Flyers are being posted through letter boxes of household, in our area, which offer valuation of silver or gold jewellery, and also to buy pieces.
Suspicious Vehicle
This is a message about a suspicious vehicle.
Vehicles on The Ridgeway
As from the beginning of May a 22 mile stretch of the Ridgeway from Churn to Bishopstown in Wiltshire has been designated a Restricted Byway.
Bogus Tradesmen
This is a message about bogus tradesmen.
We have received reports recently concerning bogus tradesmen operating in the south of Oxfordshire. These are mainly roofers and driveway contractors.
These are very professionally presented outfits. They can have good quality liveried vehicles, professionally produced flyers and business cards.
Please remind your memebers not to take workmen on who call at the door, without further enquires to prove they are legitimate. Do not pay anything up front.
The best advice is to contact local tradesmen, who come recommended by friends, neighbours or family. Get three written quotes, and for larger projects look at a previous job, and speak to the client to check they were happy.
Particulary be wary of flyer/card that do not have a full postal address and land line number, not just mobile numbers.
If you wish to complain about any busisness who you feel have misled you, or provided poor or inadaquate workmanship, contact Trading Standard for Oxfordshire on 08450 510845.
Daytime Burglaries
This is a message from Christopher Hand of our Priority Crime Team.
“A series of daytime burglaries have come to light over the past few months in the Vale area. They feature good class dwellings, mostly either rural or village locations.
The offenders are forcing entry, using whatever they can find in the garden of the property to smash doors or windows. Often they are then using keys left in the doors or windows to unlock and gain entry.
Property being stolen ranges from jewellery to audio and visual equipment.
On several occasions witnesses have come forward having noticed suspicious persons or vehicles in the location.”
We are appealing to you to help us with further information. Please be vigilant, and note down details of any suspicious person, or vehicles you see in your area.
Any information can be passed to Detective Sergeant Chris Hand, by calling 08458 505505. If you see an incident in progress, and require immediate attendance, please call 999.
Please remind all your friends and neighbours NOT to leave keys in the lock, or visible from door or windows. If you require specific advice for your property, please call 08458 505505, and ask to speak to your local Crime Reduction Advisor.
Incidents in Didcot
News of 3 incidents in Didcot.
Didcot Burglary
This is a message about a burglary.
A property in Wandle Beck, Didcot was broken into between 28/3/06 and 16/04/06. Offenders gained entry by forcing a rear window. They carried out an extensive search of the whole of the property.
Items stolen included jewellery.
If you saw or heard anything suspicious, please call 08458 505505, and quote U R N 1 4 5 9 of 16/4/06.
Litter
Our thanks to all the 22 parishioners who turned out on such a cold morning to help us with our annual litter pick.
As you will have seen from the huge pile in the recreation ground after the event, the tidy up was again much needed We collected 49 sacks of litter and an amazing array of other rubbish including 2 Calor gas cylinders, a 40 gallon oil drum, 16 car wheel hubcaps, 3 car wheels with tyres, 4 highway maintenance signs, a complete telephone from a call box (presumably the one ripped out of our box 6 months ago) various steel cables, a car battery, and a plastic decoy pigeon!
Thanks again for everybody’s help and well done us.
Goalposts
We have recently been made aware that the goalposts in our recreation ground may not meet with current safety requirements and may have to be removed. We will get them inspected and if as we suspect they are deemed to be unsafe we will remove them as quickly as possible. If anyone has a use for them and would be prepared to remove them for us please contact one of us. With help from some of our younger parishioners during the next week we will be marking out a new five-a-side pitch on the recreation ground. The Parish Council is supplying the two new goals and corner flags.
Can We Help you?
As a result of the original Parish Plan questionnaire we have no less than 30 parishioners who have volunteered to undertake driving duties and 35 parishioners who have volunteered to make friendship visits.
If we set up an organisation to provide you with transport assistance to doctors, dentists, hospitals or even just with the shopping would you find it useful? If we set up a friendship visiting group, would you like someone to come round for an hour or so for a chat and to share a cup of tea? If you would like to make use of either scheme even it is only once or twice a year please give Clare Lightfoot a call on 850486 or leave a message with Maggie at the Post Office.
Please note that there will be charge made to cover the cost of any car journeys that means the cost will be about £2 for a return trip to Didcot and about £13 for a return trip to Oxford.