Friday 26 September 2014

October Crimestoppers

Police are warning motorists to be careful when selling cars following the thefts of several vehicles over the past few months. I wrote about this a while ago when we had a similar spate, so please forgive me for this reminder! Perhaps the end of the summer prompts us to want a change of vehicle; it is easier than cleaning it out sometimes!

Vehicles being offered for sale in a newspaper or magazine, and certainly the internet, can attract people from far and wide to view the car. However, some come with the intention of taking the car without paying.

In one incident, whilst the would-be buyer was being shown around the car, he jumped into the driver’s seat, locked the doors and sped off. In another, during a test drive, the owner and would-be buyer got out at a petrol station to inspect the engine under brighter lights when the thief again jumped in and drove away, and in a third incident, after the test drive and the owner was making a cup of coffee for the man who said he would buy the car, he claimed he had left his phone in the vehicle during the test drive. He then took the owner’s keys supposedly to recover his phone, but drove off with her car. Bear in mind that an insurance company will be reluctant to pay out if a car is stolen in this way.

When selling your vehicle, never let the potential purchaser have the keys unless you are also in the vehicle. If you drive first on a test drive, take the keys out of the ignition until everyone is back in the car and then pass them over.

If you are buying a car privately, if you possibly can, try to avoid meeting anyone in a car park or service station.  It is a potentially safer purchase to see the owner at their home, where the address on the registration document should match up, and the service history is likely to be from a local garage. You also know where the seller is if there is a problem.

Remember, don’t release your vehicle until you have the cleared funds safely in your bank. A cheque should be cleared first, and make sure that a bankers’ draft is genuine – a draft may be guaranteed funds, but not if the draft turns out to be fraudulent or stolen!

Remember to always keep your keys safe. Even a basic car is virtually impossible to steal without the keys to disarm the alarm and immobiliser, so never leave your keys lying around where they could be taken – for example on a bar or table when in a pub, or on your desk at work.

If you’ve information about any crime, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, or log on to www.crimestoppers-uk.org  Your call is free, no one will know you called and you may earn a cash reward. You can also follow me on twitter for regular updates @HantsCrimestopp

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Kingsley Parish Council - Sept 2014

Kingsley Parish Council will meet in the Kingsley Centre on Thursday, 25th September 2014 at 7.30pm

AGENDA

1.Chairman’s Opening Remarks
2.Apologies for Absence
3.Declarations of Personal/Prejudicial Interest
4.Public Question Time: Public Questions
Consideration of agenda items which will be open to public participation
5.Approval of Minutes of the Meeting held on 24th July 2014
6.Matters Arising
Encroachment and bins on Sandy Lane
To receive an update from Cllr McCorkindale

7.Planning Applications
Applications ongoing:
30633/024 Grooms Farm, Frith End Road, Frith End, Bordon, GU35 0QR
Ancillary building for events associated with existing hotel, together with landscaping, parking
works (including waste water treatment plant) and retention of frith end quarry haul road for
access to the site and hotel
SHCC/2014/0138 Sandy Bridge Farm, Main Road, Kingsley, GU35 9NQ Variation of condition
1 of planning permission F24847/015/CMA to extend the time period for tipping of inert waste
and to revise the final restoration contours
54919 Land at Kingsley Golf Club, Forge Road, Sleaford, Bordon
Retention of access from Kingsley Golf course onto the B3004, erection of gate and close board
fencing
24847/031 Sandy Bridge Farm, Main Road, Kingsley, GU35 9NQ
Variation of condition 1 of planning permission F24847/015/CMA to extend the time period for
tipping of inert waste and to revise the final restoration contours

Appeal:APP/M1710/A/14/2214126 Appeal by: Mr Dragjoshi
Land south and east of Service Station, Farnham Road, Bordon

APP/M1710/A/14/2222602 Appeal by: LMC of Farnham Ltd
LMC Sleaford Garage, Farnham Road, Bordon, GU35 0QP

New applications:
21066/029
Bakers Farm Nursery, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9NJ
Change of use for storage and distribution B8
21066/030 Bakers Farm Nursery, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9NJ
Siting of temporary buildings (corrected proposal)
28421/004 Crossing Gate Cottage, Sickles Lane, Kingsley, Bordon, Alton, GU35 9PB
Single storey side extension forming double garage and bedroom with wet room within roof
space
8.St Nicholas Cemetery & Cemetery Chapel
To receive an update from Cllr Pearson
9.Transport, Highways and Road Safety
The lengthsman scheme:
To receive an update from Cllr Rigden
10.Commons, Village Greens and Rights of Way
Upper Green:
To receive an update from Cllr Rigden
11.Community Resilience
12.Environment and Biodiversity
13.Kingsley Village Forum

Kingsley Annual Parish Meeting:
To receive an update from Cllr Rigden
To consider arrangements and funding £100 towards the cost of refreshments for the meeting
14.Housing, Business & Commerce
Hampshire Alliance for Rural Affordable Housing:
To receive an update from Cllr McCorkindale
15.Communications
16.District Councillor
17.Procedures, Finance and Payments
Payments to be made & Accounts to accept
To consider approval of the risk assessment updated June 2014
To consider the renewal of the Clerk's contract and to increase the weekly expenses to £10
Date of Next Meeting of Kingsley Parish Council - Thursday 23rd October 2014 - 7.30 pm at the Kingsley Centre

Tuesday 16 September 2014

Crime in Kingsley

Crime in Kingsley was generally rare and, for the most part, confined to the odd fight or assault caused by visiting soldiers from Bordon camp having topped up on fine ales from the Cricketers. It was normal, in those days, for the troops to walk over Fir Hill from the camp to the pub which was not a very long walk. For a period of time there were large numbers of what were known as Junior Leaders. These were aspiring leaders but were quite young and often got drunk and fought, usually amongst themselves, but occasionally with other customers. In those days they would almost certainly end up nicked! No fines, Police cautions, or Restorative Justice then, simply in front of the Beak and weighed off. Military Police would occasionally patrol the local pubs at turning out time especially if there had been a few incidents recently. They didn’t mess about either, any offender was promptly loaded into their army vehicle and taken away.

As far as the civilian population was concerned it was usually gypsies that were responsible for trouble. It was common then for gypsies to travel around the countryside engaging in the seasonal work that the farms provided. As has been previously mentioned, most work was done by man power, the complex farm machinery of today was yet to be invented. The fields were, therefore, full of toiling bodies. Both men and women joined in the various tasks involved. The gypsies would camp up somewhere in the area, sometimes on ground provided by an individual farmer but often anywhere there was room for their caravans and livestock. Many carried chickens with them,(in specially provided boxes below the floor of the caravans), they almost always had an assortment of dogs and, of course, the horses which pulled the caravans. At the end of the day’s work it was the norm for the menfolk to make their way to the pub. Drink and gypsies always seemed to be a pretty lethal mix and trouble was often the end result. For the most part they confined their fighting to themselves. The extent of this sort of behaviour can be gauged by the fact that many pubs in both town and village displayed large signs telling the world, no travellers or gypsies would either be served or admitted.
Away from the pubs crime was very rare, the good people of Kingsley led blameless lives. The village had its policeman who lived amongst the community. In Kingsley’s case the police house was at the east end of the row of houses that began with Church View, I think, at the west end which was situated on the right hand side as you entered Woodfield. The policeman knew everyone on his patch and what was going on throughout the area. He spent his days in and around the village and was seen, I have no doubt that this contributed to the general good order of the day.

Houses, our own included, were left unlocked, it was unthinkable that anyone would walk in and rob the occupants whilst the property was empty. People didn’t travel as they do now and many of the villagers spent their whole lives in the village thus everybody knew and, I suppose, trusted one another. Strangers would stand out like a sore thumb so, again, I suppose the opportunity to get away with a criminal act would have been unlikely.

During the whole of the time I lived in the village I only recall two incidents involving village people that reached the courts and were one off’s. There may have been others but if there were they passed me by. The first was a straightforward theft which involved a woman. The lady involved was the mother of one of my friends and took the opportunity to relieve Woolworths, in Alton, of some small item. I seem to recall it was a card of buttons. In any event she was caught and found herself in front of the court. I do not intend to reveal the identity of the lady as there might well be relations still residing in the village. I do not recall the sentence which was handed down but I do clearly recall the overwhelming sense of disbelief and indeed shock that my parents and many of our neighbours felt and expressed. Quite simply, in those days, village people just didn’t do that sort of thing.

The other incident which caused a similar amount of shock in the community involved a mate of mine. Although several years older than me, we had spent a lot of time together due, in no small part, to the fact that he kept cage birds and often took me with him when he went to Aldershot market on a Saturday to buy new stock. We went up on the train from the Halt down near the Straits. However, as a teenager, the chap in question got himself a girlfriend, and no doubt, finding the delights of a young lady a greater attraction than cage birds he found himself confronted with the somewhat less delightful prospect of becoming a father. Sadly this caused him to abandon the relationship. It should be remembered that those were the days when, if a girl, "got into trouble" the shame was quite terrible. The rich would have sent their daughter off abroad to avoid scandal. The less well-off had to endure the social stigma that went with the situation as they had nowhere to hide. It is difficult to believe how much times have changed, today young women purposely have a child for the benefits that go with single parenthood. Back then they were on their own and if mum and dad did not help they really were in trouble. Often these events caused family breakdowns and long term feuds that never healed. Happily, I don’t recall any other such events in Kingsley but the local and national newspapers bore witness to these circumstances in the wider community. I suppose the fact that far more of these type of situations did not occur was quite simply fear. The swinging sixties were to change all that!

Anyway back to the case in point, after some time the young man was brought to account for his indiscretion. He found himself the subject of a court hearing at which it was intended to decide the level of support he would have to provide for the young lady. He denied responsibility and contested the case. I don’t recall exactly how many hearings there were, but at the final one, the young fellow failed to appear. Incredibly, it was reported, that police cars were driving around Alton calling his name over the loud hailer and summoning him to attend the proceedings. The details of what followed I cannot recall but his fatherhood was established and, no doubt, payment obtained. Again the sense of outrage and disgust amongst the community was palpable and the sympathy totally with the young lady. These matters were all a matter of public record and anyone wishing to research village history in greater depth can, I am sure, find full details in the archives of the local newspapers. Suffice to say, "things ain't what they used to be".

In addition to the two single offences outlined above there was also a young man who got into trouble and appeared to embark upon a life of crime. He was several years younger than I but I knew him very well. Sadly, he got into trouble at a young age and continued to offend for as long as I knew him. The last time I encountered him was after I had joined the Prison Service and had been sent to H.M.P. Winchester for my initial training before going to the training school in Wakefield. One day I happened to hear my name being called from above and upon looking there smiling down was the chap in question. We exchanged a few words and that was that. In those days if a member of staff knew a prisoner it had to be reported. Usually this resulted in the individual, prisoner, being moved to another establishment. Since I was about to depart to Wakefield I believe that did not happen in this case. I have not seen him since. However, as far as I am aware, he was the only one of the youngsters that grew up in the village at that time that went on to visit the prison system.

Tuesday 2 September 2014

September Crimestoppers

Barely a day goes by that we don’t get emails inviting us to buy some form of medication, or invest in a get rich quick scheme or to buy a miracle cure. I have been lucky enough to win foreign lotteries I’d never even entered (although I’m still waiting for the enormous cardboard cheque and a celebrity on my doorstep making the presentation) and am a Prince in a far flung previously before unheard of state where if only I send an initial admin fee of £200, I could inherit a Kingdom.

The most recent scam which has raised its ugly head once again is that claiming to be from a friend who is in distress overseas. They’ve been mugged, or had their bags stolen, or met with a medical emergency. Whatever the reason, the request is for you to send some money to help them out. The recent one asks for around £1200, so my friends may have been very disappointed anyway!

The email goes on to ask you to reply and you will be presented with details of a Western Union transfer account into which you can pay your hard earned cash. Of course, with this type of account, it is easy money and someone can walk into a Western Union office anywhere in the world and make the cash withdrawal that you have kindly just sent, and with no chance of ever getting your money back once the scam is discovered.

To show how brazen these crooks have become, I had one of these e-mails to my work Police email account. I replied to the person to say that they had been hacked. I then got another e-mail saying, ‘No, it really is me. I had to rush off to the Philippines unannounced’, despite clearly interacting with the Police.

One of the clues is that the email is rarely in particularly good English. The spelling may be good, but the grammar and the order of the words in the sentence may be awry. Of course, if your Grandma was born and bred in Hampshire and has never been further than Aldershot in her whole life, it is unlikely that she will start writing e-mails in a foreign accent. It is also unlikely that she’d feel the need to jet off to the Far East without mentioning it either!

At this time of year, there are many students who are embarking on a gap year and taking the opportunity to see some sights. It can be very difficult if you do have loved ones travelling the world and being sure that they are safe. Perhaps arrange a password that they can put into their email if they are asking for a withdrawal from the bank of mum and dad so you know it really is them making the request.

Do be very wary if you’re ever asked for cash, or to buy something, in an unsolicited e-mail. None of us likes to think of our family or friends in distress and in need of help, but perhaps try ringing or texting them before you part with any money.

If you’ve information about any crime, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Your call is free, no one will know you called and you may earn a cash reward. You can also give information anonymously online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org  If you are on Twitter, please follow me @hantscrimestopp

PC Simon Wright
Force Crimestoppers Co-ordinator