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Date: 10 December 2009

Lancashire Constabulary is closing its borders to people who intend to commit robberies and burglaries in the run up to Christmas as part of a major operation.

During a series of ‘lockdowns’, officers will be stopping vehicles on the main routes into the county from Greater Manchester and Merseyside.

They will be targeting people who travel into Lancashire from these areas with the intention of committing serious crimes, including burglaries, the theft of high-performance vehicles as well as cash in transit and other armed robberies.

The first ‘lockdown’ is taking place on Tuesday 8 December 2009 from 8am until midnight with further dates expected throughout the month.

Officers will also be handing out information to drivers to explain what the operation is about and how they can help keep Lancashire safe.

Lancashire Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable Andy Cooke said: “We have an excellent working relationship with our colleagues in Merseyside Police and GMP. However, many of our armed robberies are carried out by criminals based in Greater Manchester and Merseyside and our message to them is simple: if you want to come to Lancashire to commit robberies and burglaries and to steal high powered vehicles, don’t bother because we will catch you!”

At this time of year in particular, the number of cash in transit robberies increases because more cash is in circulation in the run up to Christmas.

The theft of cars such as Audis, BMWs and Seats is closely linked to cash in transit robberies because it is these types of cars which are often used by gangs who target security guards delivering money to places like banks and supermarkets.

As such, police are also warning owners of these types cars to be on their guard after a number of car key burglaries in the county.

New cars are difficult to steal so offenders are resorting to stealing keys left on show by using a hook or cane to retrieve them through an unlocked window, letterbox or cat-flap – people can prevent this by ensuring car keys are kept securely out of the way.

Assistant Chief Constable Cooke added: “Operation Vault was launched in 2004 specifically to target cash in transit criminals. Since then, and as part of that operation, 20 people have been arrested and charged with robbery, with eleven men currently serving a total of 99 years behind bars.

“We catch more people who commit these types of offences than any other force in the North West, so criminals be warned, you are not welcome in Lancashire!

“We work closely with our neighbouring forces and share our intelligence so we know who you are. We have the right specialist skills, technology and resources to catch you and we have quality officers who will ensure that if you commit these crimes here in Lancashire you will be caught, prosecuted and go to prison.”

The lockdown is just one of the tactics being used by Lancashire Constabulary to target would be cash in transit criminals and criminals involved in burglaries. Offenders will be stopped at all Lancashire’s borders using all available resources, including firearms officers, motorway officers, dog patrols and the Air Support Unit.

In addition to increasing overt and covert surveillance and CCTV cameras to monitor cash collections and deliveries across the force, police say the public have an important role to play to preventing or gathering evidence around these types of offences.

Anyone with information about possible offenders or suspicious activity should contact police on 08451 25 35 45 08451 25 35 45 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 0800 555 111

Source: UKPA, Date: 23 November 2009

Knife-carrying yobs in London will be shown graphic images of stab wounds in an effort to discourage them from reoffending.

Doctors and nurses will show hundreds of offenders in England and Wales real-life pictures of the damage done by blades as part of Government efforts to clamp down on knife crime.

Under the Knife Crime Prevention Programme (KCPP), which has been extended to knife crime hotspots, young offenders will also meet victims of knife crime and ex-criminals who have turned their lives around.

The scheme, run jointly by the Home Office and Youth Justice Boards in England and Wales, will also offer anger management courses and lectures by police on the law on knives.

Home Office minister David Hanson said: “This course brings young people face to face with the consequences of knife crime, whatever the reason they carried the knife in the first place.

“These young people could be on the brink of entering serious crime or gang lifestyles. By bringing together the police, local authorities and ex-offenders in this way we hope to prevent this happening and give these young people back their futures.”

Following a pilot, the scheme has been extended to areas covered by the Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP). Officials predict 2,000 offenders aged between 10 and 17 will pass through it in its first year.

Schools Minister Vernon Coaker said the campaign sends a message to young people that carrying a knife would not be tolerated.

He added: “Through this programme young people are being made to acknowledge their crime whilst carrying out their sentences, helping to prevent a repeat offence.”

The TKAP police forces are the Metropolitan Police, Essex, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Nottinghamshire, South Wales and Thames Valley, Bedfordshire, Northumbria, South Yorkshire, Kent and Hampshire.

Source: Daily Mail, Date: 07 December 2009

The latest addition to Steven Gerrard’s family is a four-year-old German Shepherd called Quinn.

The ferocious-looking Alsatian has been hired by the Liverpool and England footballer to guard his family’s £3million mansion over the Christmas period, when he has a particularly busy schedule.

Despite being photographed keeping his distance from the snarling dog, Gerrard is said to be delighted with his latest home security device.

Don’t mess with me! Steven Gerrard meets Quinn the German Shepherd, who will guard the footballer’s mansion over the Christmas period

The footballer’s house in Formby, Merseyside will be patrolled by Quinn and his handler, former prison officer Alan Sedley.

‘The dog will be on night patrol and during the early evening he will patrol the gardens,’ said Frank Firth, operations manager of Nationwide Sports Security.

‘It will also give reassurance to the local community.

‘This is a new feature and we will assess the situation for the World Cup in the new year, but Alex and Steven have both met the dog and they are very happy.’

Gerrard’s latest decision to step up security with a guard dog follows a spate of raids on Premiership stars’ homes in the Liverpool and Manchester areas

The Liverpool skipper beefed up security two years ago after his mansion was raided by four burglars while he was away playing a Champions League match in Marseilles.

Gerrard’s wife, Alex Curran, who was at home watching the match with a friend at the time, was shaken but not injured after being confronted by the masked raiders.

The couple’s two daughters were asleep upstairs.

Thousands of pounds worth of jewellery and two sets of car keys were stolen during the burglary.

Following the terrifying incident, the footballer took drastic action and hired a crack team of former SAS soldiers to protect his family.

Gerrard’s latest decision to step up security with a guard dog follows a spate of raids on Premiership stars’ homes.

In the past three years the homes of 15 footballers have been targeted, mainly in the Liverpool and Manchester areas.

In September, Everton footballer Phil Jagielka was held at knifepoint after robbers burst into his luxury mansion near Knutsford, Cheshire, as he watched his teammates play on television.  

The gang threatened Jagielka with a knife and demanded to know where he kept all his valuables.

Earlier this year, Manchester United star Darren Fletcher’s house in Bowen, Greater Manchester was raided by a hooded gang, who held a knife to the throat of his fiancee Hayley Grice.

The homes of Manchester City forward Roque Santa Cruz, Cheshire-based Spurs star Peter Crouch and Liverpool’s Daniel Agger, Pepe Reina and Dirk Kuyt have all been targeted.

Two years ago raiders broke into Gerrard’s family home while his wife Alex Curran was watching television

Paul Hughes, from private security firm Benchmark PA, said a number of high profile customers had paid them to fit panic rooms at homes in ‘footballers row’ Alderley Edge as well as other areas popular with players such as Hale, Knutsford and Mere.

Gerrard’s hiring of the dog comes two weeks after his brother was arrested on drug-dealing charges, for which he was released without charge.

Earlier this year the 29-year-old midfielder faced the embarrassment of standing trial after he repeatedly punched a man in a drunken row over music at a bar while on a night out with a group of friends, several also from Huyton.

The £120,000-a-week star walked free from court after being cleared of affray, having claimed he acted in self-defence.

But five of his friends admitted the offence while another pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour over the attack on Marcus McGee in Southport on December 29 last year.

The incident dented his image as a model professional and quiet family man, but his family had already been exposed for links with Liverpool’s criminal fraternity.

Last year a court heard how he and his family had the ‘utmost respect’ for notorious gangland figure John Kinsella.

The Gerrard brothers’ father, Paul Sr, wrote an open letter read to the jury explaining how Kinsella once earned their gratitude by persuading a notorious criminal, George Bromley Jr, to call off a campaign of intimidation and extortion against Steven.

It detailed how Kinsella saved him from the young gangster after he threatened to shoot him in the legs in a dispute over a girl they had both dated.

Kinsella later absconded during the trial and went on the run, only to be caught nine months later in Amsterdam. He is currently serving a ten-year jail sentence.

Gerrard is also frequently reminded by opposition fans that his wife Alex once dated notorious local criminal Tony Richardson before they

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1233795/Steven-Gerrard-steps-security-ferocious-looking-German-Shepherd-called-Quinn.html#ixzz0ZKwWtqQI

Source: Maidenhead Advertiser, Date: 10 December 2009

A locksmith’s van was stolen as he was working in Datchet last Thursday. The man was fixing a lock at The Money Club, in Slough Road, at 1.15pm, when he heard a screech of tyres before seeing his white Ford Transit van being driven away by a man. PC James Heath, investigating officer, said: “The van, registration number S18 ANY, contained the man’s tools. “If you saw the van being driven in the area at the time, or witnessed anyone behaving suspiciously, please contact police as soon as possible.” PC Heath can be contacted on 0845 8 505 505, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Source: BBC News, Date: 08 December 2009
 Businesses will need to have an “approved contractor” kitemark before they carry out any private security work for the government. The move is intended to freeze out firms with links to gangsters.
 
Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said he wanted to guarantee taxpayers’ money didn’t end up funding criminals.

Mr MacAskill said “I am determined to ensure that public money does not make its way into the criminals’ coffers.

“That means ensuring that our contracts go only to legitimate businesses and that taxpayers’ money is not siphoned off to fund organised crime.”

‘High standards’

The proposal came after the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency called for the system of awarding public sector contracts to be tightened up, to exclude firms with links to gangsters.

Now any companies wanting to tender for Scottish government work will need to have the seal of approval from the Security Industry Authority.

It operates a voluntary scheme for setting the standard for suppliers of private security services.

The SIA chief executive Bill Butler welcomed the announcement of the clampdown.

He said “It will ensure that only those contractors meeting the high standards of the ACS (Approved Contractor Scheme) will be involved in government contracts in Scotland, providing reassurance to the public.”

Source: BSIA, Date: 10 December 2009

Research from the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) has revealed that security remains a key investment for UK plc despite the difficult economic climate with 92% of respondents retaining the same level of investment.

BSIA Technical Director, Alex Carmichael, comments: “It is encouraging that UK plc continues to take security seriously despite the pressures of the current economic climate. However, there are many ways that businesses can enhance their investment without large scale expenditure on their part.”
 
“Our research shows that one third of businesses asked were not aware of business crime trends in their area and another third were only marginally aware of such trends. By keeping abreast of crime trends through involvement in local Business Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships or Chambers of Commerce, organisations can more easily anticipate the kinds of crime that they risk falling victim to and can share best practice on how to tackle the problem.”

Of the security measures that businesses had in place, most opted for a package of measures with CCTV, intruder alarms and physical security measures the most popular options to secure their premises. Going forward, of those looking to invest in security, 37% were considering further investment in CCTV, 15% were considering intruder alarms, another 15% security guarding services, 14% access control and 14% were looking into investment in physical security measures.

“With a plethora of security measures on offer, organisations should ensure that they are investing in quality security solutions in order to get value for money,” continues Alex Carmichael. “By purchasing products and services which comply with relevant British and European Standards, companies can rest assured that their staff and premises are protected by quality and professional security.”

For those businesses looking to invest in security measures, the BSIA website provides details of member companies that comply with relevant British and European Standards.

Search for a member and view the website by clicking on the link below.

Source: BBC News, Date: 19 January 2008

A locksmith is considering suing Gloucestershire police for wrongful arrest after he was held in a cell after being mistaken for a burglar.

Lee Hicks, 33, said police burst into his home to arrest him after his fingerprints were found at the scene of a burglary committed seven months ago.

Mr Hicks, of Tewkesbury, said when he was put in the cell he was “treated with contempt like a real criminal”.

Police said they were right to arrest him and would not be apologising.
  “It was 6am and they burst into my home” Lee Hicks.
 
Kate Nelmes, from Gloucestershire Constabulary, confirmed Mr Hicks had been later released without charge.

Mr Hicks said his wife and children stood by and watched as officers searched wardrobes for evidence before taking him to Cheltenham Police Station for questioning.

He was then held in the cells for three hours.

The father-of-two said the whole incident related to locks he had changed at a petrol station in Newent on 4 June last year.

“I was livid. The arresting officer knew I was a locksmith and they proceeded anyway.

“It was 6am and they burst into my home. My wife and two daughters were very upset.

“It was very traumatic and left my family extremely shaken.”

Mr Hicks is now considering suing for wrongful arrest.

“I’ve taken advice from a solicitor and I’m getting paperwork together for a wrongful arrest claim,” he added