Category: Policing

We have received the following message from our local police

“The caller will say either:

1) There has been fraudulent activity at the victims’ bank and bank staff are involved. The victim is then asked to withdraw money to either keep it safe or assist the police with their investigation.

2) A business such as a jewellers or currency exchange is fraudulent and they need the victims’ assistance to help secure evidence by purchasing jewellery or exchange a large amount of currency to hand over to the police.

3) The victims’ card has been compromised and used to purchase goods by a suspect, the victim is requested to withdraw their money to keep it safe or hand their bank card to the police.

The caller may tell the victim to lie about the reason for the withdrawal or purchase if challenged by staff, claiming that the staff members are involved in the fraud.

Occasionally the victim will be told to dial a police number to receive confirmation of the story.

A courier attends the victim’s home address to collect the goods the same day. Often the victim is given a code word for the courier as a way of authentication.

Remember, your bank or police would never:

Phone and ask you for your PIN or full banking password;

Ask you to withdraw money to hand over to them for safe-keeping;

Ask you to transfer money out of your account;

Send someone to your home to collect cash, PINs, cards to cheque books.

Kind regards,

Lee O’Brien PCSO 7562NW”

Good news.

In Nick Hurd MP’s constituency letter we have confirmation that all of us have been waiting for.

“However we have persuaded them to rethink Pinner, and I am assured that the plan is to retain that station, which I know will be welcomed by residents. “

The new MOPAC – MPS Access Strategy has been published today (1st November 2017).  In this it is stated that the local community will be re-consulted on whether Pinner Police Station front counter will remain open, manned, as now, by volunteers from our community.

Of course, if the front counter does remain open the building cannot be shut and sold off – so watch this space for more news of the re-consultation and make your views known when that opportunity arises.

The Pinner Association submitted a detailed response to the MOPAC – MPS recent consultation on their new “Public Access Strategy”.  Our response was acknowledged by our Nick Hurd, MP, Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service, in his letter of 11^th October 2017 to Sophie Linden, London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime:

The new MOPAC – MPS Access Strategy has been published today (1^st November 2017) – https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/public_access_strategy_nov_2017.pdf . 

The parts of the document that particularly relate to policing in Pinner and Pinner Police Station are:

“This strategy sets out the current state of public access and where we want to get to. Our public access offer to Londoners brings together the existing telephone contact methods, which accounts for the majority of police contact, with new online ways of reporting; at least two Dedicated Ward Officers in every community, based closer to their wards and equipped to work and engage with the public on the go and at notified times and places; and one 24/7 front counter in every borough.”

“During the consultation process it became clear that local operational police decisions had been taken to operate Ruislip and Pinner police stations as volunteer-led front counters. As such, these did not appear in our original list of front counters, we were proposing to close. Our proposal will be to close these front counters due to the reasons previously provided. Although we did receive some representations about them during the consultation process, we will re-consult locally in those communities prior to making decisions about them.”

“Where front counters are closing, we expect to close them on 14 December, in line with the commitment we made in the draft strategy to implement changes quickly in order to provide certainty and maximise savings. For those where we are committing to further local engagement – Pinner and Ruislip – front counters will stay open.” 

Further information will be posted as soon as this is available.

Public Consulation 26 September 18:30 –> 20:00 at Harrow Civic centre.

For those of you planning to attend the consultation about Pinner Police Station closing.  It might be worthwhile registering your intention to attend. Just in case there is a large turnout.

You can do that by clicking in the link below – it’s free!

Public meeting harrow police buildings information

An investigation has been launched following a burglary at WH Smith’s in Pinner.

Harrow police were called to reports of a burglary at a commercial property in Bridge Street, Pinner at 12.40am.

Police officers attended the scene on Friday January 6, but found no one at the premises. The thieves broke in through the back entrance on Chapel Lane.

Enquiries are ongoing and no arrests have been made so far.

Harrow MPS are asking anyone with information to call police on 101  or via Twitter at @MetCC.

WARNING TO RESIDENTS ABOUT COLD CALLERS
We (the Met Police) have had two complaints about a security company calling residents in Harrow and stating they are either connected to the Police or are part of a Government project to protect homes.
They purport to be from SSH Fire and security Ltd (please be aware there may be a legitimate company by this name not involved in this potential scam).
One of the phone numbers given by the company was 0845 413 3776 – this number does not exist.
There are no such projects or schemes in operation in the Harrow area.
If you do receive a call of this nature please do not give out any personal details to the caller and inform us on 101.
If you would like crime prevention advise in your home please contact your local NPT either through their e mail address which can be found vie Met.Police.uk then follow the link to Your Borough and put your postcode in the search area or by calling 101.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the two champions who raised this issue, than you for your vigilance and concern for others.
Vicky Brownlee | T/Insp | WEST CLUSTER NPT

The Pinner / Pinner South Safer Neighbourhood Teams would like to make you aware of a male named Paul, who is knocking on doors and asking residents if they would like their gutters cleared, usually for £40. If he receives an affirmative response he will often return minutes later with a ladder, usually borrowed from another resident.

Several hours or days later he will return and claim that he needs money for his car/van which has either broken down or has run out of petrol.

This male is known to have knocked on doors in the Harrow Weald, Hatch End and now the Pinner areas and although known to police indices he has not been directly linked to any offences at present. The male is white, is aged between 30-35 years old, has a short ginger beard and he wears casual / workmen’s attire and occasionally a black woolly hat.

Gutter clearing or window cleaning is a great opportunity for people to assess a properties security vulnerabilities and location of valuable items. Please DO NOT accept offers of work from this male or any other cold-callers offering services or products.

If you ever have suspicions about the presence, behaviour or activity of a person/s or vehicles in your road please contact either the non-emergency 101 or emergency 999 number.