Handbag theft and digital tracking by police to catch the robber

An elderly 79 year woman has her handbag snatched on her way to bingo, but the robber doesn’t get far. Police follow a digital trail of evidence and put him behind bars.

Source: BBC iPlayer - Frontline Fightback Series 1: Episode 6

Royal Mail scam text: ‘I lost £8,000 and my bank won’t refund me

People have reported being conned by a caller pretending to be from their bank after receiving a text purporting to be from Royal Mail that asked for their bank details.

Claire had £7,762 stolen from her after being taken in by a fraudulent text pretending to be from Royal Mail. 

The text urges shoppers to follow a link to a website that looks very similar to the Royal Mail’s and asks them to enter personal and financial details, putting them at risk of money being stolen or their accounts being hacked.

 

Full details of the scam has been posted here.

What to do if you are not sure if a call is genuine

Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, warned that “criminals are experts are impersonating organisations that we know and trust”.

A spokesperson said: “It’s important to remember if you’re contacted out the blue by someone purporting to be from a well-known organisation, asking for your personal or financial details, that this could be a scam.”

The organisation advises:

• Hang up immediately as this could protect you and your money.
• If you are suspicious of any communication you receive, contact the organisation in question directly through a phone number you’ve used before to check if the communication you’ve received is genuine. 
• If you need to contact the organisation to check the call was legitimate, wait five minutes; fraudsters may stay on the line after you hang up. Alternatively, use a different line altogether to contact your bank.
• You should also take care not to click on any links in unexpected emails or text messages as these could lead you to malicious websites after your personal and financial details.
• 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.
• Action Fraud will refer all fraud crime cases to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB). The NFIB is run by the City of London Police (which operates nationally). 

 For expert advice on how to get your money back if you’ve been scammed click here.

 

Doorstep crime, new tactics to prevent online fraud and illegal bikers

A 96-year-old D-Day veteran is brutally attacked on his doorstep. Police in Taunton, Somerset, quickly arrest his attacker after tracking his spending habits

If you think criminals are getting away with it, think again! 

This ten-part series takes a very different look at crime, showing how the police and the public are using smart technology and specialist tactics to prevent crime and bring offenders to justice. 

Frontline Fightback, narrated by Rav Wilding, features an array of equipment, including cameras that can spot crimes almost before they happen, software that can quickly identify repeat offenders, sophisticated satellite tracking and high-tech drones fitted with heat-seeking technology. 

While police forces across the UK embrace these changes, the series also looks at how tech companies and universities are developing still more crime-fighting technologies that, it is hoped, will transform policing in the 21st Century. 

The series features victims of crime and shows how a combination of smart technology, specialist tactics and great police work are starting to make a real difference. 

A 96-year-old D-Day veteran is brutally attacked on his doorstep. Incredibly, he survives, and police in Taunton, Somerset, quickly arrest his attacker after tracking his spending habits and lying in wait at a McDonalds restaurant. Online banking fraud is one of the UK’s fastest growing crimes, but the latest voice recognition software is helping banks identify fraudsters and prevent them stealing our money. And a special West Midlands Police unit is targeting illegal off-road bikers who are putting the safety of other road users at risk.

Source: BBC iPlayer - Frontline Fightback Series 1: Episode 5

Car theft and Met's new tactics and response

A brave mother fights back against car thieves as they try to steal her Audi from her driveway – with her baby inside! 

If you think criminals are getting away with it, think again! 

This ten-part series takes a very different look at crime, showing how the police and the public are using smart technology and specialist tactics to prevent crime and bring offenders to justice. 

Frontline Fightback, narrated by Rav Wilding, features an array of equipment, including cameras that can spot crimes almost before they happen, software that can quickly identify repeat offenders, sophisticated satellite tracking and high-tech drones fitted with heat-seeking technology. 

While police forces across the UK embrace these changes, the series also looks at how tech companies and universities are developing still more crime-fighting technologies that, it is hoped, will transform policing in the 21st Century. 

The series features victims of crime and shows how a combination of smart technology, specialist tactics and great police work are starting to make a real difference. 

A mother fights back against brazen car thieves as they try to steal her Audi from her Birmingham driveway. She’s determined to stop them, not least because her baby is in the back of the car! Thanks to hi-tech security, two thieves are arrested after stealing two statues from the grounds of Leeds Castle in Kent. Meanwhile, the hunt is on for two thieves who destroyed priceless artwork after smashing their way into Coventry Cathedral. And we see how the Met’s response officers are using mobile fingerprint scanners, saving them precious time and enabling them to check identities on the go.

Source: BBC iPlayer - Frontline Fightback Series 1: Episode 4

Did you know? Electric Scooters

You can buy them in the UK, BUT you CAN'T ride them on a UK public road, cycle lane or pavement. It is an offence to do so, and people are being issued with fines and even being given points on their driving licences!! Be careful.

The only place an e-scooter can be used is on private land, with the permission of the landowner. No Council has provided permission for privately owned e-scooters.

They are currently classed as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs), and are treated as motor vehicles - subject to all the same legal requirements - MOT, tax, licensing and specific construction.

As such, because they don't have visible rear red lights, number plates and a signalling ability they can't be used legally on the roads.

E-scooters and the law (pdf) from the police.

Advice on e-scooter usage from the police.

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21 May 2021 update:-

Steven Hall

 • 

East Wickham

UPDATE: TfL and London Councils have now announced the three operators selected to take part in the UK’s largest rental e-scooter trial which will begin across the capital on Monday 7 June. They are: Dott, Lime and Tier. This trial will be the only legal way of riding e-scooters in public places within London. Private use of e-scooters in any public place remains illegal, and the Metropolitan Police Service are undertaking enforcement activity to deal with illegal e-scooters. Ealing, the City of London, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea and Richmond have confirmed their participation in the trial from 7 June as full-service boroughs, while Tower Hamlets will be joining as a ride-through borough. Lambeth and Southwark are also seeking to join the trial. Councillor Steven Hall East Wickham Ward

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Source: Electric scooter rental trial

[21 July 2021 - BlackBeltBarrister YouTube video on e-scooters] :-

Stopping burglars from striking again and car theft crime

A dedicated police officer successfully predicts where and when burglars are likely to strike again - only this time, he’s waiting for them.

If you think criminals are getting away with it, think again! 

This ten-part series takes a very different look at crime, showing how the police and the public are using smart technology and specialist tactics to prevent crime and bring offenders to justice. 

Frontline Fightback, narrated by Rav Wilding, features an array of equipment, including cameras that can spot crimes almost before they happen, software that can quickly identify repeat offenders, sophisticated satellite tracking and high-tech drones fitted with heat-seeking technology. 

While police forces across the UK embrace these changes, the series also looks at how tech companies and universities are developing still more crime-fighting technologies that, it is hoped, will transform policing in the 21st Century. 

The series features victims of crime and shows how a combination of smart technology, specialist tactics and great police work are starting to make a real difference. 

When an elderly couple’s home is broken into, a dedicated police officer looks at burglary patterns in the area and successfully predicts where and when they are likely to strike again. Only this time, he’s waiting for them. In Leicester, hi-tech car thieves steal a Mercedes from a driveway, unaware that the incident has been caught on a doorbell camera. It’s the latest in a spate of so-called keyless car thefts. But car makers are fighting back by introducing new security measures to make crimes like this more difficult. In south Wales, Dyfed-Powys police train the next generation of traffic officers in the latest tactics – and we see how those tactics are deployed to bring a high-speed pursuit to a safe and successful conclusion.

Source: BBC iPlayer - Frontline Fightback Series 1: Episode 3

Covid-19 - Restrictions in England from 29 March - Step One

[Click image for enlarged view]

For more information and detailed guidance visit gov.uk/coronavirus.

Coronavirus restrictions remain in place. Find out what you can and cannot do:

(COVID-19) Coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do [Published:29 March 2021

Last updated:1 April 2021]