Editorial

Thursday 14th May 2020
Wealden District Police Weekly News and Alerts

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East Sussex woman convicted of spitting at police and nurses

An East Sussex woman has been convicted of spitting in the faces of emergency workers, two police officers and a nurse, while claiming to have Coronavirus.

Sarah Clarkson-Rose, 42, unemployed, of New Barn Lane, Ridgewood near Uckfield, pleaded guilty to assaulting two PCs and an A&E nurse, when she appeared at a virtual hearing in custody at Brighton Magistrates Court on Wednesday (13 May).

District Judge Amanda Kelly remanded her in custody to Lewes Crown Court for sentencing on 10 June, as she felt the offence merited a longer period in custody than 12 months.

The attack on one of the PCs took place after she had been arrested on 11 May on suspicion of criminal damage to furniture at the address after a domestic incident. Overnight she claimed to be feeling unwell in her police cell but on being taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital spat repeatedly in the faces of both the nurse who was trying to help her and another PC who was escorting her and was also trying to help.

All three emergency workers were unhurt, continued on duty, and have shown no symptoms of Coronavirus. They will however be tested for the virus.

It turned out that the woman needed no medical treatment and she was returned to police custody.

Deputy Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: "This was an appalling series of deliberate attacks on three public servants doing their duty to help keep the public safe.

"We are glad that the court took these offences seriously, because of the flagrant disregard with which this woman treated three workers on the front line in protecting the community at this crucial time."

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Operation Blitz ASB Patrols this and every weekend

ASB patrols are out again this weekend, call us on 07770700642 from 6pm - Midnight to report anti-social behaviour you see or hear. (Friday and Saturday each week only)

This week we will continue to patrol known areas, and hotspot locations, as well as your town centres following youth related ASB around supermarkets.

We will also continue to check out local parks and play areas, and any groups not adhering to the latest advice from the Government will be addressed.

British policing is founded on respect and engagement with the public, and we resolve issues daily by talking to people and reasoning with them - we are confident people will listen.

Our additional Op Blitz patrols still continue to be in place each Friday and Saturday during the Covid19 Pandemic, where you can report any ASB or youth related crime and disorder directly to officers out on the ground.
Outside of these times, please continue to report non-emergencies to 101 or visit us online.

Always dial 999 in an emergency.

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Wealden Spring 2020 Newsletter

Please click here the latest quarterly Newsletter for Wealden Police District.

The latest update includes recent changes to the way we are engaging with our communities following the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as details of significant arrests and police activities over the last few months.

Also included are updates from your Senior Officers within the Wealden district, on how we have adapted our Policing over the last few months, and how we continue to prioritise the safety and welfare of our communities in these challenging times.

Thank you.

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Police are issuing a warning after several people in Sussex have become victims of pet buying scams.

The suspect typically advertises puppies or kittens online and uses the Covid-19 outbreak as the reason the victim can’t come and see the pet.

They will often send photos or videos and persuade the victim to make a deposit or even full payment in advance. The suspects may also try to get the victim to cover other unforeseen costs such as insurance or vaccinations, after they’ve made the initial payment. The pet is never provided.

A woman in her 20s from Worthing responded to an advert for a puppy posted on Facebook. The dog was said to be for sale for £400 plus a £100 delivery fee as it was in Ireland, she was conned into paying a £250 deposit.

The victim received an email that appeared to be from a shipping company advising that a life insurance payment of £300 must be paid in order to ship the puppy from Ireland to England.

She spoke to the seller as this was not agreed and was told it was due to the Covid-19 outbreak and was refundable. The victim became suspicious following the interaction and contacted police.

A man in his 30s, also from Worthing, responded to an advert for a puppy on a pet selling website.

After speaking to the seller and seeing videos of the puppies he sent them a £700 deposit and agreed to pay the additional £200 upon collection of the dog.

The seller ceased communication with him and he never received the pet.
Action Fraud has reported a significant spike in pet buying scams since the Covid-19 outbreak. Nationwide it has seen 669 people lose a combined total of £282,686 in March and April, after putting down deposits for pets they have seen advertised online.

PC Bernadette Lawrie, Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer for Sussex and Surrey Police said: “Criminals are on the lookout for any opportunity they can capitalise on – and clearly the extraordinary times we find ourselves in are no exception.

“It makes complete sense that you would not be able to go visit an animal in person at the moment and fraudsters are exploiting this to encourage people to part with their cash.

“Please think very carefully before sending money to a stranger. Make sure you’ve done your research and always trust your instincts.”

To help protect yourself from scams like this:

Do your research – Research sellers carefully before sending over any money, check their terms and conditions and returns policy.

Trust your instinct – If something feels wrong or seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Never be rushed into making a decision – if it doesn’t feel right then walk away.

Choose a payment method that protects you – If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, avoid paying by bank transfer as that offers you little protection if you become a victim of fraud. Instead, use a credit card or a payment service such as PayPal.

Report crime like this to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

If the victim is vulnerable, report to Sussex Police online or by calling 101. In an emergency always dial 999.

For information about Operation Signature, Sussex Police’s campaign to identify and protect vulnerable victims of fraud, see the Force website here.

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At Home Doesn’t Mean At Risk

If you are feeling scared, threatened or controlled, particularly during these challenging times in lockdown, you do not need to feel alone. You can contact us through our website or by calling 101 or 999 in emergencies.

Alternatively you can visit Safe Space Sussex which is an online directory of local victim services who can give help and guidance.

If you are worried about someone checking your internet search history you can browse discretely by using ‘incognito mode’, this means nobody will be able to see what websites you were visiting.

Read below to find out how to use incognito on your internet browser:

👉 In Microsoft Edge: click on the 3 horizontal dots in the top right (bottom right on mobile) of the window > click on New InPrivate window

👉 In Google Chrome: Tap on the 3 vertical dots (horizontal lines on mobile) in the top right of the screen > Tap on New Incognito Tab

👉 In Mozilla Firefox: Click on the 3 horizontal lines in the top right of the window > Click on New Private Window

👉 In Apple Safari: Click on File in the top left of the Safari menu bar > Select New Private Window from the list

👉 In Apple Safari (mobile): Tap on the tabs icon in the bottom right of the screen > Tap on Private in the bottom left of the screen > Tap on the plus sign (+) in the bottom centre of the screen to open a new tab

Remember you are never alone.

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Covid19 Latest Updates

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Playgrounds

People are still not be able to use areas like playgrounds or outdoor gyms.

We know this will be disappointing to many children and young people but this is because there is a higher risk of close contact and touching surfaces.
Officers will be asking people to leave play areas – this includes skate parks – if they are seen on the equipment.

Instead, you can walk, play sports, or sit and rest – as long as these are with members of your own household.

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Garden Centres

It is undoubted that many garden centres will want to reopen this week and they are expected to be busy! If there are traffic marshalls there, please take their direction.
We know everyone is itching to get their hands on plants, grow bags and gardening equipment but respect social distancing at all times, be patient and mindful of others around you.

Your continued safety is the priority.

If the queue to get in is already onto the road, please don’t add to it, consider returning at a less busy time. We need to keep the roads clear and moving.

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Key ‍Worker Self-Referral Testing

We’d like to take the opportunity to remind you that if you're a key worker and you think you're experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, you can book a self-referral test for you and your household online here.      

This also applies to:

• anyone over the age of 65 with symptoms
• anyone with symptoms whose work cannot be done from home
• anyone living with any of those above, and has symptoms

Following Public Health guidelines, it is essential that if you or anyone in your household has symptoms, you all need to self-isolate.

By adopting these measures we continue to protect the NHS and our communities.

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Crime Summary

There have only been two reported burglaries on the Wealden district in the last 7 days.

Storage containers at a property off Wadhurst Road, Mark Cross, overnight on the 7th May. Suspects have gained entry to the property and conducted searches of various containers and vehicles around the property. Fortunately nothing was taken. (1600 of 09/05 relates)
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A distraction burglary occurred around 2pm on the 10th May at a property off Bexley Close, Hailsham. A suspect white male in his 30’s has gained entry to the property after knocking on doors reporting to be from social services. Once entry was gained the suspect has taken personal items including credit cards belonging to the victim and made off. Investigations continue. (0745 of 10/05 relates)


There have been no further reports of residential burglaries on the district.

For a range of crime prevention advice, support and tips to keep you and your property safe can be found here.

If you have been the victim of a burglary, please report online, or by calling 101 – always dial 999 in an emergency/burglary in action.

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Action Fraud scam watch

Did you know scams cost the UK economy £5-£10 Billion a year, with over 50% of people over 65 having already been targeted by scams; and only 5% of all scams reported?

This week’s scam and fraud warnings from Action Fraud:

Beware of scam COVID-19 ‘refund’ messages.

To help our investigations, report all HMRC related phishing emails and bogus text messages to us. Even if you get the same or similar phishing email or text message often, email it to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and then delete it.

Do not open attachments or click any links in an email or text message, as they may contain malicious software or direct you to a bogus website.

Please forward suspicious emails claiming to be from to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and texts to 60599.


Action Fraud’s top tips

Although fraud and cybercrime comes in many forms, there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself.

Follow Action Frauds’ personal safety checklist to keep you and those around you safe from fraud here.

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Help keep Sussex safe

If you saw or heard anything, or have any information about any incident in this message please contact us online, or call 101, quoting the reference number provided.

Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

You can also visit our website at www.sussex.police.uk where you can find our easy to use online forms to report all non-emergencies to us.

You can also find police advice to keep you safe and help you understand the law, and also browse our crime prevention pages for first-hand knowledge, industry best practices and practical crime prevention advice from officers and specialist teams all across the police.

Have you ever had a policing question that doesn't actually require direct police involvement to answer?

Ask the Police is a great online source of information for the most frequently asked policing questions, visit www.askthe.police.uk/ for more information.

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Your Local Teams

You can find your local PCSO by entering your postcode at www.police.uk

Follow your local Police team on social media, click below:

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Links and attachments

Sussex Police will only ever link you to secure Websites we trust. We will only send you attachments where we believe it is absolutely necessary.

WNW received the following from a resident of Anderida Road, Willingdon

Regarding our discussion at yesterdays Neighbourhood Watch Meeting, 02/03/2020.

Last year an elderly neighbour was scammed by individuals offering to do her garden, probably targeted because it looked a bit untidy. I don't have full details, but a relative informed me it was a large sum of money that was lost. The second elderly person targeted by two men in a battered dark Green Transit van with sign writing on the side relating to a “Gardening business” cold called and saying outside work needed doing ( ie, guttering etc), resident taken to the bank by them as the sum required for materials was more than could be obtained from cash point. Work was never completed, Police notified, I actually saw some cash being paid to these men, but didn't realise at the time what was happening. I didn't like them they were rude to me, they were in their fifties, scruffy, and overweight.

Wealden Prevention Inspector Jonathan Gross said: "We recognise the impact being a victim of crime can have on a person. We are visiting every victim of burglary in Wealden, and all viable lines of enquiry for each individual case have been - and continue to be -  investigated.

"We understand the community's concerns and are working across all the towns, parishes and villages in Wealden to engage with residents. We also work very closely with councils and other authorities in Wealden, and regularly share intelligence with other districts within Sussex Police, and other police forces, in a bid to identify those responsible for crimes in the area and bring them to justice.

It is such a great shame that Wealden Police DO NOT share local crime figures with Willingdon Neighbourhood watch.

Sussex Police are working hard over Christmas to keep you and your family safe, but here are a few simple steps you can take to protect your home, presents and loved ones this festive season.

When you are out shopping please remember:

•   Keep valuables in inside coat pockets or internal zips in bags to prevent pickpockets

•   Only carry the cash you need, do not carry large amounts with you

•    Avoid going back to your car to drop off presents part way through your trip, if you do keep presents in the car ensure they are well out of sight and the car/boot is locked

When you’re out in the evenings:                                                                                                       

•   Never leave your valuables unattended in public area

•   Avoid walking home alone in the dark, and never with someone that you do not know

•    Drink responsibly, never drink and drive, arrange for a taxi or a designated driver for the evening

When you are at home:

•   Don’t leave presents under your Christmas tree if they are visible from windows or doors

•   Never keep large amounts of cash at home

•   Check you have adequate home insurance to cover high value items

•    Make sure your home looks occupied, leave a light on or a timer light or radio playing

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After Christmas:

•   Avoid becoming an easy target for post-holiday burglars/robbers by not leaving boxes for new electronics and other items outside your wheelie bin; break down boxes, and remove labels before putting inside a wheelie bin

•    Register your newly gifted items with your home insurance provider and with property registering websites such as www.immobilise.com - if your valuables are stolen it will allow you to tell the police, your insurer and second-hand traders to assist in recovering your property and catch the thieves.