20 Feb Latest Crime Update 15/02/2025
Message from Graham Pyefinch:
Dear All,
Below is the latest Ward crime update and advice from our Community Police Officer PCSO Adam Charles.
Here is a message from a resident in Kingswood Avenue highlighting an old trick in attempting to gain access to a home:
At about 9:30pm this evening (Friday 14th Feb) in Kingswood Avenue, two women and a man approached our home and rang the doorbell (the man is out of sight of the camera but you can hear his voice at the beginning of the video). The first woman asked if she could “charge her mobile phone for a minute” as her battery had died. Sharing so neighbours are aware, particularly more vulnerable neighbours who may fall for this old trick. I’m told by the Kingswood Avenue Coordinator that the Residents have reported the incident to the Police but the NW Co-Ordinator (Dave Amos) wishes to know if anyone else had been approached that evening? I would add that knowing the time and date, does anyone with CCTV in Kingswood Avenue have any view of this group of would-be criminals. Please let the Police know if you have.
There is an alert and advice from Bromley Trading Standards about door pedlars (Nottingham Knockers) shown below.
From Ward Community Police Officer PCSO Adam Charles:
Dear Residents
Please find below the crime record for the period from 1st to 15th Feb 2025.
Unfortunately we’ve had a spate of burglaries and attempted burglaries over the last few days of varying types. Please see below for specific details and prevention advice.
Speaking generally re burglary prevention, ensure all outside doors are locked and make sure the front door is double locked. Close all windows and make sure any with locks on, are locked. Putting rubber bird spike on the top of side gates is a very good way of deterring people from climbing over. On the inside, investing in timer switches to periodically switch electrical items such as TVs, radios and lights, are worth investing in. Also never pretend your home’s unoccupied as a burglar thinking your home’s empty will then try and break in and you could have the traumatic experience of coming face to face with a burglar. If you don’t feel comfortable opening the door speak to them through a window upstairs being more secure. If the reason they give you sounds suspicious then please call 999. Often they say they thought their friend lived at your house and when you suggest they call the friend they give an excuse why they can’t. If you don’t think it’s suspicious at the time but later think it is then please call 101.
There was a recent robbery of a car (mentioned below) where a male had gone on a date with a woman he’d been talking to on Snapchat. She arranged for a group of her friends to wait near her address in another car when he dropped her home to steal the car. If you do decide to meet people you’ve spoken to online, I’d suggest perhaps not allowing them in your car the first time and you both travel separately to the meeting place on public transport or walk if it’s close enough.
Over the last week we’ve carried out a couple of traffic operations with our colleagues from the other wards. The first was on Saturday 08/02/25. One driver was issued with a ticket for speeding at 52 mph in Worsley Bridge Road. On Beckenham High Street two drivers were given tickets for driving at 36mph in a 30mph and one driver given a ticket for using a mobile phone while driving. The second was on Friday 14/02/25. One driver was arrested in Birkbeck Road on Clockhouse Ward for driving under the influence of drugs. Unfortunately, due to the time taken to process the offending drivers on Saturday 08/02/25 & Friday 14/02/25 we were unable to carry on to Shortlands & Park Langley. We hope to do another one soon but will have to check officer availability before confirming dates.
On the community engagement side we hope to attend the community café at St Mary’s Church, Kingswood Road this Wednesday (19/02/25). We’ll be holding a Cuppa With A Copper Session this Thursday (20/02/24) from 4pm to 5pm at Costa Coffee, Westmoreland Road. The next ward panel meeting will be on Tuesday 11/03/25 at 7.30pm in the Friends Room at St Mary’s Church, Kingswood Road.
Hope to see some of you at these events. I won’t be at the Panel meeting as I’m on leave but other SNT Officers will be there.
Thanks as always for your help and support.
Kind Regards
Adam
Adam Charles
PCSO 7572 SN
Shortlands & Park Langley SNT
Shortlands Crime Record 01/02/25-15/02/25
Criminal Damage
08/02/25 Overnight. Wickham Way. Front door kicked by two teenagers who ran off laughing.
Robbery
13/02/25 Overnight. River Park Gardens. Victim pulled out driver’s seat of vehicle by suspect with knife who told him to get in the back of the car. Victim managed to escape by running up the road. Suspects drove off with victim’s vehicle in convoy with the vehicle they arrived in. This may have been set up as victim was dropping off a female he had been on a date with after meeting her on Snapchat. When she got out the car she got in the suspect’s vehicle. Please be very careful when meeting people for the first time you’ve only previously spoken to online.
Vehicle Interference
09/02/25 Overnight. Hayes Way. Suspect(s) entered vehicle & carried out untidy search. Nothing stolen.
Burglary
- 10/02/25 Mid evening. Scotts Lane. Digger stolen from building site.
- 13/02/25 Riverpark Gardens. Suspect entered bicycle shed, broke lock on victim’s bike & stole bike. Victim discovered his bike was gone on 13/02/25 but is unsure when it was taken as he hadn’t used his bike or been in the bike shed for several days. Shed was unlocked as landlord had n’t repaired shed door lock after it was broken in a previous burglary a few months before.
- 10/02/25. Cumberland Road (attempted). Suspect(s) attempted to force windows of ground floor flat open.
- 13/02/25 Mid morning. Queen Anne Avenue (attempted). Suspects entered victims garden and attempted to steal scrap metal. Disturbed & fled empty handed.
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13/02/25 Early morning-mid afternoon. Shortlands Grove. Suspect(s) entered flat by opening latch with edged object. Victim said he left it single locked as his son struggles to open the mortice thinking they were safe as they live in flats with an entryphone. Games system, bank cards car keys & car stolen. Red Fiat 500.
Theft from Motor Vehicle
12/02/25 Early evening-13/
Theft of Motor Vehicle
12/02/25 Mid evening-13/02/
Theft
14/02/25 Mid evening. Shortlands Village. Group of teenagers stole box of beer after being refused service as they were underage.