Latest Crime Update 15/05/2025

Dear Residents

Please find below the crime record for the period 1 May to 15 May 2025.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen a slight rise in thefts of motor vehicles & a spate of shoplifting in Westmoreland Road.  What’s most concerning though is the two fraud offences that have occurred resulting in large amounts of money being obtained by deception.  Full details are below.  Remember your bank and/or the police would never ask you to withdraw money, hand over your card or give out your pin number.  On a happier note, there were no thefts from motor vehicle during the first two weeks of May which is excellent news.  Let’s hope this continues.

On the community engagement side, the next Ward panel meeting takes place on Tuesday 20/05/25 7.30pm in the Friends Room at St Mary’s Church.

Our next drop-in surgery will be at Shortlands Library on Saturday 24/05/25 from 10am to 11am.

Hope to see some of you at these events.

Kind Regards

Adam

Adam Charles

PCSO 7572 SN

Shortlands & Park Langley SNT

Shortlands Crime Record 01/05/25-15/05/25

Burglary

1. 01/05/25 Mid evening.  Bromley Road.  Ground floor flat broken into through rear window.  Jewellery stolen following untidy search.
2. 26/04/25-28/04/25.  Ravensbourne Avenue.  Suspect entered garage through side door which victim had forgotten to lock and stole bicycle.  (Delayed Report).

Theft

1. 02/05/25 Westmoreland Road.  Suspect took victim’s phone from coffee shop table.  When victim rang their phone it vibrated.  Suspect handed it back.  Police called and suspect arrested.
2. 06/05/25 Late afternoon.  Westmoreland Road.  Several bottles of wine stolen from off licence.
3. 07/05/25.  Late afternoon.  Westmoreland Road.  Groceries stolen from convenience store.
4. 07/05/25.  Late morning.  Westmoreland Road.  Several bottles of spirits stolen from off licence.
5. 08/05/25 Early evening.  Westmoreland Road.  Several bottles of spirits stolen from off licence.

Theft of Motor Vehicle

1. 03/05/25 Early evening-04/05/25 early morning.  Wickham Way.  Vehicle stolen from driveway.  BMW Series 5.
2. 08/05/25 Late evening.  Queen Anne Avenue.  Grey Hyundai estate stolen from driveway.
3. 10/05/25 Late evening-11/05/25 early morning.  Madeira Avenue.  Vehicle stolen from driveway after suspect had stolen key from victim’s partner’s car.
4. 12/05/25 Late evening.  Shortlands Grove.  Motorcycle stolen from communal car park for block of flats.  Recovered nearby following area search by victim.
5. 15/05/25 Early morning-late afternoon.  Queensmead Road.  Car stolen from road next to recreation ground.

Robbery

1. 07/05/25 Late afternoon.  Beckenham Lane.  Suspect grabbed victim’s wrist and snatched his phone.   Suspect then showed victim what appeared to be a knife handle in his trouser pocket before running off with victim’s phone.

Fraud

1. 08/05/24.  Mid afternoon.  Bromley Road.  Victim received call from male saying they were from his bank Nat West.  Told victim they would be sending someone round to deliver a new card.  Also tricked victim into admitting that he had a large amount of cash in his flat.  When the courier arrived he made the victim count the cash in front of him.  The courier then snatched the cash and drove off in a car.  Unfortunately the victim was unable to get any details of the car.  Remember your bank would never do any of the above things.
2. 09/05/25.  Oakham Drive.  Victims received call from someone claiming to be from Brixton Police Station stating that a male with the same surname as the victims had been arrested for being in possession of bank cards not in his name.  Also asked victims to go to a cashpoint and withdraw £6000 as fake notes were believed to be in circulation.  On returning home with the money the victims were phoned and asked to read the number off some of the bank notes.  They were told the notes were fake.  The caller asked if they could bring the money down to Canterbury or whether they would like a courier to collect it.  They opted for the courier.  The same process was repeated the next day.  On this occasion the courier also asked for the victim’s bank cards which were handed over.  A further £1000 was withdrawn by the suspects.  Police would never deal with fake bank notes in this way.