Update - 30.12.20 - Shoplifter Sentenced

Update - 29.12.20 - Results to date of cases oultined below.

Update - 29.12.20

Boxing Day Message - 26.12.20

Hello all. Following the Government’s announcement, we’re now in Tier 3 and it is really important we continue to work together to save lives.  We will continue to maintain Covid-19 related patrols, as required, in addition to our usual work as we move through this period.

We will engage, explain and encourage people to comply with the regulations in place, and we will enforce where blatant breaches are observed. In a Tier 3 area, the alert level is Very High. There are restrictions on meeting people indoors and outdoors, as well restrictions for licensed premises. Hospitality settings, such as bars, pubs, cafes, restaurants, and social clubs must close except for takeaway, delivery and click and collect services.

There’s a lot of information out there circulating online which can be confusing and not always accurate. We want you to be reassured about our response which is why we’re posting this. Remember, you must observe the restrictions from the highest tier that you are travelling from or to at all times.
Stay safe everyone

For more information about restrictions in a Tier 3 area and Government guidance, go to: Tier 3: Very High alert

Christmas Message - 23.12.20

Court Result - A good news story

Appeal to Residents who have CCTV Systems and Ring Video Doorbells.

Burgler remanded in Custody : 30.11.20

Sergeant Kat update : I can confirm that today Stewart Mallin of New Milton pleaded guilty to 5 offences including Burglary and a number of Theft matters. He has been remanded in custody until April 2021 where he will face a trial for another Burglary matter and following this will be sentenced for all matters. This is great news I am sure for the community and is due to support from the community and hard work from not only my team but our response and patrol teams, investigation teams and also the CPS prosecutor that I have been liaising with. Please refrain from commenting about him not being sentenced at this time he has been refused bail and all matters will be dealt with in April.

Today's Activities for the New Milton Team : 26.11.20

Good evening just a update on today activities for the team. So my alarm went off at 03:30AM so I could be at New Milton for a 6am briefing. At 06:30 hours the team with the assistance of response and patrol, a drugs dog and a method of entry team executed a drugs warrant at an address not to far from New Milton police station. Although no drugs were found this time we will continue to act on information received and we will go to the magistrates to obtain warrants and who knows who will be getting the next early morning wake up call !!

Following the warrant and before a chance of a cuppa three of the New Milton team were called to help with a wanted male. On arrest the male attempted to kick one officer and head butt another and then whilst in the rear of the van custody kicked a third. I take this personally assaulting one of my team and a colleague is not acceptable. Luckily the officers are uninjured and I will be checking in with them regularly to make sure they are ok.

If you have any information on drug activity in your area please call 101, go online on the Hampshire police website or call crime stoppers which is anonymous. You information can really help keep the community a safer place.

So for now I will bid you all good night I am sure the whole team will sleep well and we can do it all again tomorrow. Until next time - SGT KAT

New Team Members : 26.11.20

Sgt Kat here.  So after having a well earned two rest days the team has come back to two new members. Pc Appleby and Pc Wilkinson join the New Milton and Lymington team from training and start the journey on their policing career. The two officers will be coached by experienced officer Pc Gladstone who will pass on her vast knowledge and outstanding values. They will be dealing with a variety of incidents across New Milton and Lymington so they gain all the experience they need to be fully fledged. This is the start of a long road for both and 18 years has past but I still remember my first arrest, witness statement, interview and court appearance. I can already see that our new officers are keen and want to do the very best for the community and our victims. So from myself and the team a warm welcome.

Update : 23.11.20

Sgt Kat : update.  I can confirm the today Victoria Peters and Stephen Dempsey of Lymington appeared at Southampton magistrates court following being charged and remanded on Saturday for shoplifting of £380 worth of stock from Superdrug. Today they pleaded initially not guilty to shoplifting but changed their plea to guilty soon after and therefore receiving a 12 week prison sentence. I hope local businesses are reassured by this sentence and my team continue to do all they can to protect the communities of Lymington & New Milton

Beat Surgery in New Milton on 20th November + Domestic Abuse Campaign

Your local NPT from LYMINGTON and NEW MILTON will be conducting a Beat Surgery tomorrow (20/11/20) evening at COSTA in New Milton Tesco’s from 7pm. This will be your chance to come and speak to us after doing your essential shop and express any concerns you may have or just to say hello! We will be promoting Safe At Home. We will be sticking to the social distancing measures and ask you to do the same please.

You can report concerns or get help and support for yourself from Hampshire Domestic Abuse Service which, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has extended opening hours until March 2021. Domestic abuse services in Hampshire, including refuge, are still available and mainly provided via telephone, email and online communication. Face to face support is currently unavailable due to national measures introduced. You can view further details on the Hampshire Domestic Abuse Service webpage.

In an emergency always call 999

Hampshire Domestic Abuse Service Email: advice@stopdomesticabuse.uk   Secure email: advice.hampshire@stopdomesticabuse.cjsm.net

Telephone: 033 0016 5112

Advice Line opening hours for victims, perpetrators and their family/friends and professionals. 9.30am-8.00pm Monday –Friday.

Refuges can be accessed 24 hrs by calling 033 0016 5112 and following the answerphone instructions.

Stay Safe.     PCSO Gemma

Drugs   18.11.20

A very quick update for you all this evening.  Officers investigating reports of drug cultivation at an address in Lymington have summoned a man to court.

An 18-year-old man from Lymington has been summoned to court on suspicion of one count of being concerned in the supply a Class B drug, one count of being concerned in the production of a Class B drug, one count of importing a Class B drug, one count of possession with intent to supply a Class B drug and one count of possession of criminal property. He is due to appear at Southampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday 23 February 2021.

If you suspect drug-related activity is happening in your neighbourhood please contact us. Every call you make helps us build up an intelligence picture which enables us to take action. Please call 101 or contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Charged    16.11.20

Sgt update : I can now confirm that 31 year old Robbie Boyt was charged and remanded yesterday for 3 shoplifting offences and possession of a class C drug. The assault matter remains under investigation at this time. Boyt will be taken to Southampton Magistrates court where police will make strong requests that he remains in HMP until any subsequent court trial.
Sgt Kat

Arrested    15.11.20

Good afternoon on this wet and windy Sunday!! Just because the weather is living up to November expectations does not mean that the team are inside reaming cosy.
Today a 31 year old male has been arrested for 3 shoplifting offences, and a Assault on a female whereby she was also threatened with a knife Police enquiries continue so watch tis space for an update.
SGT Kat

Operation Sceptre   10.11.20

So today both Lymington and and Milton teams worked along side British transport and Dorset police on a joint operation tackling those who carry knives. This involved all the teams across the three forces patrolling the trains and railway stations and surrounding areas. Together we were able to target those known to carry knives and of course identify any who are acting suspiciously which provided us with the grounds to conduct stop searches. This was a great way to work in partnership and information share so we could identify individuals. I can confirm despite a number of stop searches no knives were found. Thank you to BTP and Dorset officers.
Sgt Kat.

Beat Surgery   9.11.20

Good afternoon. We will be holding an online beat surgery Saturday 14th November at 12:00 Noon.  We will be targeting knife crime education so if you have any questions surrounding this topic please join us online on our Facebook Page - Lymington & New Milton Cops at that time.
Many thanks.  PCSO Amy

We Will Remember Them   8.11.20

I would like to say a huge thank you to PCSO Alan who came in on his day off today to lay wreaths at, New Milton, Barton and Hordle. A little different this year with lockdown but the team remembers all those who have fallen in conflict. Thank you to our armed forces past and present! We will remember them.
Sergeant Kat
 

Operation Sceptre  7.11.20

Sgt Kat here
Tomorrow marks the beginning of Op Sceptre, an initiative that started in London with The Met but has been adopted by Police Forces nationwide to help tackle and reduce knife crime and its devastating consequences. We have a zero tolerance approach to knife crime and it will nearly always end up in a court appearance unless there is a very, very good reason it should not.
The basic rules around knives that you are most likely to see you in trouble are..

• sell a knife to anyone under 18, unless it has a folding blade 3 inches long (7.62 cm) or less
• carry a knife in public without good reason, unless it has a folding blade with a cutting edge 3 inches long or less
• carry, buy or sell any type of banned knife
• use any knife in a threatening way (even a legal knife)

We will be completing some activities this week around education and engagement this will included visiting secondary schools and engaging with our young people. Watch this space for updates.
SGT Kat

Updates under new Restrictions  5.11.20

Good morning all, Just a little update from the last few days. 
At 01:45 this morning a group of 5 were Reported for Summons in the Lymington area in relation of a Covid breach. The group of 5 were not from the same household and were found to be drinking together. Our Response and Patrol colleagues were called to 5 incidents after midnight across the west of the New Forest for covid breaches.
New Milton NPT changed their shifts to patrol areas ensuring public houses and licensed premises did not experience any issues following the latest news from the government.

On 3/11/20 at around 09:00 we received a report in the Everton area of a suspicious male who asked to read a home owners smart meter, the home owner called there provider who confirmed this was not one of their workers as they do not read smart readers.
Please always check ID when allowing people into your home, if they are genuine they will not mind providing it. Never worry about shutting the door and calling the service provider, on a number that you have sourced, to ensure it is their worker at the door. Look out for your neighbours and report any suspicious behaviour to the Police through 101 or online. Thank you for your continued support.
PCSO Amy

------------------------- 

Good evening everyone!  As you’ll most likely be aware, new Government restrictions for England around the Coronavirus came into effect at 00:01 this morning (5 November) - with Hampshire Constabulary's commitment outlined in the post below from Assistant Chief Constable Maggie Blyth. In local Lymington news, in the early hours of this morning our Response and Patrol colleagues located a group of five 19 and 20-year-olds (who were not from the same household), gathered around a fire while drinking and listening to music at Bucklands Ring.
As a result of the enforcement powers we now have at our disposal, officers took appropriate action to engage and explain the new Government restrictions to the group and issued fixed penalty notices to the individuals involved in the breach. Our officers will continue to patrol hot-spot areas and will take appropriate action against those who are not deemed to be adhering to the Government restrictions currently in place until 2 December.

Charged - 3.11.20

Afternoon everyone. A very quick update for you.
Officers investigating a number of business-related burglaries across Lymington and New Milton have charged a man. The charges come after four incidents of burglary were reported between Sunday 27 September and Sunday 1 November. The robberies occurred across Lymington and New Milton at;

• Visual Vibes, Milford Road at 11.43pm on Wednesday 28 October. £245 in cash was stolen from the premises.
• The Wok Inn, Milford Road at 11.30pm on Thursday 1 October and again at 1.30am on Friday 2 October. Approximately £1,100 in cash was stolen from the premises.
• Perfumery & Company, Lymington High Street on Sunday 27 September. Perfume and aftershave with an approximate value of £4,500 was stolen from the premises.
• Ciao Bella, Gosport Street between 10pm on Saturday 31 October at 9am on Sunday 1 November. Approximately £100 was stolen from the premises.

Arrested - 2.11.20

Sergeant Kat update.
I can confirm that last night a Lymington Man was arrested for a number of Business Burglaries that have taken place over the last few weeks across Lymington and New Milton. Please refrain from naming anyone on social media as this is a live ongoing investigation. Please be reassured that we are doing everything we can to get this male charged and placed before the court. My team fully understand how hard it is for local business at the current time and crimes of this nature will not be tolerated.
Sgt Kat

Remanded in Custody - 26.10.20

I can now confirm that Stewart Mallin of New MIlton was today remanded in custody until 23rd November 2020. This was following him breaching his bail conditions of a curfew between 17:00-09:00, imposed by the court on Saturday 24th October. Mallin showed no regard for these conditions and breached within hours of his release. My team spent yesterday collating the evidence and taking various witness statements which made this possible. I would like to say a big thank you to those who gave statements, to the response and patrol team and my team who worked tirelessly yesterday to get the right result. I attended the hearing on my rest day to assist the prosecution to secure the right result. Myself and my team are dedicated to making New Milton a safer place to live. Sgt Smith.

Beat Surgeries on Saturday 24th October

Sgt Kat here! A big thank you to those who braved the weather today to come and see the team in New Milton and Lymington. The team spoke to a lot of people at Waitrose in Lymington and only 5 people came and spoke to us at Morrison’s in New Milton in the two hours we were there. I understand the weather was awful but we want to speak to as many people as we can and I need your help. Where would you like to see the best surgeries being held ? Are there any locations you think we would see more people ? Is a Saturday the best time ? I just need a few ideas so the team can get to engage with more community members at the surgeries. Over to you !

NOTE :  This was clearly a dissappointing result in New Milton - perhaps because of the weather - We will organise a Straw Poll this weekend to gather your views on location and dates which are most suitable.

Arrest - 22.10.20

Beat Surgery : New Milton - 19.10.20

Date for your diary !!!!! Saturday 24th October 2020 12:30 Morrisons Car park. PCSO MCCAFFERY, PCSO LAWRENCE and PCSO PEEL will be holding a beat surgery. This is an opportunity to come and meet the New Milton PCSO team. As the darker nights close in across the whole of Hampshire we always see an increase in dwelling burglaries. The team will be on hand to give you some crime prevention tips. This is a great opportunity to share your concerns and also if you have any information about crime being committed in the area this is a chance to tell us. So unless the weather is awful the team will be there from 12:30 -14:30 hours so come and say hello. Please make sure you have a mask and you socially distance from once another. SGT Kat

LAGLO Training to help us support our LGBT+ Communities - 15.10.20

Good afternoon Sergeant Kat here so today myself PCSO Gemma and PCSO Amy are doing some LAGLO training to help us support our LGBT+ communities. Remember be proud of being you and if you are a victim of a hate crime you can report it by typing true vision into Google, on the Hampshire police website or by calling 101.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week - 12.10.20

Good morning Sergeant Kat here on this Monday morning. This week is National Hate crime awareness week which is running from 10th October - 17th October. My team and other teams across the UK will be completing activities to raise awareness of Hate Crime. This will include encouraging reporting using true vision online (http://orlo.uk/MMj1Z) and other events raising the awareness of the effects of Hate crime and also working with victims. My team will be posting some events and the activities they have been doing over the coming days.

Please visit http://orlo.uk/BoEeO for some more information.

A hate crime is “any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s actual or perceived race, religion/faith, sexual orientation, disability, or transgender identity”.

 Race (e.g. skin colour, ethnicity, citizenship)

Religion (e.g. faith, atheism, targeting religious premises)

Sexual Orientation (e.g. gay, bisexual, pansexual)

Transgender identity (e.g. transgender, agender, demi-gender)

Disability (e.g. learning needs, mental health, physical impairment)

A hate crime can manifest itself as:

Physical abuse or violence

Verbal abuse or threats

Sexual abuse

Offensive calls or texts

Written/printed abuse (including offensive mail or email)

Indirect attacks

Harassment, exclusion or isolation

Damage to property

Online abuse

Weekend Update from PCSO Amy - 5.10.20

Good morning all, just a little update on what happened over the weekend across the Lymington and New Milton area.

On Friday night officers were called to a property in the New Milton area with concerns of a Covid breach. Persons were ejected from a premises however continued to linger on the high street. A Section 35 Dispersal Order was authorised shortly after which enabled officers to lawfully move people away from the designated area.

Between Thursday – Friday morning in total 21 beach huts were broken into along Barton on Sea. Please contact 101 if you have any information regarding this.

On 4/10/20 in the early hours of the morning a person was arrested and charged for drink driving in the Norleywood (Lymington) area. Along with another arrest and charge on an individual who was driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol along the A337 in the New Milton area.

Please note there have been a few car break-in’s over the past months whereby handbags and other valuables are stolen. We remind you to remove all valuables from your vehicle.

It has been a running theme over the past few weekends whereby officers have been given a verbal onslaught by groups of youths in the New Milton Town area whilst operating in the line of duty. We ask if you are a parent, please have this conversation with your teenagers. We try our best, and our jobs are not made any easier by groups of youths hurling verbal abuse and not complying with our directions.

Thank you all for your ongoing support, we appreciate it.

PCSO Amy

Update from Sgt Kay - 3.10.20

Good evening Sergeant Kat update - apologies that I have been somewhat quiet on here of late but it’s been a busy few weeks. So firstly my team made me super proud this week with a successful Drug warrant in New Milton. Getting up at 3 am to come in a brief my team for an early morning raid always fills my belly with excitement. However, the icing on the cake was finding class A drugs and cash! This is a live investigation so I won’t comment anymore but are enquires continue. I see comments on here that police don’t care and can’t be bothered let me tell you the faces on my team and officers from other areas of the forest told a different story. We all signed up to catch the bad guys so a positive result really does lift the spirits.

So with the new COVID rules, this has placed extra demand on the team and we are doing our best to answer those calls from the community reporting breaches. Over the last two weekends, we have seen gatherings in New Milton Rec and the attitude of these young people has been questionable. I urge parents to make sure their children understand the seriousness of this pandemic and also to instil respect for police. If young people are asked to leave an area please tell them to do so. We are not trying to Ruin their fun but protect them, their families and the wider community.

Special constable Dan was up early also this week with his speed gun around Lymington. Following reports from residents near to the Monkey House about regular speeding Sc Pruce was keen to get on the case. A number of vehicles were stopped and tickets issued. The forest has some beautiful roads but please respect these as one error of judgement could be fatal to either you or another road user.

On 10th October we see the start of National Hate Crime week and the team will be doing some work around this topic. In today’s modern society any discrimination or hostility towards anyone because of a protected characteristic is not acceptable. Police take this very seriously and look to bring those who think this behaviour is acceptable to justice.

So, for now, that’s all from me please stay safe the weather is pretty foul out there and the winter switch has been turned on!

Stay safe

Sergeant Kat

Arrests - Execution of pre-planned Drug Warrants in New Milton - 1st October 2020.

Hello everyone,

We wanted to share with you an update after we executed two simultaneous, pre-planned drug warrants today (1 October) in New Milton. As a result we seized a large quantity of cash and Class A drugs in the process.

The warrants, which were executed at 6am this morning by Neighbourhood and Response officers from across the district, took place in the Doe Copse Estate in New Milton and we have no doubt, helped to disrupt a potential supply chain of Class A drugs.

Officers searched properties In Fawn Gardens and on Antler Drive and seized a quantity of Class A drugs and cash from one property, and a sum of money relating to suspected supply of Class A drugs at another address.

A 24-year-old man and a 23-year-old man were both arrested on suspicion of being involved with supplying Class A drugs. They remain in custody at this time as we continue to conduct our enquiries.

Local neighbourhood policing teams and PCSOs will be patrolling the area, conducting house-to-house enquiries and offering reassurance to the local community.

Lymington and New Milton Sergeant Kat Smith of Hampshire Constabulary, said: “Drug dealing of any kind will not be tolerated and anyone involved in these offences can expect robust action to be take. These warrants are only possible when the community provide us with the information – we want to see results, holding people to account for their actions and bringing them to justice.

“If you have reported suspicious activity to us, please be reassured that our neighbourhood team are working in the background to develop information so that we can obtain a warrant from the magistrates to conduct this activity. We are grateful for the cooperation of the local community in these instances. Anyone wishing to report a crime to us can do so by calling 101, using our online reporting portal via the Hampshire Constabulary website or calling independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Weekend Troubles - Dispersal Orders in place in New Milton - 27th September.

PCSO Alan here,

Just an update on the weekend so far here in New Milton. On Friday night myself and PCSO Phil were out on patrol and encountered something that I have not seen for many years here in New Milton. Hostility and an open disregard for order in a time when all of us are having to sacrifice so much during this very difficult transition that many of us have had to adhere to. I am of course referring to a small minority of teenagers and adults who believe that they do not have to abide by the laws set out by our government and local authorities.

Well I have I got news for you, YES YOU DO!! You will wear a mask when entering indoor premises ( unless exempt) and yes that includes off licences and convenient stores. This is mandatory and is punishable by way of a £200 fine.

Those of you who think you are too young to qualify for this YOU ARE WRONG!! Your details will be taken and your parents will foot the bill.

On Saturday and following a nasty assault on a male in the town in which he was punched to the ground and sustained several facial injuries, what followed was a repeat performance of Friday only this time a Section 35 Dispersal Notice was authorised giving officers the power to move large groups away from the area and I have to say this worked.

For those of you who suffered alarm and distress as a result of this behaviour I will apologise on behalf of those responsible, albeit I will not hold back and openly say that these people are selfish Morons putting others at risk and will be dealt with robustly going forward if a repeat performance is encountered.

Tonight Sunday the Section 35 Dispersal Order is still in place and will be used if this is encountered again.

On a sad note I would like to relay my deepest Sympathy to the loss of our very own BIG ISSUE seller Ed Sirani who died on Sunday.

He was a lovely man and committed to the cause and like many others in his situation Homelessness, mental health, and generally difficult times funded his very own survival to help him through on a day to day basis. R.I.P EdL You will be missed.

Take Care Al # Lymington and New Milton Cops.

Investigation Update - 25th September

Officers investigating a collision in New Milton in January this year, in which a pedestrian died, have charged a man.

The incident, involving a pedestrian and DAF lorry, happened just after 1pm in Station Road on January 20, this year.

Sadly, Margaret Fraser, 89, of Waverley Road, New Milton was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers have now charged a man following the collision.

Gary Horbury, 57, of Ferndale Road, New Milton, has been charged with causing death by careless driving. He will appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court on October 13

An Update - 21st September

After returning from Winchester early afternoon I joined forces with both SC Dan and PCSO Phil to once again as promised to continue and to carry out speeding enforcement within our parish.  On the whole I am happy to report that fewer vehicles were stopped and spoken to in relation to their speed however several were and duly reported for summons for this offence.

Missing New Milton Girl Found.

We wanted to update you that missing Katelyn has been located. Thank you for your help in sharing our appeal.

Missing New Milton 15 year old Girl.

Lymington Police Station 

Good evening residents Sgt Kat update. So today I visited the new police office that will be in The Town Hall building in Lymington. My team will be moving into our shinny brand new office in the coming weeks and we are busy getting our stuff packed up in the old police station. I can honestly say the new office is stunning and will provide a excellent working environment for the team to work in. What’s more this will mean that a number of response and patrol officers will be moving in with us answering 999 calls.

The best news of all also is that there will be a front counter open to the public so one again members of the public can come and make enquiries at the front counter. Over the last few years these have been closing and the nearest counters being in the city. I am so excited to see a front counter opening in the forest once again. I am unsure of the opening times as of yet but these will be communicated very soon. So I will now get back to packing up boxes and throwing away the old, it’s amazing what is found in these old stations. On this note would anyone like a collection of books, we have a whole bookcase full, please comment if you want to come and collect, maybe a charity would like them. Good night and stat safe Sgt Kat              (Webmaster's Note - The New Milton Police Team will remain operational from the New Milton Town Hall)

• Any car that uses keyless entry is at risk of Relay Theft
   
• It can take less than two minutes for thieves to gain full access to your car

1. Keep keys in a signal blocking pouch (aka a Faraday Bag) out of sight and away from doors and windows. Don’t forget to do the same with any spare sets
    
2. Use a Sold Secure tested and approved Steering Wheel/Pedal/Gear Lock as a deterrent
    
3. Tracking devices can help track down your vehicle and the perpetrator should it be taken
    
4. Use your garage if you have one. Contact an MLA approved company for advice on garage locks
    
5. If you park on your driveway consider fitting outdoor motion detector lighting and CCTV

Merging of Facebook Pages

To Follow New Milton Cops on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NewMiltonCops/

Comment about Vehicles

'YOUR LOSS, YOUR INCONVENIENCE, YOUR INSURANCE PREMIUM', sound familiar?

Yes I am talking about theft from motor vehicles. We know here at the Safer Neighbourhood Team that lots of you have fallen victim to this particular crime and that on most occasions, we the Police have not been presented with the appropriate evidence to either pursue the offender/s and or to identify those responsible for it.

I am highlighting this particular subject again as yes, we have had within our midst yet again the idiot/s that take pleasure in breaking into and or entering our insecure vehicles to deprive us of our personal and well- earned valuables or to simply steal items that are beneficial to them for their daily needs.
Yes believe it or not, our second homes our cars, are an extension of our homes and yes you are guilty of this too!!

What can we do to minimise the risk of falling foul of this crime?

Well Light is this kind of individual’s enemy, they hate it. This is your friend - park under one. If there is no light to park under, park close to where you know someone else has an installed light sensor, this is good for the many cameras that both businesses and we have installed to protect other property.

Inside the vehicle, 'STUFF', get rid and remove when leaving your vehicle for a long period of time. This is the biggest reason for cars being broken into, loose change, clothing, tools, gizmos. They are all rewards like you wouldn't believe they have just got to have it. Vehicles have been broken into for only a bit of loose change, despite the cost of repairs, running into the hundreds of Pounds to fix.
What you have then got is a broken window and insurance to deal with, and let’s be honest our insurance premiums are high enough as they are.

What precautions can we take?

The use of locking bars and padlocks on vans to protect your tools that you have worked hard to amass. Letting the idiot/s know that you are in tune with their thoughts by doing what I have suggested and then placing a simple sign on the dashboard, 'NO VALUABLES HAVE BEEN LEFT IN THIS VEHICLE' when leaving your unattended overnight or for long periods of time.

Now I know what you are thinking, Does it work or does this in fact draw more attention to the fact that we may have valuables in our vehicles. This or these idiot/s go out with both the intention and on many occasions opportunistically wanting to deprive us of our valuables.

This is a judgement call on your behalf and remember this idiot/s will only attempt this if a suitable vehicle presents itself to them. So by removing your valuables or out of sight out of mind will reduce your chances of becoming a victim.

Let’s face it, like I said this idiot/s don’t have time to work out as to whether or not you are trying to deceive them, this is about them moving on elsewhere because you have played the game increasing their time spent there.

If you would like to obtain a 'NO VALUABLES LEFT IN THIS VEHICLE' card for you or relatives, neighbours and or friends then please either request one through your Safer Neighbourhoods Team by emailing one of the following officers:
<alan.mccaffery@hampshire.pnn.police.uk>,<Phillip.lawrence@hampshire.pnn.police.uk>,<solomon.peel@hampshire.pnn.police.uk>, alternatively you can attend one of our planned beat surgeries that you will find when posted on our FACEBOOK page under NEWMILTONCOPS, for which the next one will be on Wednesday 26th August outside Costa Coffee, Station Road New Milton,10:30am - 12:00.

I will also arrange for these cards to be left at both the Town Hall in New Milton, and Lymington for your collection and or request.

The notices are free and you can have as many as you want – They aren’t of any use in our office!

Finally when you get home tonight from a long day/night at work remember, when parking your home extension look left and right and then behind you, if you can see it so can they, so remove it!!

Take care PCSO Alan# NEWMILTONCOPS.

Appeal from our local Safer Neighbourhood Team

We have faced unprecedented times in recent months and continue to do so.

Agencies across Hampshire, including Hampshire Constabulary, are working closely together to co-ordinate the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Update on 13th August

PCSO Alan here

Yesterday was yet again another hot and sticky day in which like you, we the Neighbourhoods team felt the heat, bearing in mind we have to wear body armour, which I can tell you is not pleasurable,. However, it is a necessary evil in towards keeping us safe in what we do, so I am not complaining.

A Warning to Vehicle Owners

Afternoon everyone,

Government restrictions have been eased further recently, many of us are now slowly returning to work, seeing family and friends and going out shopping and visiting pubs and restaurants. As such people are beginning to go back to their normal routines.

This is why we wanted to give you a timely reminder not to leave personal belongings or valuables in motor vehicles overnight. We have seen a recent spike in thefts overnight, specifically targeting vans, in the New Milton area. 

Local Sergeant commends the work of our Special Constable.

PS Kat here. I note that there have been some negative comments again about SC Pruce (on social media) conducting speed checks. Can I just say that SC Pruce is a volunteer Special Constable. He holds a full time job and actually works the most hours of any Special I know. He does this because he wants to give something back to the community and is passionate about Policing. SC Pruce has helped us with numerous incidents and patrols, carrying out stop searches and helping with search warrants.
Please remember this is after a days work in his full time job. So before you criticise, please ask yourself would you do this all for free and after a 40 hour week? I also note the comments about officers staying on. We work 9 hours shifts and in response to thefts from garages and thefts from motor vehicles, the team wanted to stay on to try and catch criminals and cut crime, which is what all the team members want to do when they come into work.
I'll leave you with that thought. PS Kat