Update from Longlands safer neighbourhoods - MetEngage Longlands

Dear Resident,

 

We've been made aware recently there was a vulnerable resident on Longlands ward that has been scammed. two white males have approached the vulnerable resident at his home address and insisted that he needed work done on his roof. When the job was finished they asked for the agreed amount of money but has then taken the victim to a cash machine and asked for more than the agreed amount. 

 

Please see some advice below to help to prevent this happening to someone else. 

 

*Door to door scams involve criminals knocking on your door and unexpectedly offering products or services. Fraudsters convince you to pay for goods or work which is often overpriced, or of poor quality or is not even carried out. In many cases, this work isn't even necessary. They may use intimidation and pressure you to make quick decisions so that you agree to their demands. 

 

*Criminals may try to convince you that work is urgently required and the price they are charging is fair. They will put pressure on you to have the work done immediately and may ask for payment upfront. Often the work is not completed, or if it is, the work is to a poor standard. You may also be overcharged for any work done. 

 

They can use deception to convince you by:

 

*Claiming they were working on a neighbours' address and noticed you need work completing and they have left over materials.

 

*Inspecting areas you can't access, for example the loft or roof and show you photos or videos claiming they are evidence that you need the urgent repairs. Beware of these tactics as these images may not even be your property. 

 

*Throwing water down when you are not looking to indicate you have ‘damp’.

 

*They may be insistent you pay in cash immediately or put down a deposit, even offering to take you to the bank to get the money. if you do this, they may continue to find reasons for you to pay more money.

 

*Some callers will be legitimate. Gas, electricity and water companies may visit to read your meters. Charities may visit to read your meters. Charities may visit to ask for donations and council officials may contact you regarding  local issues. Always ask for identification and tell them to wait outside whilst you check this by calling the company or speaking to a relative or friend. If you are calling the company, don't use the phone number on the person's ID card.

 

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

 

*Always check their identity. If you are not happy about a person's identity, do not let them into your house under any circumstances. 

 

*Never leave your front door open/ unlocked and unattended, so a second individual can't enter without your knowledge.

 

*Take time to consider your options and research costs from other providers. If in doubt contact your local trading standards. 

 

*If you feel pressured by any cold caller, have the confidence to be firm and say no. 

 

*Legitimate builders do not call door to door. 

 

*Call the citizens advice consumer helpline following a doorstop caller on T 03454 04 05 06 or call and report this on 101 or online on the met police website below;

Report a crime | Metropolitan Police

 

REMEMBER 

*Take time to consider your options.

 *Don't be pressured into making a quick decision.

 

CAUTION

*Never pay upfront for goods or services you have not received.

 

THINK

*Are they legitimate company? why haven't they given you a written quote?

 

Kind Regards

 

Longlands Policing Team

Source: https://www.metengage.co.uk/Alerts/A/410497/Update-from-Longlands-safer-neighbourhoods

Local Priorities Theft Of Motor Vehicles Message - MetEngage Sidcup

Yesterday (04/02/26), a local resident in Waring Road contacted the Sidcup Safer Neighbourhood Team to report two suspicious vehicles left abandoned in the area. Both vehicles were motorcycles, and once the team arrived on scene they carried out further checks which revealed both motorcycles were stolen.

As a result, both were recovered by ourselves and transported to the Met Police car pound (pics attached).

This is an excellent example of local residents providing information to their local police team, which ultimately lead to the recovery of two stolen vehicles. Thank you

I wanted to provide an update regarding the theft of motor vehicles,  which members around this area have highlighted as an issue of concern on the Met Engage priority survey.

We know that people can be concerned about the personal and financial impact of having their vehicle stolen, which is why we will pursue and arrest those who break the law. Please consider taking the following steps to keep your vehicle safe:  

• Check that your vehicle is locked and secure every time you leave it. Thieves often look for easy opportunities to steal from vehicles. They will usually try the handles until they get lucky and find one that has been left unlocked.  

• Keep your keys safe, out of view when at home and away from your front door.  

• If you have a keyless entry vehicle, keep the key well away from the vehicle while at home and turn off wireless signals on your fob when its not being used. Consider putting the keys in a screened or signal blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag and check that it is still working every few months.  

• Park your vehicle in a private garage if you can. If you don’t have access to one, try to park in a well –lit open space.  

• Try to use public car parks that are part of the police approved Park Mark safer parking scheme.  

• Secure your number plates with tamper resistant screws to avoid them being stolen and used by others. 

If you ever experience this issue or have information regarding an incident, please report it using our online reporting tools at https://www.met.police.uk/, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101.  

Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org. 

 

 We are working on our brand-new strategy for how we police London and we want your help. Our New Met for London: Phase 2 strategy will guide how we deliver on behalf of Londoners over the next three years.

Source: https://www.metengage.co.uk/Alerts/A/409922/Local-Priorities-Theft-Of-Motor-Vehicles-Message

Community Contact : Sat 07 Mar 15:00 - MetEngage Crayford and Barnehurst

 Hi Resident

Community Contact
When & Where is it?
Sat 07 Mar 2026 15:00
Crayford Library, 176 Townhall Square Dartford DA1 4FN ///bath.stove.wink Source: https://www.metengage.co.uk/Alerts/A/409738/Community-Contact--Sat-07-Mar-1500

Scammers are impersonating the police

Our dedicated team of fraud experts are always on the lookout for scams targeting people across the UK.

Recent tactics to be aware of include scammers impersonating the police, and creating fake crime reference numbers in an attempt to steal your personal and financial details. See the full list, based on your reports to our Which? Scam Action Alerts Facebook community and scam sharer tool.

Source: Which? (03 Mar 2026)

Watch out for fake Tesco websites

Scammers are attempting to con shoppers using fake websites, including impersonations of Amazon, Boots and Tesco. To make the copycat sites appear legitimate, the fraudsters closely mimick the genuine web addresses of the brands, which is a tactic known as typosquatting.

We've collected some examples so you can learn how to spot a fake site, plus our experts share six warning signs to look out for.

Source: Which? (05 Mar 2026)

Scareware: watch out for these dodgy pop-ups

Scareware is a type of scam that sees pop-ups appear on your phone, tablet or computer screen, which say that your device has been infected with viruses or malware.

These messages are designed to cause panic and trick you into clicking on a link to a malicious website or downloading rogue software onto your device. To avoid getting caught out, see the steps you should take if you experience this.

Source: Which? (04 Mar 2026)

Drugs Warrants and Anti Social behaviour Disruption Sidcup - MetEngage Longlands, St Marys, Sidcup, Blackfen, Blendon & Penhill, Welling

On Friday 27 February, following a prolonged investigation and close partnership work with Bexley Council and Housing officials, officers from Bexley Safer Neighbourhood Teams executed three drugs warrants in the Sidcup area. These warrants were carried out in direct response to ongoing community concerns about drug‑related anti‑social behaviour.

Drugs were recovered from each of the addresses targeted.

Using the evidence obtained during the enforcement activity—together with information provided by local residents and our partner agencies—officers attended Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 28 February, where they successfully secured a three‑month Closure Order for a flat that had been the source of persistent ASB for several months.

This outcome is an excellent result for the community and demonstrates what can be achieved when residents, partners, and police work together to tackle issues that impact safety and quality of life.

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If you have any information or Concerns then please contact your Local Police on Met Engage, or 101. In emergency please call 999

Report Concerns Anonymously

If you have information about drug-related activity or anti-social behaviour, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously:

📞 0800 555 111
🌐 crimestoppers-uk.org

Your information can help keep your community safe.

This is a excellent result for our community and showcases what can be achieved by our communities, partners and police working together. 

Source: https://www.metengage.co.uk/Alerts/A/409074/Drugs-Warrants-and-Anti-Social-behaviour-Disruption-Sidcup