'RINGMASTER' is a system to alert residents to threats to safety and security. The information is made available by Nottinghamshire Police, for the purpose of crime prevention. |
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| Date & time | Event (This page was last updated on April 26, 2008 ) |
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Alerts are displayed with the latest at the top |
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| 25th April 2008 11:05am | RINGMASTER MESSAGE 1103 Tagging bikes etc to identify them. Download this leaflet for more information |
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| 23rd April 2008 9:57am | RINGMASTER MESSAGE 1100 -
SPANISH LOTTERY SCAM Letters have been received through the post by local residents in the Division informing them that they have won a large amount of money in the Spanish Sweepstake Lottery with amounts in the region of £500,000. To claim their prize, all winners are required to pay 10% of their winnings to a claims agent. They are also asked to complete a form with their personal information including bank and next of kin details. This is an obvious scam - would you pay an unknown person £50,000 in the hope of getting £500,000 when you hadn't even bought a ticket in the first place? The use of hard copy letters is a comparatively recent development - this always used to be an email scam. It is also believed that these letters are designed to discover bank account details for identity theft/fraud. Under no circumstances should you respond to a letter of this nature. If in any doubt contact the Trading Standards tel:- 08454 04 05 06 or anonymously to Crimestoppers 0800 555 111. |
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| 16th April 2008 10:53am | Ringmaster Message 1093 - Theft of metals.
The Division is continuing to suffer from the theft of metals such as copper and lead, this is due to a worldwide shortage of such metals and the hugh price being paid for scrap metal. Construction sites have had armoured cale and copper piping stolen. Churches and other properties including dwelling houses continue to suffer from the theft of lead flashings. Be vigilant as these offences are occurring throughout the day and night. Often extensive damage is being caused by the activities of those responsible. The Police throughout the County are working closely with Registered Scrap Metal Dealers and other points of disposal to try to reduce these crimes, however we would ask that anyone who sees anything suspicious contact us by the 999 system without delay, you may remain anonymous if you wish or alternatively you may wish to call Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 and leave your information. In this latter instance you may be eligible for a reward if your information results in a prosecution. |
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| 4th April 2008. 8:46 am | RINGMASTER MESSAGE 1063 - Dogs A change in national legislation means that local authorities alone will be responsible for dealing with lost or stray dogs from 6 Apr 2008, ending the current arrangement under which the police and councils shared this task. After 6 Apr 2008 the police will not accept stray dogs at any police stations or take notifications of lost dogs. The police will continue to be responsible for taking action over dangerous dogs and the theft of dogs. Please find below the new arrangements regarding stray dogs and please note these differ from borough to borough. Gedling Borough council area Please ring: 0800 096 0306 (Mondays to Thursdays 5.15 pm - 8.45 am; Weekends from Friday 4.45 pm - Monday 8.45 am and Bank Holidays), at all other times please call 0115 901 3832 |
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| 7th March 2008, 1:25pm | RINGMASTER MESSAGE 1025 - Security We have been contacted a lady in Broxtowe Borough in the Wollaton area this morning. She was cold-called by phone by a company, which was offering a free shredder and free security checks of her home. The sales person was laying it on thick about ID theft. This of course could be any where on the division. This is a reminder to people that they should not be pressured into buying security products on the doorstep or by phone. They should always get at least two written quotes for any security product. End of Message 1025 |
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| 7th March 2008, 12:00pm | Ringmaster Message 1023 -
Computer Virus Warning Please see the following - there IS a genuine POSTCARD virus according to Snopes but it does not work in the way described in the message at the end of this traffic (which is an adaptation of an email hoax called INVITATION). The postcard virus works by you receiving an email saying that you have a postcard (about 20 variations - from a family member or a worshipper etc. etc.). You click on the embedded link and this downloads a STORM Trojan probably supplied from St Petersburg in Russia, which then takes control of your computer to initiate attacks on companies by flooding their Internet links. The best advice on dealing with any email message offering you a card / postcard is to note the personal identification number in the message and search for the named company that purports to be the sender. If you go into the "card collection" area of their website and enter the ID no. Then the worst that can happen is that you will not receive a card. End of Message 1023 |
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| 7th March 2008, 11:05am | RINGMASTER MESSAGE 1022 -
Charitable Clothing Collection Services There are many commercial companies who purport to collect clothes for distribution amongst charitable organisations when they are in fact sold for profit. Typical messages may vary from 'your donation will go to poor families in Eastern Europe' or 'proceeds will go to help the needy'. In reality however the commercial nature of the venture is the same - to make profit. There are a number of guidelines that can help determine the genuine from the shams including: - Is the organiser's full name, address and telephone number given on any leaflets or literature, distributed? Does the leaflet or collection bag show a registered charity number? Many companies display a company registration number - this is purely for registration at Companies House and has no bearing on the companies charitable status. The company must indicate how much of the donation or sums realised will actually go to the Charity. If the company collects on behalf of one specific charity then the charity should be named in any fundraising material. 'Needy Orphans' or 'Sick Children' is not specific enough. House to house collection requires a licence or permit from the local authority. Without one it is illegal to collect. If you wish to check any charity or company involved then you should feel free to contact the company itself. If you are not satisfied with the response then do not donate. If you have any queries or doubts about the legitimacy or organisations you may contact the Charities Commission help-line on 0845-300-0218 (or your local trading standards department). It is also worth remembering that there is always a choice for you to donate directly to a chosen charity by donating clothes and unwanted items directly to the charity. By doing so, the charity benefit fully from your donation. End of Message 1022 |
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| 20th Feb 2008 10:04am | Ringmaster Message 1012 - If you are
the victim of a crime There have recently been instances where inadvertently victims of crimes have cleaned up the mess prior to the arrival of Scenes of Crime Officers. This has effectively destroyed the crime scene totally and thereby reduced significantly the chances of the offender(s) being arrested. Please read the advice offered by our Scenes of Crime Department and ensure that you comply should you be unfortunate to become a victim. Your co-operation is greatly appreciated. CRIME SCENE PRESERVATION A crime scene not disturbed in any way from the moment the offenders leave, will give forensic teams the best chance of recovering evidence to link the offender(s) to the scene and potentially identifying the offender(s). If the area is walked over then shoe marks can be destroyed. If items are touched then fingerprints can be destroyed and potential sources of DNA can be contaminated. LEAVE IT ALONE Secure the scene - set up a cordon - do not let people enter the scene - unless to preserve life. ie lock door, put up a barrier tape, have someone stand at the entrance to prevent persons entering etc. Do not walk around the areas affected and do not move anything. If you decide that you cannot close the area down then forensics and the chance of catching the offender(s) will be compromised. This is the end of Ringmaster Message 1012 |
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| 6th Feb 2008 08:31am | Ringmaster Message 958 - SPENDING ON POLICE 2008 - 2009 The Government recently told us how much money they will give us to spend on policing over the next three years and we would welcome your views to ensure that the resources needed to police the county are balanced with the amount of money people are prepared to pay. For more information please contact Jackie Nash Community Contact Officer Nottinghamshire Police Authority. www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/npa/contact_spending.php |
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| 31st Jan 2008 10:00am | Ringmaster Message 0953 - Bogus Callers Most people who call at your home will be genuine. But sometimes, people turn up unannounced with the intention of tricking their way into your home to steal your valuables and money. It's a common scenario: somebody knocks on your door and tells you their car has broken down, and asks to use your phone to call the recovery service. Whilst inside your home, they distract you and steal your belongings. The only problem? It's a scam. VARIATIONS ON THE THEME There are dozens of scams, like this in operation at any given time. There's the 'ran out of petrol and left my wallet at home' scam. The 'my mother's sick and I need money for a cab' scam. The list is as endless as the human imagination. Scamsters can be endlessly creative. Pushing their cars up the street, for example, and stopping passers-by asking for cash for petrol. Then getting in their perfectly working cars and driving away. DISTRACTION BURGLARY The more dangerous and complex scams involve people pretending to be from utilities companies and asking for access to homes. There are around 12,000 reported incidents of 'distraction burglary' every year - when callers get into a person's home through false pretenses, and then steal cash or valuables while the home-owner is distracted. They often work in pairs - with one person distracting the residents while the other if rifling through their belongings. BE CAUTIOUS When a stranger rings your bell, be cautious. Don't let anybody in unless you are expecting them. Representatives of the water, gas and electric companies rarely make house calls without appointments. If there is a real gas or water emergency, police and firefighters are likely to be present. There are some simple precautions you can take to help ensure you don't become a victim: * Talk to people through the door, rather than opening it when they knock. * Ask who they are before opening the door, then keep the door on the chain until you've seen their identification. * Make sure your back door is closed and locked before answering your front door - thieves have been known to work in pairs, with one entering through the back while the other knocks on the front door. ASK FOR IDENTIFICATION If anybody comes to your door for legitimate purposes, they will have an I.D. card from the organisation they represent. Before you even speak to them, ask to see it, and keep the door on the chain while you look it over. If you need glasses in order to read the card, close and lock the door before going to get them. Never leave the door open and unattended. LOCK, STOP, CHAIN, CHECK The Government's Lock, Stop, Chain, Check campaign provides more security information for dealing with bogus callers. To learn more, contact your local council, social service office or Age Concern centre. They can advise you on installing door viewers, chains and personal alarms, all of which can make you safer when a stranger calls. |
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