Chiltern and South Bucks Op Go Alert
Operation Go is a new initiative from the Chiltern and South Buckinghamshire neighbourhood team. Through Thames Valley Alerts, the team will send out up-to-date intelligence that they are working on to identify offenders of local crimes. By sharing this intelligence with you, our local residents, it is our hope that you will provide our extra eyes and ears in the local community, helping us to identify people and vehicles that we are looking for to assist with our investigations.
Policing due to its very nature can be fast paced with information changing rapidly. Those of you receiving this Thames Valley Alert must be aware that this intelligence is shared in the understanding that it is time-specific and should not be treated as current after the valid date has passed. VALID UNTIL 2nd March 2020
We are experiencing a rise in thefts of catalytic converters in Amersham and the Chalfonts. This crime trend is taking place at all hours of the day and at a variety of locations. Catalytic converters are designed to remove toxins from vehicle emissions. The devices contain small amounts of three precious metals: platinum, palladium and rhodium. In recent years, the price of these metals has soared to record levels, which means that catalytic converters can provide a substantial return to a thief for just a few minutes work.
Analysis from the start of this year in Chiltern & South Bucks shows that the following makes are particularly being targeted: Honda, Toyota, Lexus and Mitsubishi. Transit/Sprinter vans and other vehicles with high clearance are especially vulnerable.
Advice for vehicle owners
• Where possible, park in your garage
• Install a Cat Converter anti-theft bracket
• Alternatively, park in a location that restricts access underneath your vehicle
• Consider security lighting
• If your catalytic converter is ‘bolt on,’ you can have the bolts welded shut
• Consider the installation of CCTV to protect your vehicle
• Identify/etch your converter with a unique serial number (see Retainagroup) and advertise that the vehicle has been protected (window stickers)
Keyless car thefts
There have been several reported incidents where cars have been stolen without the offenders taking the keys to the actual car. Investigations have shown that criminals are going up to front doors and scanning keys through the front door.
Please be careful with your car keys, at home and when out and about, and be aware of the risks when left next to the front door. Metal tins can be used to block car keys signals or signal blocker pouches can be purchased for around £6.
We are interested in hearing more about these vehicles:
A black AUDI S3 was involved in an attempted burglary in Newton Road New Denham at 0145 a.m. on 17/2/20. The vehicle has a silver trim on the side of the roof, silver 5 spoke alloys and blacked out windows (No registration number recorded).
The driver was seen to approach a house and try its door. The driver returned to the car and drove 20 meters down the road where again he stopped and got out and tried another door. A second person was in the car and in possession of a hi-vis vest. The driver is suspected to be a man. His ethnicity is unknown and is described as around 6 feet tall, of average build. He was wearing black trainers, white socks, green trousers, a navy PARKER jacket with a hood (with no fur trim) that was up, an olive green hoodie with the hood up, navy gloves with a white NIKE tick on the top of the left glove and a black face mask.
A cloned grey/silver Skoda Kodiaq with blacked out rear windows, roof bars and dark alloys has been involved in burglaries in Slough and Maidenhead. This vehicle was involved in a burglary in Maidenhead (43200051397) on 13/02/2020 on false registration plates.
This is likely to be same vehicle which was involved in a burglary in Slough (43200016573) on 15/01/2020: on false registration plate KU**ZNC.
If you have any information regarding the above intelligence, please get in touch with us using the 24-hour non-emergency number 101, or you can use our online form at www.thamesvalley.police.uk/tell-us
Please quote “Operation Go” when speaking to the call handler or when completing the online form so that we can monitor the effectiveness of this operation.
If you think that you are witnessing a crime in progress, you should contact us on 999.
Message Sent By
Darren Walsh (Police, Sgt, Amersham)
Policing due to its very nature can be fast paced with information changing rapidly. Those of you receiving this Thames Valley Alert must be aware that this intelligence is shared in the understanding that it is time-specific and should not be treated as current after the valid date has passed. VALID UNTIL 2nd March 2020
We are experiencing a rise in thefts of catalytic converters in Amersham and the Chalfonts. This crime trend is taking place at all hours of the day and at a variety of locations. Catalytic converters are designed to remove toxins from vehicle emissions. The devices contain small amounts of three precious metals: platinum, palladium and rhodium. In recent years, the price of these metals has soared to record levels, which means that catalytic converters can provide a substantial return to a thief for just a few minutes work.
Analysis from the start of this year in Chiltern & South Bucks shows that the following makes are particularly being targeted: Honda, Toyota, Lexus and Mitsubishi. Transit/Sprinter vans and other vehicles with high clearance are especially vulnerable.
Advice for vehicle owners
• Where possible, park in your garage
• Install a Cat Converter anti-theft bracket
• Alternatively, park in a location that restricts access underneath your vehicle
• Consider security lighting
• If your catalytic converter is ‘bolt on,’ you can have the bolts welded shut
• Consider the installation of CCTV to protect your vehicle
• Identify/etch your converter with a unique serial number (see Retainagroup) and advertise that the vehicle has been protected (window stickers)
Keyless car thefts
There have been several reported incidents where cars have been stolen without the offenders taking the keys to the actual car. Investigations have shown that criminals are going up to front doors and scanning keys through the front door.
Please be careful with your car keys, at home and when out and about, and be aware of the risks when left next to the front door. Metal tins can be used to block car keys signals or signal blocker pouches can be purchased for around £6.
We are interested in hearing more about these vehicles:
A black AUDI S3 was involved in an attempted burglary in Newton Road New Denham at 0145 a.m. on 17/2/20. The vehicle has a silver trim on the side of the roof, silver 5 spoke alloys and blacked out windows (No registration number recorded).
The driver was seen to approach a house and try its door. The driver returned to the car and drove 20 meters down the road where again he stopped and got out and tried another door. A second person was in the car and in possession of a hi-vis vest. The driver is suspected to be a man. His ethnicity is unknown and is described as around 6 feet tall, of average build. He was wearing black trainers, white socks, green trousers, a navy PARKER jacket with a hood (with no fur trim) that was up, an olive green hoodie with the hood up, navy gloves with a white NIKE tick on the top of the left glove and a black face mask.
A cloned grey/silver Skoda Kodiaq with blacked out rear windows, roof bars and dark alloys has been involved in burglaries in Slough and Maidenhead. This vehicle was involved in a burglary in Maidenhead (43200051397) on 13/02/2020 on false registration plates.
This is likely to be same vehicle which was involved in a burglary in Slough (43200016573) on 15/01/2020: on false registration plate KU**ZNC.
If you have any information regarding the above intelligence, please get in touch with us using the 24-hour non-emergency number 101, or you can use our online form at www.thamesvalley.police.uk/tell-us
Please quote “Operation Go” when speaking to the call handler or when completing the online form so that we can monitor the effectiveness of this operation.
If you think that you are witnessing a crime in progress, you should contact us on 999.
Message Sent By
Darren Walsh (Police, Sgt, Amersham)
