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Team News There have been some changes on the team. PC Chris Worthy and PCSO Michelle Cooper have moved on to pastures new and I would like thank them for all they have done for the ward over the last 2 years. I now welcome PC Lee Abberton and PCSO James Lewis to the team. Both are experienced officers who can contribute a lot to the team. Foxes Over the last couple of months we have received several concerning reports of car brake cables being cut. This is a very serious offence as the intent of the offender is to endanger the lives of the passengers. However enquiries established none of the victims were in dispute with other people and a suggestion was made that foxes were responsible. We did some research into the matter and contacted Professor Stephen Harris from Bristol University. He is an expert in mammal behaviour and has previously worked with the Police. We sent him some of the damaged cables and he examined them and found tooth marks on all of the cables we sent him. He advised it was impossible to tell if the tooth marks left on the cables were those of a fox, small dog or even a cat but he had not ever heard of cats showing this behaviour and while dogs chew cables free roaming dogs are uncommon in Britain. So he concluded it will almost certainly be the work of foxes. If you would like information on how to prevent this damage please contact us and we’d be happy to visit and advise. Other ward news Some people may have seen a Police cordon on one end of Westway in the morning of Saturday 14th August. This was put in place following a man being found unconscious in the street and we feared he had been attacked. However when he came to later that morning he explained he thinks he had fallen over and knocked himself out as none of his property was missing and he does not remember being attacked at all. Near the start of the school holiday West Barnes and Raynes Park Safer Neighbourhood Teams joined up to conduct the operation checking licensed premises are not serving to underage teenagers. We were somewhat disappointed to have 4 of the 11 premises tested serve to the underage person. This earned the shop assistant an on the spot £80 fine and the premises had a review on their suitability to hold an alcohol licence. The increased patrols around Shannons Corner and Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Playing Fields car park have identified people using cannabis in these locations. Two people have received formal warnings following being found in possession of small quantities of the drug. If found in possession of drugs a second time then the next stage for the two people will be prosecution. Five other people were stopped and searched following their suspicious behaviour in relation to this matter. If you would like advice on drug issues then one available helpline is www.talktofrank.com or 0800 776600. The West Barnes Team continues to work hard in your area. For any further information please contact your local Safer Neighbourhoods Team as detailed below. Graham Chapman PS 54VW West Barnes Safer Neighbourhood Team 0208 721 2454 email: westbarnes.snt@met.police.uk