Burnham Taplow and Farnhams Neighbourhood Policing Update September 2021
Taplow, Burnham and The Farnhams
Neighbourhood Team
Your neighbourhood team consists of
Sergeant 6792 Rachel Dale
PC 5099 Trevor Walker
PCSO 9715 Caroline Sampson
PCSO 9791 Angela O’Connell
PCSO 9345 Kam Benawra
PCSO 9623 Shoaib Mahmood
Neighbourhood Priorities
The priorities for your Neighbourhood Policing Team (NHPT) will be decided by the Policing Issues Panel; comprised of representatives from Community Boards from the whole of Chiltern & South Bucks. The Police do not run the panel, although we do attend as representatives. This allows us to speak to a wide cross-section of the community, find out what you most want improved in the area and consider how we and others can accomplish these aims. The top three priorities are chosen by the forum every three months and are then assumed by your Neighbourhood Policing Team.
Priority – Speeding
The NH Teams have been out and about across the area carrying out speeding operations. In July we carried out checks on Marsh Lane, Dorney after reports from local residents. 70 Vehicles passed the site within one hour between 8-9am and 8 vehicles were identified as driving over the speed limit. The highest speed recorded was 42mph.
Our Roads Policing unit have been deploying our mobile speed camera vans over the last couple of months at various locations around the South Bucks area. This quarter the mobile speed camera was deployed on 4 occasions and identified 374 offences. Our fixed camera has identified 363 offences in South Bucks.
In addition, we now have two very active Community Speed Watch teams. This is a great opportunity for residents who wish to volunteer their time to monitor speeding in areas highlighted for concern by fellow residents. If you are interested in helping out, then please contact the team or your local Parish Council.
Priority – Burglary
This quarter we have seen a decrease in Burglary of 73% which has reduced from 15 to 4 compared to last year. Now that the darker nights are approaching and lockdown measures are easing please remember to stay vigilant.
• Holiday plans may be a little different this year, but if you are planning a staycation, please take a look at the home security tips below, to prevent you from becoming a victim of crime: Shut and lock all windows and doors
• Keep car and house keys out of reach from windows and doors
• Set timer switches to turn your lights on for when it gets dark
• Avoid leaving valuables in plain view e.g. laptops and tablets
• Set any house alarms
• Lock side gates to prevent access to the rear of your property
• Keep any tools and ladders stored safely away in a locked garage
• Don’t advertise that you are away and that your home is empty, by ‘checking in’ or posting your holiday snaps on social media
• Resist uploading any holiday pictures to social media until you have returned home
Home Security – Keyless Car Theft
Keyless Vehicle Theft is where a vehicle is stolen without the thief having physical access to the key. Thieves use a signal boosting device which picks up and boosts the signal detected from your key to the vehicle, making your vehicle think the key is nearby. Driving out of range of the key will not cause the engine to shut down and allows the thief to reach their destination.
What can you do!
• Keep your keys away from the front of your property
• Consider investing in a steering lock as these can act as a real deterrent.
• Use a signal-blocking pouch or metal tin to keep your car key in.
• Turn off keyless fobs wireless signal
• Motion sensor outdoor lighting and CCTV
Priority – Anti-Social Behaviour
Being surrounded by the lovely countryside across Buckinghamshire does attract more visitors. It is great to meet up with friends and family in open spaces (in-line with current government restrictions) however it is important to be mindful of your surroundings. We must remain considerate of our communities and neighbours at all times.
Last summer, we saw an increase in large groups gathering in an open space area in Taplow. Unfortunately, those gathering did not take into consideration the residents living close by and caused many issues, including acting in an intimidating way, playing loud music, swimming in the river and leaving a lot of litter behind. A multi-agency problem solving meeting was held to see how we could try and resolve the issues. The outcome in our partnership approach saw:
• An increase in police patrols
• Buckinghamshire Council Waste team visited the site to ensure all litter was removed and collections were made more frequent
• Buckinghamshire Council Estates team carried out various repairs at the location
• We (Community Safety) discussed the issues with the local residents and urged them to report concerns to the police, as and when the incident occurs
• We have recently installed water safety and ASB signage at the location to help act as a deterrent, see images below
• We are continuing to engage with residents and future site visits are being schedule
There are many hidden dangers beneath the surface of the water which we can’t see. There can be strong currents, submerged weeds or rubbish which can cause entanglement or injury. Never jump or ‘tombstone’ from bridges. You won’t be able to estimate how deep the river is. Sudden immersion in cold water can cause your body to go into shock which will affect your ability to breathe and swim.
None of the lakes at our country parks are suitable for swimming in, so please stay safe by staying out of the water.
For further guidance please visit: Bucks Fire & Rescue and Environment Agency
Other News
This quarter the team have been working with local landlords to carry out a drug itemiser operation in the pubs around Burnham. Officers carried out random drug swab checks on anyone entering the local establishments in an effort to reduce drug offences in the area.
Acting on information provided by local residents and extensive foot patrols by our PCSO’s we have identified two well established cannabis factories. One in Taplow and one in the Burnham area, this has resulted in numerous arrests and a large quantity of cannabis being taken off the streets and destroyed.
NHPT have been working alongside local shops and other business to tackle shoplifting by a prolific offender. The person has been identified and has conditions to prevent further offending.
Offenders Brought to Justice
A male has been charged with criminal damage and arson with intent in Burnham
A male has been charged with shoplifting in Taplow
A male has been issued a fixed penalty notice for public order in Taplow
A male has been issued a fixed penalty notice for public order in Farnham Common
A male has been issued a caution after being found in possession of cannabis in Taplow
Have Your Say Events
During the Pandemic we have had to move away from ‘HAVE YOUR SAY’ Events as normally they encourage people to gather which we are looking to avoid. We understand some people still want to see us face to face, therefore we have been looking at ways we can still give people the opportunity to speak with officers, pass concerns, information or a smile and a wave to your children. To overcome gatherings we have identified areas for us to be present, visible and whilst completing our never-ending paperwork. We want the areas to be key points in each community where people are able to see us safely, varying times throughout the month and locations. Due to various reasons, on demand, operationally commitments and to prevent large gatherings we will not be publishing times and dates. however we wish to make the community aware of these locations and if you see a Police vehicle or officer at these locations, we are there for you to speak to us, please come and say hello and help us identify any concerns you have or any information, you may feel will assist us.
Taplow/Hitcham – The Parish Car Park, off Rectory Road.
Farnham Royal and Common – Car Park next to Broadway Autocentres.
Burnham – The Summers Road Car Park, Summers Road.
Dorney – The Dorney Lake Car Park off Court Lane
The NH team have also been carrying out impromptu street meetings in locations where areas have identified issues.
Contact Us:
Call 101 (Non-Emergency Contact Number)
Call 999 in an emergency only
Thames Valley Police Webform:
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/report-a-crime
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Message Sent By
Ian Stacey (Police, Neighbourhood Policing Administrator, Chiltern & South Bucks)