CogNW

Welcome to Coggeshall Neighbourhood Watch! We're a local community group working in close partnership with Essex Police to help make our village a safer and better place to live.

The UK's first Neighbourhood Watch was set up in Mollington in Cheshire in 1982 following the success of a similar scheme in Chicago in the United States. Many more schemes followed throughout the UK, and 10 million people are now thought to be members.

We'll publish the latest information about crime in the village on this site. So if, for example, there's a sudden increase in burglaries or a door-to-door- scam running, we'll make sure you know about it straight away.

You can also email us with any questions. And, of course, we'd love you to be involved too. Take a look at how you can support the Scheme in lots of practical ways.

ADVICE FROM ACTION FRAUD

Action Fraud launches new campaign to fight back against fraud this Christmas

Action Fraud launch #FraudFreeXmas campaign with stark warning about online shopping fraud. Action Fraud’s #FraudFreeXmas campaign has launched today, with a stark warning about ‘too good to be true’ Black Friday deals. Figures reveal reports of online shopping fraud have surged by 30% over the pandemic as many of us continue to shop online in light of current restrictions.

Figures from Action Fraud show that criminals conned 17,405 shoppers out of almost £13.5 million over the Christmas period last year, an increase of over 20% when compared to the same period in 2018.

Action Fraud is warning the public to take extra care when shopping online, ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as shoppers search for bargains and gifts for loved ones in the run up to Christmas.

Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, said: “Christmas is an incredibly busy time for us all. Many shoppers get caught up in the excitement of Black Friday, so it can be easy to rush into making a quick purchase online to secure a bargain.

“Unfortunately, criminals will see this as an ideal opportunity to take advantage of shoppers and will tempt them with the promise of cheap deals.

“We advise that you’re cautious of where and who you’re buying from. Our figures show that most scams last year involved mobile phones and electronics, so always shop with official retailers and don’t be enticed by deals that seem too good to be true. Where possible, use a credit card when shopping online as this will offer you more protection if anything goes wrong.

“Follow our simple advice to enjoy shopping online safely and ensure you’re not left empty handed this Christmas.”

During Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale events last year (25th November 2019 – 8th December 2019), over £3 million was lost to criminals as shoppers reported buying mobile phones (15%), vehicles (9%) and electronics (8%), on sites such as Facebook, eBay and Gumtree, only to have the items never arrive.

Over half of victims were male (55%) aged 20 to 29 (19%) residing in cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, Leeds and Bristol.

This year, Action Fraud will highlight a different type of fraud, and provide important protect advice, every week during December to prevent people from getting conned out of the Christmas they deserve, starting with online shopping and auction fraud ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

To protect yourself from falling victim to online shopping or auction fraud, remember the following:

Choosing where you shop: If you’re making a purchase from a website or person you don’t know and trust, carry out some research first. Look online for reviews of the website or person you’re buying from. If you’re purchasing an item from an online marketplace, you can view the seller’s feedback history before going ahead with the purchase.

Payment method: Use a payment method that offers buyer protection, such as a credit card if you have one, as most major credit card providers will help you get your money back if the item is faulty or damaged, or if it never arrives.

Staying secure online: Use a strong, separate password for your email account. Criminals can use your email to access other online accounts, such as those you use for online shopping. You should also enable two-factor authentication (2FA), where possible, which gives your online account additional protection by double checking that you really are the person you claim to be, when logging in. For further information about how to stay secure online, visit www.cyberaware.gov.uk

Watch out for phishing emails or texts: Some of the emails or texts you receive about amazing offers may contain links to fake websites. If you’re unsure, don't use the link and visit the website directly instead. If you receive an email you’re not quite sure about, you can report it by forwarding the email to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service at report@phishing.gov.uk You can report suspicious texts you have received by forwarding the original message to 7726, which spells SPAM on your keypad.

When things go wrong: Anyone can fall victim to fraud. If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

THAT TIME OF YEAR

Yes, the deadline for your Tax Return is 31/1/21 and with this in mind it is likely that fraudsters may be in touch by email, text or phone so read on:-

Self Assessment customers warned about scammers posing as HMRC

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned people filing Self Assessment tax returns against falling victim to criminal scams.

Self Assessment customers should be alert to criminals claiming to be from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

As the department issues thousands of SMS messages and emails as part of its annual Self Assessment tax return push, HMRC is warning customers completing their returns to take care to avoid being caught out by scammers. The annual tax return deadline is on 31 January 2021.

The department knows that fraudsters use calls, emails or texts to contact customers. In the last 12 months, HMRC has responded to more than 846,000 referrals of suspicious HMRC contact from the public and reported over 15,500 malicious web pages to internet service providers to be taken down. Almost 500,000 of the referrals from the public offered bogus tax rebates.

Many scams target customers to inform them of a fake ‘tax rebate’ or ‘tax refund’ they are due. The imposters use language intended to convince them to hand over personal information, including bank details, in order to claim the ‘refund’. Criminals

will use this information to access customers’ bank accounts, trick them into paying fictitious tax bills, or sell on their personal information to other criminals.

HMRC’s Interim Director General for Customer Services, Karl Khan, said: -

“We know that criminals take advantage of the Self Assessment deadline to panic customers into sharing their personal or financial details and even paying bogus ‘tax due’.

“If someone calls, emails or texts claiming to be from HMRC, offering financial help or asking for money, it might be a scam. Please take a moment to think before parting with any private information or money.”

Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, said: “Criminals are experts at impersonating organisations that we know and trust. We work closely with HMRC to raise awareness of current scams and encourage people to report any suspicious calls or messages they receive, even if they haven’t acted on them, to the relevant channels. This information is crucial in disrupting criminal activity and is already helping HMRC take down fraudulent websites being used to facilitate fraud.

“It’s important to remember if you’re contacted out the blue by someone purporting to be from HMRC asking for your personal or financial details, or offering you a tax rebate, grant or refund, this could be a scam. Do not respond, hang up the phone, and take care not to click on any links in unexpected emails or text messages. You should contact HMRC directly using a phone number you’ve used before to check if the communication you have received is genuine.

“If you’ve been the victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and please report it to Action Fraud online at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.”

Customers can report suspicious activity to HMRC at phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and texts to 60599. They can also report phone scams online on GOV.UK

HMRC is also warning the public to be aware of websites that charge for government services – such as call connection sites – that are in fact free or charged at local call rates. Other companies charge people for help getting ‘tax refunds’. One way to safely claim a tax refund for free is to log into your Personal Tax Account.

HMRC has a dedicated Customer Protection team that identifies and closes down scams but asks the public to recognise the signs to avoid becoming a victim. HMRC regularly publishes examples of new scams on GOV.UK to help customers recognise phishing emails and bogus contact by email, text or phone.

Ways to spot a tax scam It could be a scam if it: -

• is unexpected • Offers a refund, tax rebate or grant.

• asks for personal information like bank details

• is threatening • Tells you to transfer money.

Self Assessment customers can complete their tax return online and help and support is available on GOV.UK

To protect against identity fraud customers must verify their identity when accessing HMRC’s online services. They must have two sources of information including: -

• credit reference agency data

• tax credit

•  P60/payslip

      • UK Passport

ANTI TERRORIST HOTLINE

Bearing in mind the recent terrorist activities in Europe, the current Terrorist threat in the UK is ‘Severe.’ Terrorists may well take advantage of the opportunities created by the pandemic, and, if lockdown is eased on the 2nd December, many more people will be out and about, trying to catch up with Christmas Shopping etc.,

We all need to stay alert. If you see anything that looks suspicious, there is a special telephone line that you can call: - 0800 789 321

If you see something suspicious report it, do not assume another will have already done so.

ALLERGIC TO STINGS?

ALLERGIC TO STINGS? READ ON….

Make sure that you don not get ‘stung,’ by any of the thousands of scams that are besieging us during the pandemic, or at any time in the future.
More than a quarter of the threats dealt with by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in the past twelve months were criminals or even national states trying to exploit the Coronavirus pandemic.
One particularly nasty attack was carried out by Russian spies attempting to steal details of research into vaccine. The UK worked with allies to August 2020 to prevent the espionage.
During the period from September 2019, the NCSC worked on combating 723 incidents of all kinds and found that nearly ten percent (200) of these related to the pandemic. It also thwarted 15,354 coronavirus-related scams, including fake online shops selling PPE (personal protective equipment), test kits and vaccines.
Make sure that you have anti-virus and malware software installed and that it is kept up to date.
Apparently, Hackers are busy trying to infect your computer with the ‘Emotet Malware,’ by sending emails that urge you to update Microsoft Word.
The email claims to be from Microsoft Windows Update, states that you need to update Word in order to open a document that’s attached.
The emails do not mention updating Word in the subject line, instead, they normally use more newsworthy information often on Covid 19 or alerts about invoices that you have to pay.
When you open the email, you will see this message: “Some apps need to be updated. These programs need to be upgrade because they aren’t compatible with this file format. *Microsoft Word. You need to click Enable Editing and then click Enable Content.”
It is reported that the word “upgrade” is missing a final ‘d’ and there is an asterisk before ‘Microsoft Word.’
Microsoft should detect these emails as malicious and show a warning in the yellow bar at the top, saying that the email attachments “can contain viruses” and that it is safer to keep document in ‘Protected View.’
The scammers want you to click Enable Editing to disable the protection and run macros on your computer. Be warned that if you do this, Emotet will be installed on your computer, where it will possibly lock your computer system with ransomware or use your email address to send spam.
Whilst writing about emails, I read recently that the BBC blocked 283,597 spam and malicious emails a day, during the first eight months of 2020, they also received 6.7 million hostile emails a month during this period.
DON’T BE FOOLED: Currently, there are also scam emails circulating, purporting to come from Mark’s and Spencer’s, claiming that their boss Steve Rowe, had launched a prize draw to give customers a £35 gift card to celebrate M & S’s 135th Birthday. You are told to click on a link then enter your details including your bank information. Do not do this unless you want to fill the pockets of criminals!

POST BREXIT SCAMS

Which? urges government to force banks to sign up to reimbursement code Post-Brexit law change could help banking scam victims By Gareth Shaw 22 Oct 2020 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share by email The government should introduce new laws to protect people from losing life-changing sums of money to bank transfer fraud after the Brexit transition period is over, Which? has urged. Currently, 18 banks are signed up to a voluntary code of conduct that should see victims of bank transfer scams – which involve you sending money to a fraudster from your bank account to theirs – reimbursed. Not all banks are signed up, and the regulator that oversees payments can’t force banks to follow the code because of a European law currently adopted in the UK. Which? believes that the current code is failing victims of these scams. It’s being applied inconsistently, leaving customers facing a lottery when it comes to getting their money back – with many victims of sophisticated scams still denied reimbursement. Find out more about how a post-Brexit rule change could help victims and what to do if you’ve caught out by this type of scam. How do bank transfer scams work? A bank transfer scam is sometimes referred to as an authorised push payment (APP) scam, which sees you being tricked into sending money to a fraudsters banks account. Fraudsters often impersonate trusted organisations – such as banks, HMRC or other government departments – and use sophisticated techniques to win your confidence and send money to them. This can be through convincing text messages, emails or telephone numbers spoofing those that belong to the real institutions. A common scam involves a criminal pretending to be from your bank’s fraud team, warning you that you need to move your money to a safe account, which actually belongs to the fraudster. How are banks supposed to protect you from these scams? A voluntary code of conduct was introduced in May last year, which would see you reimbursed by your bank if you fell victim to this type of scam and you aren’t to blame. Banks also have duties to protect you and should reimburse you if they’ve fallen down on any of these steps, including: Educating customers about APP scams Identifying higher-risk payments and customers who are vulnerable and so have a higher risk of becoming a victim Providing effective warnings to customers if the bank identifies an APP scam risk – these could be messages when you go to make a payment or set up a new payee Talking to customers about payments and even delaying or stopping payments where there are scam concerns Acting quickly when a scam is reported to it Taking steps to stop fraudsters opening bank accounts. If your bank is part of the code, it will confirm whether it will reimburse you within 15 business days and the reimbursement should come without delay. Should the bank need more time to investigate, it can’t take more than 35 business days (roughly seven weeks). If you’re not happy with how the banks that are involved – either the one from where the money was sent or the bank that received the funds – have dealt with your case, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Find out more: how to take a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service How big is the problem with bank transfer scams? The latest figures show that more than £200m was lost to this type of fraud in the first six months of 2020. But despite the introduction of the code of conduct, 38% was reimbursed to victims. That’s a fall on the second half of 2019, when 41% was returned. In August, Which? published a report alleging that scam victims were facing a lottery when it came to getting their money back, with banks applying the code poorly and inconsistently. Reimbursement rates by individual banks, which have been published by the Payment Systems Regulator anonymously, fluctuate dramatically, with one firm fully reimbursing just 1% of victims, whereas another had fully reimbursed 59%. Which? believes the current lack of consistency means many customers face a lottery when it comes to trying to get their money back. Which? has intervened multiple times to help victims who have been told they won’t be reimbursed, frequently helping overturn banks’ original decisions. We wouldn’t have to do this if the code was being implemented fairly and consistently. Currently, TSB is the only bank to reimburse victims of scams, with no questions asked –unless they have been involved in the fraud or wildly reckless in the process of being scammed. The Payment Systems Regulator, which oversees payments, can’t currently make reimbursement mandatory. Why could Brexit help scam victims? In its response to the Treasury’s review of the payments landscape, Which? has outlined how changes to legislation could allow regulators to require all banks to follow a statutory code offering strong protections for scam victims. The Payment Systems Regulator says that it currently lacks the powers to take action on reimbursement, because of the EU Second Payment Services Directive. This law prohibits EU member states – and the UK, during the transition period – from forcing payment service providers to go beyond the terms set out in the Directive. As a result, the regulator argues that it can’t currently require reimbursement to be made to victims of bank transfer scams. A change in legislation would provide the regulator with the power to direct the Faster Payments Scheme, which facilitates bank transfers, to introduce a new guarantee into its rules that includes protection for victims of APP fraud – similar to the guarantee in place for direct debits. As members of Faster Payments are required to follow the rules of the scheme, this would ensure that the code is adopted across the industry Which? believes that by making these changes, the government can show that it will use the legal flexibility resulting from Brexit to benefit consumers – and could potentially cut the amount consumers lose to bank transfer fraud by tens of millions of pounds a year. Categories: Banking, Money Tagged as: bank transfer scams brexit More on this What to do if you're a victim of bank transfer scams Sign up to the Which? Money Weekly newsletter Record amounts lost to bank transfer scams Related articles Seven ways older people can heat their homes for less this winter Seven ways older people can heat their homes for less this winter Posted on 16 Nov 2020 Bathroom & personal care Home insurance claims for burglaries on the rise: how to keep your home secure. Shared on Social Media by WHICH?

NEW SCAM ON THE BLOCK

BE READY FOR BREXIT SCAMS.............................

The UK's departure from the EU will create uncertainty for some people and scammers prey on this uncertainty. We've already heard from people who have been targeted by some of the following scams: Article from Which?

1 Ehic (European Health Insurance Card) scams: The European Health Insurance Card (Ehic) applies to EEA countries and Switzerland. The Ehic gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.

There are already many unofficial websites charging people for Ehic cards which UK citizens are currently entitled to get for free as an EEA member.

Depending on how the UK exits the EU, the Ehic card could no longer apply to UK travellers holidaying in these countries.

Scammers could use the confusion around this to lure UK travellers into thinking they can still get an Ehic if they pay a fee for it.

If you’re looking to get an Ehic card before you travel this year, visit the official government website: https://www.gov.uk/european-health-insurance-card or the official NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare- abroad/apply-for-a-free-ehic-european-health-insurance-card/ to check if you can still get one and, if you can, to make sure you get one for free.

2 HMRC Brexit scams: Fraudsters are targeting businesses with fake websites posing as HM Revenue & Customs. The scam is aimed at companies which trade with the EU and have been told by the Government they need to register for a 'UK trader number'.

We’ve also seen fraudsters trying to scam consumers using the HMRC name, so be careful if you get an email, text or phone call from someone saying they’re from HMRC.

HMRC will never ask you for your payment or personal details by email, text or over the phone, so alarm bells should ring if you are asked for any details in this way.

3 Bogus Brexit investments: Scammers often use big global events and current affairs as a way to con investors into parting with money.

A scammer might call or email unsuspecting victims suggesting that making a new investment or changing an existing one will help to 'capitalise on' Brexit or 'reduce damage' as a result of it. One example we've seen of this is are claims for a 'Brexit severance cheque'.

Be cautious if you receive calls or emails with a deal that sounds too good to be true, as it's probably a scam.

Remember that no one, including genuine investment firms, truly know the impact Brexit will have.

Don’t respond to cold callers and always look into a scheme in detail before handing over any money.

Never give your personal bank details in phone calls or emails that appear to be from your lender.

Contact your lender the next day on an official number via its website.

4 Financial services scams: The government will require financial services companies to proactively contact anyone likely to be affected by Brexit, whether a deal is reached or not.

This is because most financial services regulation in the UK is drawn from EU directives - so if the UK loses access to this system, it could impact on banks' access to the European payments infrastructure.

In practical terms this means it could take longer to transfer money to Europe, or to pay for a purchase in euros. If for example, you earn money from an EU-based company, you might experience increased issues when being paid.

Where you are based, where your firm is based, the regulatory authorisations they operate and the services that they access will all impact how you'll be contacted as a customer of a financial services firm.

Any disruption during this time could present a perfect opportunity for scammers, who may contact people pretending to be from their bank, insurer or other financial services provider.

If contact via phone, email or text comes out of the blue, you're asked to provide personal details or you're pressured to respond quickly, proceed with caution.

Don't respond to the message or click on any links if you suspect it could be a scam.

Contact your financial service provider using the official contact information on its website and ask your adviser to verify that the message you received is genuine.

VICTIM SUPPORT/MY SUPPORT SPACE

In the current climate some may feel at a loss as to who to turn to in times of stress if a victim of criminal acts. The following may be of help:-

My Support Space is an online resource designed to help you manage the impact that crime has had on you.

It is a free, safe, secure and confidential space where you can choose how you want to be supported after crime.

It’s easy to create an account

Registering for an account with My Support Space is quick and easy. We don’t need many details from you. Sign up at mysupportspace.org.uk/MoJ

You can access My Support Space from any computer, tablet or smartphone with internet access.

How can it help me?

Once you’ve created your account you can access a range of tools to help you cope and move forward after crime.

You can work through a series of interactive guides which address your specific needs. The guides feature videos, techniques, activities and tips, and can be completed at your own pace. You can save your progress and revisit where you left off at any time.

You can also create an online diary, find useful resources and request direct support.

Who is it suitable for?

My Support Space is for people aged 16 and over who have been affected by crime and traumatic events and feel able to cope but who may need help to move forward.

 

 

mysupportspace.org.uk/MoJ

March 2020 | P2601 © 2020 Victim Support

PROTECT AGAINST HACKERS

10 ways to protect against hackers
Hackers (of the criminal variety) are a scary bunch—whether working as part of an organized unit or an idealist with a political agenda, they’ve got the knowledge and the power to access your most precious data. If hackers want to target a particular company, for example, they can find vast amounts of information on that company just by searching the web. They can then use that info to exploit weaknesses in the company’s security, which in turn puts the data you’ve entrusted to that company in jeopardy.
Think of your home computer as a company. What can you do to protect it against cybercriminals? Instead of sitting back and waiting to get infected, why not arm yourself and fight back?
Bad guys, beware. We’ve got 10 ways to beat you.
1. Update your OS and other software frequently, if not automatically. This keeps hackers from accessing your computer through vulnerabilities in outdated programs (which can be exploited by malware). For extra protection, enable Microsoft product updates so that the Office Suite will be updated at the same time. Consider retiring particularly susceptible software such as Java or Flash, especially as many sites and services continue to move away from them.
2. Download up-to-date security programs, including anti-malware software with 
multiple technologies for protecting against spyware, ransomware, and exploits, as well as a firewall, if your OS didn’t come pre-packaged with it. (You’ll want to check if your OS has both firewall and antivirus built in and enabled by default, and whether those programs are compatible with additional cybersecurity software.)
3. Destroy all traces of your personal info on hardware you plan on selling. Consider using d-ban to erase your hard drive. For those looking to pillage your recycled devices, this makes information much more difficult to recover. If the information you’d like to protect is critical enough, removing the platters where the information is stored then destroying them is the way to go.
4. Do not use open Wi-Fi on your router; it makes it too easy for threat actors to steal your connection and download illegal files. Protect your Wi-Fi with an encrypted password and consider refreshing your equipment every few years. Some routers have vulnerabilities that are never patched. Newer routers allow you to provide guests with segregated wireless access. Plus, they make frequent password changes easier.
5. Speaking of passwords: password protect all of your devices, including your desktop, laptop, phone, smartwatch, tablet, camera, lawnmower...you get the idea. The ubiquity of mobile devices makes them especially vulnerable. Lock your phone and make the timeout fairly short. Use fingerprint lock for the iPhone and passkey or swipe for Android. “It’s easy to forget that mobile devices are essentially small computers that just happen to fit in your pocket and can be used as a phone,” says Jean-Philippe Taggart, Senior Security Researcher at Malwarebytes. “Your mobile device contains a veritable treasure trove of personal information and once unlocked, can lead to devastating consequences.”
6. Sensing a pattern here? Create difficult passwords, and never use the same ones across multiple services. If that’s as painful as a stake to a vampire’s heart, use a password manager like LastPass or 1Password. For extra hacker protection, ask about two-step authentication. Several services have only recently started to offer 2FA, and they require the user to initiate the process. Trust us, the extra friction is worth it. Two-factor authentication makes taking over an account that much more difficult, and on the flip side, much easier to reclaim should the worst happen.
7. Come up with creative answers for your security questions. People can now figure out your mother’s maiden name or where you went to school or college with a simple Google search. Consider answering like a crazy person. If a Bank asks, “What was the name of your first boyfriend/girlfriend?” reply, “Your mum.” Just don’t forget that’s how you answered when they ask you again.
8. Practice smart emailing. Phishing campaigns still exist, but cybercriminals have become much cleverer than that Nigerian prince who needs your money. Hover over links to see their actual URLs (as opposed to just seeing words in hyperlink text). Also, check to see if the email is really from the person or company claiming to have sent it. If you’re not sure, pay attention to awkward sentence construction and formatting. If something still seems fishy, do a quick search on the Internet for the subject line. Others may have been scammed and posted about it online.
9. Some websites will ask you to sign in with a specific service to access features or post a comment. Ensure the login option isn’t a sneaky phish, and if you’re giving permission to an app to perform a task, ensure you know how to revoke access once you no longer need it. Old, abandoned connections from service to service are an easy way to see your main account compromised by spam.
10 Keep sensitive data off the cloud. “No matter which way you cut it, data stored on the cloud doesn’t belong to you,” says Taggart. “There are very few cloud storage solutions that offer encryption for ‘data at rest.’ Use the cloud accordingly. If it’s important, don’t.”
Honourable mentions: Alarmist webpages announcing that there are “critical errors” on your computer are lies. Microsoft will never contact you in person to remove threats. These messages come from scammers, and if you allow them to remotely connect to your computer, they could try to steal your information and your money. If that’s not a Nightmare, then we don’t know what is.
Shared on social media by malwarebytes.com
More information can be found at: - https://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/what-we-do/crime-threats/cyber-crime

LEGALITY OF E SCOOTERS

E Scooters in the news again, and again, and again.
The Daily mail has a two page article in their edition dated Saturday 3rd October, entitled: New Plague on our Pavements. It highlights the true facts about: Broken bones, Skull Fractures, Brain Haemorrhages, Even Fatalities. (See link on next page).
Some MPs say E-Scooters should be legalised, one wonders if those who think this way are either truly blinkered or blatantly unaware of the very important safety concerns?
I am alarmed at the number of these lethal gadgets that are slowly creeping onto our pavements, footpaths and pedestrian precincts.
As I have said before, currently, they are only legal to use oiden private land, unless, they are part of a government approved trial, whereby they can be hired by anyone over the age of 18 who holds a provisional or full driving licence. There has already been a large number of complaints in the areas where their use is being trialled, as it appears that many users think that the law in respect of pavements, footpaths and pedestrian precincts, does not apply to them.
Whilst walking through the Harvey Centre in Harlow recently, I was incensed to see a man enter the centre, and for a short distance, get onto his E Scooter and ride and blazenly ride it, albeit for a short distance! Obvious, he fell into the category of being‘Cocky and stupid.’
The latest update is that new electric scooters that automatically turn off, once they mount the pavement, have been approved for use in Britain. The American designed E Scooters use sensors tocut power when entering prohibited zones such as footpaths and shopping centres. They are disabled within seconds of leaving a road, cycle lane or private land. (As the law currently stands the only place that they can legally be used outside of a trial area is on private land). These scooters use mapping data that is downloaded directly onto the scooter, which means it doesn’t have to use GPS. Apparently, it is hoped that the new devices made by a US firm called Link, will curb anti-social behaviour associated with the use of E Scooters in Britain. (I know that I am sceptical, and that I shouldn’t laugh, but .........
According to this latest report, E Scooters in the UK, take as long as thirty seconds to deactivate when entering prohibited territory. If that is the case, every E Scooter that I have seen recently, must have something to override this, as it doesn’t seem
to stop them, on pavements, footpaths, pedestrian precincts, cycle paths or roads in areas where such use is still illegal. Read the Daily Mail article at: -
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8800145/Rising-injuries-e-scooters- Britains-streets.html

THEFT OF METALS

Theft of Metals - A crime that affects us all?

You may well think “theft of metal” how does that affect me? Just look around you, your car has a very desirable catalytic convertor on its exhaust system, a roof has lead if not for the whole roof then it’s there in places, in the ground there is cabling for utilities such as telecommunications and many other examples where around us there are valuable metals. It does not then take a lot then to see that the loss of a catalytic convertor means a trader cannot work resulting in a loss of income to him and your delivery or work delayed or the trip you were taking is cancelled as vehicle cannot be used, the theft of lead from a roof and its resultant water damage catastrophic to a heritage building and potentially also causing the cancellation of a wedding or other function, theft of utility or telecommunication cabling can effectively cut off a village or whole area causing a loss of business or connectivity for the vulnerable, these just but a few of the results of metal theft.
So, what can be done? We can make it more difficult to steal and we can make it more difficult to dispose of.
Making it more difficult to steal or dispose of: -
• Report any suspicious activity: i.e. the unmarked van or other vehicle parked with activity around a manhole or sub-station etc, an unknown person working under a car late at night/early hours of the morning, activity around a church, heritage or other building when it’s not normal especially on a roof. Protect your neighbourhood by setting up a Neighbourhood Watch, Heritage Watch or Business Watch if you have not got one, the signage deters, and many eyes are better than one pair. NB – If you have planned building work let your neighbours/parishioners/employees know including who they are and what hours they will be there.
• Make it harder to steal: i.e. where your vehicle is parked – choose an area where people can see it or put it “under lock and key”, in a yard park vehicles with high ground clearance parked between those with low ground clearance, look at security devices with a vehicle it could be a protective cage, reduce access make them walk further and into public view especially when protecting buildings and their roofs, remove aids to the thief i.e. tools to do the job and climbing aids or something to carry their ill-gotten gains away, consider an alarm, with lead from roofs especially try and make access difficult subject to certain conditions you could use a spiky topping around downpipes fencing and roofs.
• Making it harder to dispose of: to start off with if its less attractive its less likely to be stolen so property marking and signage of this and other security devices may deter. Property marking makes it harder to dispose of, and there is something for almost everything from historic artefacts on the seabed to catalytic convertor to roofing material to your day to day property. An unmarked piece of property can be anonymous when stolen, in most cases we don’t know where it came from and therefore any prosecution is that much more difficult. A thief will know this and therefore anything that ties it back to the owner presents a risk not only to the thief but also to the handler, if the handler will not take it or it causes difficult questions at a boot fair or other then it’s not worth stealing it in the first place.
For further advice on crime prevention of crime prevention products see:
www.essex.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/ or www.securedbydesign.com/member-companies/accredited-product-search
Earlier this year, Network Rail and the British Transport Police (BTP) also began visiting scrap yards as a part of efforts to tackle the trading of stolen metal following recent figures revealing that over 400 incidents of metal theft on the railway between London Euston and Carlisle have occurred in the last 12 months. The result of metal theft on Britain’s railways include significant delays to passengers and costing the UK taxpayer an estimated £1.4 million in Network Rail’s railway network.
The efforts to discourage metal theft and stolen metal trading include surprise scrap dealer site visits, including reminding traders of their obligations under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. If it is not an emergency and you want to report a crime on the National Rail, London Underground, TFL Rail, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, Midland Metro tram system, Croydon Tramlink, Sunderland Metro and the Glasgow Subway, call us on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016.