you can do 👉 Report fraud - Stop! Think Fraud (stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk)

Catalytic converter theft

We have seen an increase in the theft of catalytic converters over the last few months. They are often targeted by thieves as they contain valuable metals, and can be removed in less than a minute.

There are signs that can suggest that a theft is being committed:

• If a vehicle is being raised using a carjack in a car park or residential area
• There is a loud drilling or cutting sound coming from underneath the vehicle.

Prevent it!

• To keep your catalytic converter safe, you can ask your car dealer for advice on locks or guards that are approved by the vehicle manufacturer
• Alternatively, try to make sure your vehicle is parked in a garage overnight, or if you have a commercial vehicle, park it in a secure compound. If this isn’t possible, park in an area that’s well-lit and overlooked and try to park so that the converter can’t be easily reached by potential thieves. Vehicles that sit high above the road are particularly vulnerable.

Report it!

Whether the crime is happening now, or it has already happened, please report this to us through the appropriate channels. You may be able to support investigations by providing evidence such as ring doorbell footage.

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.

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.

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