Dear All,

I hope that you are all well and that you have had a good week.

Thank you to everyone that attended the MOPAC meeting on Tuesday to discuss plans for future policing in Merton. The feedback I have seen so far is very positive and I am told that we were the most attended venue in London. This shows me yet more evidence of the importance you all give to policing across the borough and judging by some of the points you made and questions you asked you are clearly very well informed !

This week has been a very long and congested one for me. Several things happened at the same time, amongst others things I not only ran operation Big Wing across Merton but I also co-ordinated activity all over West London. This and other policing issues unfortunately meant that a few meetings were either cancelled or moved to other dates and I apologise to small handful of people that this affected.

Big wing was a huge success both here and across Merton. We made over 20 arrests, seized 7 cars and recovered lots of stole property but the most astonishing fact was that our officers managed to engage with 1 in every 35 homes across the Borough. Out teams spoke to residents about general crime prevention tactics and signed people up to our new scheme where residents inform us when they go on holiday and we aim to increase our patrols whilst you are away.

Over the last few months I have tried different ways of telling you about crime across the borough. We have focused on specific crime types, given advice and highlighted areas of the Borough that were concerning us.

After listening to your views, questions asked at the MOPAC meeting and feedback from this weeks Overview & Scrutiny Committee I am going to try something different and give you more of an overview based on the last year.

Retail crime is one of the main volume crime problems in Merton. Shoplifting is by far the most common offence type in the most common repeat locations which are Centre Court shopping centre, Sainsbury's in Colliers Wood and Tesco & B & Q in Beverley Way.

The next highest volume of offences is pick pocketing / other theft. The worst hit bars were The Watershed, Po Na Na, Henry J Beans, The POD Bar / Bar SIA and The Slug, all of which are in Wimbledon town centre.

Wimbledon Town Centre is Merton's crime hotspot and as such the main road, The Broadway, is the most common offence location.

Other major roads in the borough such as London Road, Mitcham and London Road, Morden also feature a lot mainly as these are long roads in town centre areas and as such have several businesses and many people travel through these.

Pollards Hill, West Barnes, Graveney and Village wards have suffered the most burglaries in the past year. Together these four wards accounted for 29% of all offences. The most burgled roads tend to be long residential streets

B & Q in New Malden is the most notable theft from vehicle crime location in the borough, followed closely by Goals in Raynes Park and Travelodge in St Helier. Tesco in New Malden is the top all crime generator in Merton and Sainsbury's in Colliers Wood the second.

Darren Williams

Detective Chief Superintendent

Borough Commander

Dear All,

 

My message this week starts sombrely as this morning was the funeral of one of our finest officers PC Terry Elmer who died suddenly and unexpectedly two weeks ago.

 

Terry was hugely popular with everyone here at Merton and judging by the crowds of people that attended his funeral he was also hugely popular outside of the Police. We will all miss him greatly but we will not forget him.

 

This week has seen the start of our Christmas Initiative Operation Blitzen. It has been designed to tackle an expected rise in crime in the run up to Christmas and we are employing a variety of tactics across the Borough.

 

As part of this, on Wednesday we carried out a safety awareness display in Wimbledon Town Centre with our colleagues from London Fire Brigade (LFB), London Borough of Merton Traffic Patrol and Safer Merton. For the display we used an Operation Reclaim car to mock up a car crash scenario where a victim is cut out by the LFB. During the display LFB offered smoke alarms and fire prevention advice to shoppers and we gave out crime prevention advice. One thousand Blitzen leaflets were distributed to crowds and shoppers and nineteen push bikes were property marked & registered by our cycle task force.

 

Twenty-four people have been arrested this week during Op Blitzen - some of them as a direct result of information you have given us. Two examples of this were; you told us that stolen goods were being sold at Wimbledon Sunday Market. Op Blizten officers went there this week and arrested a man trying to sell a stolen bike and we later recovered a further twenty stolen bikes at his house. On another stall we discovered two men selling stolen mobile phones and their arrests led to us seizing stolen phones and cash that are suspected as coming from burglaries across SW London.

 

Op Blitzen will run right up to Christmas Eve and is a combination of uniform and plain clothes patrols. If you have any information that may assist us to make this the most crime free Christmas ever in Merton please get in touch via 101 or if you wish to remain anonymous on crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

 

Thank you to everyone who has brought in toys and gifts for our collection for Solace Women's Aid. Items we are given will be donated to children living in domestic violence refuge accommodation to hopefully make this Christmas just a bit brighter. Solace refuges cater for boys up to the age of 14 years and girls up to the age of 16 years, although most children are under the age of 10 years.

 

We are looking for gifts such as puzzles, arts and crafts materials, pyjamas, board games, books, colouring pens and pencils, selection boxes, sweeties – the list of goodies are endless, no gift is too small, and everyone will be used.  Please can gifts be new, unwrapped and not be religious in nature or promote violence in any way. Any donations need to be handed in to Wimbledon Police Station by next Wed 12th Dec to allow us to get them to the central collection points.

 

Crime in Merton continues to fall in every area EXCEPT thefts from cars & lorries. This has been a continuing problem all year. Money, iPads, SatNavs and tools are the favoured things that thieves seem to be stealing. With cars it tends to be things on display but thieves are also breaking into vans to see what is inside. Please can you circulate this amongst your communities as simple things like not leaving items on display will help.

 

Finally, we are really on a roll in Merton with people calling 999 and that call resulting in thieves being arrested. We had a great week this last week and it got even better on Saturday when an eagle-eyed resident in Merton Park spotted 2 men acting suspiciously early in the morning. As a direct result of their 999 call,  two men were arrested and we recovered a stolen car, five stolen pedal cycles, mobile phones, cash and over £4,000 of mechanical tools. The suspects have been charged with offences across the Borough and on Monday they were remanded in custody.

 

I will deliberately finish here on a positive note on what has been an emotional day for us - thanks for your continuing messages of support.

Darren

Dear All,

I wanted to start my message with a massive thank you to everybody who has attended the public events I have been at this week. These have provided great opportunities for me to explain my plans to cut crime, catch criminals and be more available to you, in locations and at times that you need us.

I been able to set out our intention to increase the number of Police Constables and strengthen our Safer Neighbourhood Teams by reducing the number of managers we have and realign supervision ratios to those seen in other forces across the country.

We have had some very positive discussions with you about the current use of police buildings and how we improve on this by using public buildings that you already go to at times that you already go to them. These discussion have all been a huge help to me, not only to know that I have your support but also to hear specific ideas about where these places are.

I have been particularly encouraged by your understanding that in order to put more constables back on the streets we need to look at services that we could share with neighbouring boroughs. The current spending & efficiency savings provide real opportunities to look at what we do and ask ourselves what needs to change.

Crime across the borough continues to fall and detection levels continue to rise. I have got to say that this week, you, the community have been fantastic. I have been saying for a while that we needed to increase the amount of people that call 999 when burglaries are happening. This week you have really risen to the occasion - for the last four days in a row, someone in Merton has seen something they thought was suspicious and called 999. In all four occasions burglars have then been caught by our officers at or near to the scene. This really is how the police and community need to work together to make this the safest borough in London.

As if this wasn't already enough, yesterday a male, in a car with four others, jumped out of car, snatched a ladies handbag from a victim before getting back into the car and driving off. A mini cab driver saw what happened, followed the car and wrote down the index number. He called us with this information before going to the aid of the female victim. As a result of his actions - four males have been arrested for this offence. The vehicle is linked with another robbery from last Friday and two further robberies on other boroughs.

We also had a call from a lady saying that she believed a flat in her building was being operated as a "massage parlour". Officers from the Hillside Safer Neighbourhoods Team attended the location and investigated. As a result two women were dealt with for sexual offences and were arrested. Further enquiries are being conducted into the landlord/leaseholder. Great work by Hillside SNT. Again this would not have happened without your calls.

In terms of crime prevention I have two things to tell you - there continues to be a spate of burglaries not only here but on other boroughs. An increasingly common method is to break into your shed and then use garden tools (normally spades) to force the UPV / French Windows. Please check the security on your windows, doors AND your sheds.

We continue to see a monthly increase in thefts from cars. All too often iPads, Laptops, Phones and Cash are being left on display in cars - they are like a magnet for thieves.

Finally, as you know we are in the mist of a real drive on domestic violence in support of a campaign being run all over London. In support of this I am organising a toy and gift collection for Solace Women's Aid to distribute to children living in domestic violence refuge accommodation. Hopefully this will make life a little bit brighter for them over Christmas. Solace is a London based charity that supports women and children affected by domestic and sexual violence. They have around 120 children in their refuges. The refuges cater for boys up to the age of 14 years and girls up to the age of 16 years, although most children are under the age of 10 years.

We are looking for gifts such as puzzles, arts and crafts materials, pyjamas, boards games, books, colouring pens and pencils, selection boxes, sweeties – the list of goodies are endless, no gift is too small, and each and every one will be very used. The gifts should be new, unwrapped and not be religious in nature or promote violence in any way.

Any such gifts would needed to be handed in to us by Wed 12th Dec to allow us to get them to the central collection points.

That's about it for now - again a massive well done and thank you to all those that picked up the phone and made a real difference to the safety of others in Merton, you are my stars of the week.

Many Thanks

Darren Williams - Merton Borough Commander

Dear all,

I have to start my message to you this week with the very sad news that one of our finest officers PC Terry Elmer died yesterday.

Terry was only 48 years old and was a key part of our Safer Neighbourhood Team, his ward being in Wimbledon Park where he was widely known and much loved. Terry was taken ill at home during the night and rushed to Kingston Hospital where he died. His wife Jill and son Craig (a PCSO on Trinity SNT) and other family members were with him at hospital.

Terry's death has hit everyone at Merton very hard - Terry seemed fit and well and even just the day before he died he was bantering with his colleagues at an SNT training day.

We have been flying the station flag at half mast as a sign of respect to Terry and we have opened a Book of Condolences at Wimbledon Police Station and at the Wimbledon Park Safer Neighbourhood Base for those of you wishing to leave a message for Terry's family. It is of course too early to give you any further details of the family's wishes regarding Terry's funeral but I will keep you all updated with arrangements.

Last week I wrote to you about how the fantastic work by my teams and individuals has delivered some fantastic results so far this year. I am pleased to tell you that this work has continued since I last wrote to you. Last week we carried out 24 warrants in support of MPS Operation Hawk - this is where we react to intelligence from the community about criminal activity that is affecting your lives. They key part of this is that information from the community is vital to allow us to react to things that are issues for you. There are many ways that you can do this, 999 in an emergency, 101 if not or alternatively if you wish to remain anonymous you can call crimestoppers on 0800 555 1111.

Please don't think that the information that you give us has to always be at the "serious" end of the scale, we are always interested in hearing about things that are affecting community life. This week, I have been made aware of ongoing issue with cyclists causing nuisance and danger by using the pavements around Colliers Wood and I have asked the relevant SNT Inspector, Stuart Buchan to come up with a plan of action to deal with this. 

One crime that appears to be affecting the Borough disproportionately at the moment is thefts from Cars & Vans. Where cars are involved it is either number plates or property that is visible from outside the car. Both of these are to a degree preventable, tamper proof screws are available for a reasonably small price and I would also recommend that people don’t leave mobile phones, sat navs or iPads on display in cars - all of these items have been stolen from cars in Merton this week.

This time last year saw a dramatic rise in Burglary in Merton and so I have been regularly talking about, tweeting and communicating information about offences and simple things you can do to protect your home. This seems to be paying off so far this year as we haven't yet seen huge rises but we must stay vigilant. Sheds are being broken into and then tools inside (particularly spades) are being using to force open French windows and UPC doors. Please let your communities know about this and encourage people to secure their sheds and think about the security at the rear of their home.

On a personal level I have been to a number of events across the Borough to discuss the Local Policing Plan and how it effects Merton and on Thursday we had our second TKO Awards night at Nuffield Health & Leisure in Broadway.

This Sunday is the Lotus Floating Flower Festival at the Buddhapadipa Temple in Calonne Road, Wimbledon. It is an amazing event and I will be bringing my family with me so please come over and say hello if you are intending to go.

Next week I have a meeting to discuss our plans to work with Merton Volunteers and the Fire Brigade to provide a unique new service to residents, The Merton Partnership Conference and my final appearance at the Annual Staff Conference.

My final comment is about my Deputy Pete Dobson. Today is Pete's last operational day before he retires after 35 years service to the Metropolitan Police. I have said before that Pete is basically "Mr Merton". He has been here for over 10 years during which time he has been an inspiration to colleagues and partners. He will be missed by each and everyone of us. Pete has promised to come back in March (when he actually retires) and have a formal retirement function and I will of course let you all know the details. The unenviable task of filling Pete's role as my deputy now falls to Supt Dave Palmer who brings a wealth of experience from roles as a Supt on 3 other MPS Boroughs as well as a year at Merton as the D/Supt for crime.       

  
Many Thanks for your continuing support 

Darren

Dear all,

I want to start my weekly message to you this week with expressing my sympathy for the family of Gloria Knowles who died as the result of fatal injuries inflicted during an attack by dogs owned by her daughter and son-in-law. This was a tragic event for the family and our thoughts are with them. I would also like to praise the actions of my officers and the ambulance service who dealt with the incident.

I mentioned last week that we have been running Operation Weir to combat the expected seasonal rise in crime. I am pleased to update you on the seizure of the sawn off shotgun and drugs from last week and tell you that following great work by our Crime Squad, 2 men have been charged with firearms and drug offences and have been remanded in custody until 8th January.

Thank you to all those that contacted me last week following my updates on our crime reduction and detection successes so far this year. These have all been achieved by the strong partnership ethos that we have here at Merton. Next Tuesday at the AELTA, myself and other partners will be discussing how this has been accomplished and how we can use what we have achieved to prepare together for the challenges ahead.

Many of you have contacted me about articles in the media about cut backs in the MPS and in particular the potential closure of Merton Police Stations. Please be reassured that no decisions have been made yet and the MPS is in a period of consultation about this and the MPS plans to post 2000 extra officers back to emergency response teams. I have discussed these plans with The Leader of the Council, Chief Executive and our MP's and we have the beginnings of a plan for how we can share services more effectively whilst continuing to provide a high quality level of service you rightly expect.

Those of you that follow us on Twitter will know that we have now passed 1550 followers. For those that don't (@MPSMerton ) we put out daily crime messages, advice, pictures and general information about what is happening in Merton and elsewhere in London. Some of you are very active on Twitter and it is a great way of us getting information out to you fast, often as things are happening.

Next week I am at the Partnership Conference at the AELTA on Tuesday followed by the Memorial Service for deceased Police Officers at Westminster Cathedral. Wednesday we are hosting Rowens School on a visit to Wimbledon Police Station and later I am at "Mercy for Mankind" exhibition at the Baitul Futuh Mosque in Morden. On Friday I will be attending the Remembrance Service at our Civic Centre and on Sunday I will be bringing my family to the Remembrance Ceremony at Wimbledon War Memorial. If any of you are coming to these events please come and say hello, this message goes to many email addresses but I can't yet put faces to all the names !

Finally, please remind all your communities about the dangers of Fireworks. We have been conducting test purchase operations in shops across the borough to see if shopkeepers are selling fireworks illegally. I am pleased to say, so far we have not found any evidence of this but please call us on 101 if you have any information about this. Fireworks can and do cause serious injuries and we have been working closely with the Fire Service to promote this message and from now until next weekend we want people to enjoy bonfire night celebrations but also keep crime and ASB levels down.

Have a great weekend and I look forward to seeing some of you at events or on patrol next week.

Many thanks

Darren

Dear all,

 Another week goes by in Merton with some really great work being done by my officers and staff. We are still one of the lowest crime boroughs in London and it is my intention that we stay that way for a long long while!

 One thing that does concern me at this time of year is the seasonal rise in burglary when the weather changes and then again when the clocks go back. It seems to happen every year in every borough across London and this weekend saw 16 house burglaries reported which is an exceptionally high number for a borough like ours.

 11 of these were committed on Friday 12/10. Four were committed in West Barnes and Raynes Park. They were all committed between 0800 - 2200 whilst the occupants were at work. In every case entry was gained by forcing windows, sliding doors and rear doors. The remaining burglaries did not have any geographical links but in contrast last Friday (05/10) we only had 2 reported burglaries. There is no intelligence to suggest that a criminal team have specifically targeted Merton and I am pleased to say that some of the burglaries have presented forensic opportunities and we are progressing these.

 As you will expect I have tasked the relevant Safer Neighbourhood Team to increase their patrols in the area and we are monitoring burglaries / intelligence on a daily basis. If any of you know or suspect who is responsible for either committing burglaries in Merton or dealing in / accepting stolen goods please call us on 101. If you want to remain anonymous please call us on 0800 555 1111, if a crime is in action please always call 999. 

 I have previously made several mentions about securing your homes and it appears that people across Merton have become much better at this (only one burglary this weekend had an insecure door)

 However garden tools / furniture have been used this weekend to gain entry into homes. I would suggest the following crime prevention advice:

 

·          With winter approaching it is time to lock away all garden tools, patio furniture and ladders. These items could then be used by the intruder to break into your house.

·          Gates, fences and walls should be kept in good repair to stop intruders getting in. 

·          The boundaries of your property are your first line of defence against burglars. Strong gates, fences and walls which are kept in good repair can deter intruders from getting to the back and sides of your property.

·          Make sure rear garden fences are high enough to make climbing them difficult. Flimsy trellis can be used to add additional height and make it less likely that someone will risk climbing over

·          Side gates need to be positioned as close to the front of the house as possible. Thieves will be put off by the fact that they are in full view of the neighbours

·          Gates are kept locked at all times

·          Ladders are locked to a secure fixture in the shed or garage so they cannot be used to reach top floor windows of your house.

 On a personal level Friday night was my fight with 2 Time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion to raise money for the Royal Marsden Children's Cancer Charity - it was an amazing evening and thank you to those that came along to support me. My fight didn't start until 12.15am so it was a very long night and apart from a few bumps and sore ribs I am generally intact. We raised loads for The Royal Marsden and I was very honoured to have taken part.

 On Sunday I went to the magnificent Living Water Parish Church in Haydens Road for their People's Day - They could not have made me feel more welcome and it was humbling to meet so many great people. One of things we spoke about was stop & search. I am very pleased to tell you that we have reduced searches of people for drugs where nothing is found by 49% across Merton as a result of additional training and coaching of our officers.   

 Thank you all for your continuing support

 Darren

Dear all,

This week has been an incredibly sad one for police officers all over the country. The city centre of Manchester fell silent in tribute to two female colleagues killed on duty. It was incredibly moving to see the public and the police standing shoulder to shoulder in sadness to mourn the loss of PC Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes. As we watched the funerals, we remembered that police officers just like Fiona and Nicola are going about their business as usual and responding to emergencies and protecting the communities they serve.

I have been very touched by the messages of support and condolence that have come in from people of Merton, and if I can single just one person out I would especially like to thank Mr John Hill for his flowers and book of condolence.

Crime across the Borough is still reducing compared to last week, but house burglary and vehicle crime have seen a bit of a rise this week. I am still left astonished when I read crime reports that start, "Victim left their car open/insecure". Criminals are opportunistic. They look for the weak, the vulnerable and the insecure. If we take positive measures we can stop many of these thefts. Please can you send this message to your communities and organisations.

Over the past few weeks I have been making similar comments about burglary but this week we have seen a spate of burglaries where front doors and windows have actually been forced open by thieves when the owner is out. These have been scattered all over the borough, Wimbledon, Mitcham, Morden and Raynes Park - this is a change in the crimes that we have seen on the Borough this year.

Please consider this in context - we are one of the lowest crime boroughs in London. However, there are things that we can do to stop these offences. Firstly please look out for each other. Forcing doors and windows makes noise and will look like someone breaking in - please phone us if ever you think this is happening. We would rather be called and not be needed than not be called - so call 999 if you ever suspect there is a crime in progress. Secondly, please ask your Safer Neighbourhoods Officers and Police Community Support Officers about crime prevention tactics if you see them out and about, they are there to help, and are always happy to engage with you.

On a personal note this time next Friday it is my boxing match against two times World Heavy Weight Champion Tim Witherspoon at Wellington Barracks in London to raise money for the Royal Marsden Children’s Cancer Charity. The event is the biggest boxing charity event ever in the UK and features fights involving a line up of former world champions; Joe Calzaghe, Richie Woodhall, Glen Catley, Barry Jones, Colin McMillan, Robin Reid & Ray Mercer and London 2012 Olympic Gold medalist Nicola Adams. I know that some of you have bought tickets in the hope of seeing me knocked on my back but if anyone else would like to ensure that this happens please consider supporting the event via a Just Giving page that has been set up especially.

I will write to you all again next weekend as I am off next Friday getting ready for the fight.

Have a great weekend

Darren

Dear All,

 

It has been another busy week for Merton Officers. Operation Cubo, our regular initiative to combat uninsured drivers happened yesterday.

600 uninsured vehicles were seized across the Met which is the most we have achieved so far. Highlights included a Ferrari worth £200,000 which after being seized was displayed outside New Scotland Yard as a warning to other drivers.

We have also seen the introduction of the Controlled Drinking Zone on the 20th September, covering 126 roads within the Mitcham area. Since then the local Safer Neighbourhoods teams have begun to enforce the zone, with the first alcohol seizures occurring the very next day on Fair Green. Those refusing to hand over alcohol on request without reasonable excuse will commit an offence and can be issued with a £50 fixed penalty notice. This zone gives us more powers to deal with the nuisance that is street drinkers and we will be conducting larger operations in the near future to enforce the new legislation.

Burglary has been a bit of a challenge this week as we had a number of offences across the Borough. Similar stories to my previous messages, open doors & windows are the favourite way of burglars getting in and we have also seen several where people have tricked their way in by pretending to be someone in authority.

We are putting the final touches to our crime plan for the challenges of longer & darker nights so if any of you want to help us with that please get in touch.

On a personal note, I am starting my challenge to cycle from London to Paris tomorrow in support of Falconwood Children's Respite Centre so thank you to all those that have wished me luck but even bigger thanks to those that have sponsored me.

Have a great weekend

Darren

Dear Friends,

I cannot let this week pass without publicly praising all my officers and staff for what they have done over the last 105 days.

It seemed such a long time ago that the summer challenges started with the Diamond Jubilee, we then moved into Olympics part 1, Notting Hill Carnival and then Olympics part 2. We are unlikely to ever see this scale of challenges again and I am extremely proud of the way that my teams stepped up and showed how fantastic the Metropolitan Police can be.

The nature of what we do as police means that the next challenge is likely to be an operational one and will come as a surprise. I am very confident that whatever it is we will rise to it. We have proved this summer that we have the teams, individuals and leaders to deal with whatever comes our way.

Crime in Merton continues to fall - the highlights being our achievements in reducing Burglary, Robbery & Violence. We are not complacent though and I realise that the autumn will again provide us with the seasonal challenge of longer, darker nights. As you would expect we are making plans for this but you can all help us too.

We need to keep informing and educating people that so many crimes are preventable. From thefts in cafes, to burglaries to motor vehicle crimes, simple things will stop criminals. Plus if you see something suspicious, anything at all call us. 999 in an emergency and 101 if not. I would rather be there and not be needed than be needed but not there.

Please can I draw your attention to the 90th Annual Solemn Requiem Mass for Deceased Police Officers that will take place at Westminster Cathedral, on Tuesday 6 November at 14.30hrs. It is the oldest ceremonial event in the MPS, dating back to 1922 and is open to all police officers, police staff, families and friends. I will be going again this year and I extend that invite to any of you that would like to join me demonstrate to the families whose loved ones have either made the ultimate sacrifice or who have died either during or after their career that we will never forget them.

On a slightly happier but very scary note, it is now exactly 4 weeks to my boxing match against 2 times World Heavyweight Champion Tim Witherspoon to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Thank you to those that have already agreed to come along and support. For those that can't make it, I am hoping to arrange some "open" training sessions at the Hub in Mitcham for local children (and any of you) that want to see the scale of the challenge I am facing !

Once again, thanks again for your continuing support. This is a fantastic borough where the officers and staff genuinely care about giving you the best service they can.

Have a great weekend.

Darren

Darren Williams

Chief Superintendent

Borough Commander

Merton Borough

 

Dear All,

Another week where the eyes of the world have been on the Metropolitan Police.

The Notting Hill Carnival started last Saturday and went through Sunday to Bank Holiday Monday and despite huge crowds, we did some superb work to stop gangs gathering, arresting people with weapons and making sure people weren’t carrying drugs.

This week has also seen us continuing our commitment to London 2012, this time with the Paralympics. This means that we still have officers working away from Merton, long hours & different shift patterns.

Despite all these abstractions crime in Merton is continuing to fall. This is not only a testimony to all the planning that took place before this summer but most directly the efforts and dedication of my officers. I think many of them are looking forward to some well earned time-off with their families.

I would like to say a big thank you to Rick Hodson & the staff from Nuffield Health in Wimbledon Broadway who very kindly opened allowed our staff to use their facilities over the Olympics period. The feedback I have had from both sides has been fantastic and it really did help our teams get through the long hours and limited time off.

As I mentioned last week, the MPS is now looking at how it needs to change to meet the financial challenges - somewhere in the region of £500M by 2015. I am very confident that here at Merton we can improve our routine best practices to be more efficient and effective to deliver my 2 main priorities, less victims of crime & better service to those that are victims.

The first part of these changes is the roll out of the Local Policing Model - this will build existing Safer Neighbourhood's to deliver quality policing at ward and borough level. This will help us to deliver improved services for you all whilst making us leaner to meet the serious financial challenges. I will of course let you know as I and when I get any more information of the specifics of this.

Many Thanks for your continuing support.

Darren Williams

 

London has had the benefit of many police officers joining us from every part of the UK and Merton has benefitted from this as well. You may have seen many different police uniforms on patrol, and I'm glad to say that crime is still falling locally when many others predicted otherwise. Overall crime is down 7.8% on last year. The current challenge for us at the moment is motor vehicle crime, particularly theft from vehicles. We are running a number of initiatives from the targetting of known offenders to target hardening car parks and arranging crime prevention surgeries.

That's all this week.

Regards

Pete Dobson

Dear All,

One week into the Olympics and I am delighted by the way that my officers & staff have risen to the challenges of helping deliver the greatest sporting event in the world and policing the greatest borough in the world!

The Met is a world class police service with a sound reputation for delivering safety and security and we have used our vast experience & expertise to help us rise to the challenge. The long hours that everyone is working are taking their toll but so far the policing operation in Merton has been brilliant. We have been assisted by colleagues from across the country and I went out on patrol myself with colleagues from Northumbria. Quote of the day from them "I never realised just how busy it is for you lot down here!"

As I alluded to last week, Merton will not stop because of the Olympics and we won't stop policing Merton. I have not relented on my aim to drive down crime across the Borough particularly around violence, burglary, motor vehicle crime & ASB. In 3 of these 4 areas we are experiencing continuing reductions all of which evidence the hard work & dedication of my teams & individuals. Motor vehicle crime is still higher than last year but is now reducing. However, items such as Satnavs, handbags, sunglasses & phones are still being left in cars overnight and quite simply they are just too much of a temptation for thieves!

My event of the week was the brilliant day I had at the Mitcham & Morden Olympic Celebration & Community Fayre last Sunday. It was lovely to spend time with so many people who were enjoying and celebrating the games. Thank you to the organisers for such a great event and making me feel so welcome.

The forthcoming week could be a big one for Jamaica, not only do they have the 2 favourites to be the fastest man in the world but this week sees the 50th anniversary of Jamaican Independence. To mark this event Merton Council are holding a celebration on 6th August at 10.30am in front of the Civic Centre so hope to see some of you there.

I hope you all have a great weekend - fingers crossed for more medals!

Many Thanks

Darren

Darren Williams

Chief Superintendent

Borough Commander

Merton Borough

Wimbledon Police Station

Dear all,

Today sees the start of a once in a generation event both for the people of London & the Metropolitan Police. The Olympics in London is something that none of us are likely to ever see or be part of again and I know that we are all hoping for a safe and secure Olympics that everybody enjoys.

As I mentioned last week we have a comprehensive policing plan to ensure that as far as possible there is a "Business as Usual" response from your police here at Merton. To help us deliver that we have been and will continue to be supported by colleagues from outside London. Some of you have already contacted us to enquire about the different uniforms seen across the Borough and we have been receiving lots of positive feedback about the work they have been doing.

Those of you who follow us on social media will know that on Tuesday myself and my senior managers went "Back to the Floor" and spent a Late Turn with our officers dealing with calls, carrying out vehicle & foot patrols and speaking to members of the public. I was accompanied for some of my patrols by Rev Andrew Wakefield, Chair of our Police Consultative Group. We had a varied evening and amongst other things we dealt with a domestic incident, visited a member of the public to thank them for calling 999 that result in 2 burglars being arrested and went on foot patrol in Mitcham Town centre.

The foot patrol was particularly enlightening and rewarding. Everyone we spoke to was very engaging and friendly and we had a long chat with a group of Jamaican men about their views on Bolt vs Blake for the 100m Gold medal - although I didn't take up their offer of a bet on the result !

Andrew and I also had time to discuss future plans for Merton, particularly working more closely with the business community and volunteers. All in all, senior mangers out on patrol has so many benefits that we will be repeating it on a monthly basis across a range of units and times.

Crime continues to fall across Merton which is thanks to the better use of our resources and the strong partnership relationships that have been developed here. The one exception to this is Motor Vehicle Crime - specifically thefts from inside vehicles. What unites most of these crimes are that they are 1) opportunistic and 2) in most cases the property was visible outside. Please remember that simple crime prevention measures will make a difference and please call us if you see people acting suspiciously near to cars.

As for Burglary, you will know that I have a similar message. Windows, doors and back gates left open or unlocked and exactly what a burglar is looking for. If ever you needed a reminder of that have a look at this video on you tube - www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC9V_v6onFM It might be from Manchester but it shows very bluntly how burglars select houses to break into. Please don't let this happen to you.

Hopefully by next week I will be reflecting on a brilliant start to the Olympics and I will update you all with out progress on fighting crime across the borough. Have a great weekend. For those coming to the Mitcham & Morden Olympic Celebration & Community Fayre at The Hub in Bishopsford Road tomorrow, hopefully I will see you there.

Many Thanks

Darren

 

Darren Williams

Dear Friends,

As I write to you there are only 2 days to go until the Olympic Torch comes to Merton. We are all very excited about this and I hope as many of you as possible come out on Monday to see it pass through our Borough. The torch passing through is a very obvious reminder that this time next week will see the opening of the Olympics Games. This will be a once in a generation event for London and I just want to reassure you that here in Merton we have a comprehensive policing plan to ensure that we will maintain effective policing across the borough with no drop in service to any of you. To ensure that happens I have members of my Leadership Team on duty within my Grip & Pace Centre to ensure we have enough officers on, at the right times & in the right places. I know many of you have been in to see how this works and I extend this invitation to those of you who have not yet seen it.

I have been to several meetings & public events recently and the question I am asked most frequently is about the introduction of our new Local Policing Model and specifically the future of Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Please can I make it clear, they are not being "disbanded". What is happening is that the MPS are reshaping policing so that every borough is more effective and efficient. We are going to build on the legacy of the Safer Neighbourhoods teams that you have supported over recent years and ward-based neighbourhood policing will remain at the heart of policing here at Merton. You will see a significant shift of visible, uniformed officers back into neighbourhoods to reinforce existing wards which I am sure you will be delighted to hear in fact the first 5 PSCO's arrive here on Monday. I am sure you will all be happy to hear this and I hope you would agree that this investment in Neighbourhood Policing Teams is a major commitment to local people at a time when the MPS faces difficult financial times and an on-going need to make savings.

The strong partnerships that have been built with Local Authority and other key groups such as Safer Merton, Neighbourhood Watch & Ward panels etc have all been key success factors in the reductions in crime and disorder we have seen this year. I am committed to continuing and enhancing these so that we can continue to drive down crime, reduce anti-social behaviour and make everybody be and feel safer. These will continue to be my priorities not just this year but as we move into a new era for the MPS.

I hope that this provides some clarity to you on what I know has been causing some confusion. Please let me know your thoughts or concerns, either by email, phone or Twitter. We have some of the lowest crime figures in London and I thank each and every one of you for the help you give us to maintain this.

Have a fantastic weekend - don't tell anyone but I hear a rumour that the sun will be making a welcome appearance this weekend.

Many Thanks

Darren

 

Darren Williams

Chief Superintendent

Borough Commander

Merton Borough

Dear Friends,

 

Welcome to those of you that have joined us on Twitter this week, we are now up to almost 1100 followers and I know that many of you are re-tweeting our daily messages so thanks again for that.

 

As I said to you last week crime is still going down generally across in Merton and I think this is the best possible indication of the strength of the partnership relationships we have developed here.

 

Burglary is something that is still concerning me. We have had over 300 burglaries this year and yet on only 39 occasions did someone phone 999 to let us know a burglary was happening. This means that on only 39 occasions did we have a realistic chance of catching the burglar in your houses. This is something that I know we can improve on. I have already spoken to some of you about this and how we can get more people to take more interest in their neighbourhoods and call us when they see something not right. The good news is that one of the local papers has offered us a chance to run a joint campaign with them on this very issue and I will give you more details when I get them.

 

The other thing with our burglaries is that is almost all cases they could have been prevented. Windows, doors, side gates and garages have all been left open this week and they are quite simply all the invitation that a burglar needs to enter your home and steal your things. Please remind people that simple crime prevention tactics are effective.

 

Myself and other officers have conducted over 65 quality call backs this week where we have phoned and met with victims of crime to hear their impression of the service they received. On the whole I was very pleased with what I saw and heard and I have passed that back to my officers. However there were a couple of occasions where victims had not been contacted or when we had promised to do something and then didn't. My view on this is clear. This is totally unacceptable and if it happens to any of you, please contact me directly and I will deal with the issue personally.

 

Finally, I just wanted to put in context my comments reported in the media this week about gangs. I was responding to a local resident who claimed that "every Saturday night, gangs are smashing up MacDonald's in Mitcham". That is simply not true. It is my belief that we must be very careful, about labelling every group of youths as gangs, especially if this is done on racial or cultural basis. As you know I worked in Peckham for 3 years and I made reference to my experience of tackling gang issues there. l totally accept that we have some young people who are involved in gang activity but I do not accept that everyone is. Of course this is only my view and I would welcome your comments and views on this.

 

On a different note, the highlight of my week was when I hosted a group of children with disabilities at the police station. I spent some time with them showing & explaining what we do and what vehicles we use. If any of you know of any small groups of children (or adults) who would like to have a similar visit then please get in touch with my office.

 

Finally, thank you all for your continuing support. This is a fantastic borough, with fantastic people who every day go out and improve things for others. There are so many things that we can do together to continue and grow these relationships and I always look forward to meetings where we discuss how to do this is more detail to make our borough safer.

 

Many thanks - have a great weekend, for those of you on the multi faith walk on Sunday, I hope the weather is kind to you.

 

Darren

 

 

Darren Williams

Chief Superintendent

Borough Commander

Merton Borough

 

Dear All,

 

Those of us following us on Twitter will know that so far despite record crowds, crime is not only down at the Tennis this year but is also down across the Borough.

 

Robbery is currently down 15%, Burglary is down by 10%, Knife crime by 46% and Serious Youth Violence by 14% across the Borough. However, this is a continuous challenge and we will continue to need your help to do this. Just this week we have seen overnight residential burglaries in Wimbledon Village/Park. In almost all cases these could have been prevented with simple crime prevention tactics. Burglars are getting into houses by reaching keys through Catflaps, slipping locks on insecure doors and entering through open windows & doors.

 

The success that we have had this year so far have been achieved by refocusing our policing model to be more effective and efficient in cutting crime and anti-social behaviour. This is the message that I gave

 

I also spoke about the Local Policing Model we are working on to build on Safer Neighbourhoods teams and move uniformed officers into neighbourhoods to reinforce existing ward-based policing. It is my intention that every ward will have dedicated PCs and PCSOs and I am in the process of filling neighbourhood PCSO vacancies across this Borough. This is not an immediate fix as 1,500 applications are being processed across London right now but subject to vetting and checks, eleven recruits will be posted to Merton in the near future which is good start.

 

Some of you have been in to see the Grip & Pace Centre that I have set up on the borough. This is where senior borough officers coordinate police activity to ensure we have the right resources in the right places at the right times. I believe that this approach provides more up to date intelligence, leads to better deployment of resources & provide a more responsive service to you.

 

As always I am very interested in your views, I am slowly working my way through the different Wards going out on patrol with Ward Councillors and seeing for myself the issues your have.

 

Many thanks for your continuing support and I will speak to you again next week.

 

Darren

 

 

at a "Face the Public" event I attended with Ged Curran yesterday. I explained how the close relationship between Merton Council, the Police and other key agencies has been crucial to reducing crime and disorder this year and I hope that this partnership working will continue to be a priority as we move through the challenges of the summer and the on-going need to make savings.

Darren Williams

Chief Superintendent

Borough Commander

Merton Borough

Merton Police are now on Twitter - Please follow us on #MPSMerton - For updates on the police in your community.

This is not a crime reporting system and we can always be contacted in an emergency on 999 and by the non emergency number 101.

Crime alert / Appeal for witnesses

Distraction Burglaries

Dear Resident,

Police are investigating a distraction burglary that occurred in the Canterbury Road area of Morden (St Helier ward) on Thursday 29th March 2012 at 11 AM. We are appealing for witnesses to this offence.

 

The suspect is described as:-

 

Male, White in his late 20’s / early 30’s. He is of Medium build with Short brown Hair and ‘fluffy’ facial hair. He had an Eastern European accent.  He was wearing a Dark shirt, dark trousers and dark cardigan. He was wearing leather sandals with a bandage around one of his ankles.

 

He gained access to the house pretending to be from the gas board.

 

If you have any information please contact DI Daniel O’Sullivan on 0208 649 4044

 

If you have been a victim of this type of crime and have not reported it to police - please contact Police on the 101 non-emergency number to report.

 

 

Crime prevention advice

 

Bogus callers are people who try to con their way into your home to steal, or trick you out of money. They might pretend to be an official from a gas or Electricity Company, or a salesperson. It may even just be someone with a hard luck

Story claiming to need to borrow a few pounds, or wanting to use your telephone in an emergency.

 

• If you are not expecting a visitor: find out who is outside before you answer the door by using a spy-hole or looking through a window.

 

• If you do not recognise the caller, put the security chain on before you open the door.

 

• Ask to see identification and examine it carefully, or you can ask them to post proof of identity through your letter-box.

 

• If you are still unsure, telephone the organisation they say they are from – get the number from a bill or your phone book rather than ringing the number they give you, which could be answered by an accomplice.

 

• Alternatively, ask them to come back at another time when someone will be with you, or tell them to write to you to arrange an appointment.

 

• Don't keep large quantities of cash at home; put it in the bank where it is safe.

 

• Telephone a neighbour or friend nearby to come along and check out the caller before you open the door to them.

 

• Ensure that if you do let somebody in to your home, that you close the door behind them – distraction burglars often work in teams, where one will distract you whilst others sneak in through the insecure door.

 

• If somebody asks for your help – needs to make a telephone call, lost a ball in your garden, needs a drink or pen and paper for example, refer them to a younger neighbour or assist them through a closed door. Alternatively, call a friend or neighbour to come and assist.

 

• Remember, you do not have to let any stranger into your home. If you are suspicious or the caller will not leave, dial 999 and ask for the police.

 

 

• Not sure - Don’t open the door

 

If you require crime prevention advice - Please contact your local Safer Neighborhood team who are here to help you.

Superintendent Pete Dobson, Merton Police, writes "I have just returned from a well attended Community meeting in Colliers Wood, the area in our borough most affected by Monday’s disorder. I was extremely pleased to receive so much support from the local community after explaining how the events unfolded locally.

 

During the evening and into the night of Saturday 6th August 2011 public disorder and criminal damage to residential and business premises ensued within the London borough of Haringey. This has been widely reported in the media both at local, regional and national level.

On Sunday 7th August 2011 a second night of disorder resulted in further criminal damage to shops, residential buildings and vehicles being badly damaged in the London boroughs of Enfield, Waltham Forest and Lambeth.

The Metropolitan Police Service has dealt with several incidents of ‘copycat criminal activity’ across London which has resulted in over 100 arrests for criminal offences. The MPS is aware of the impact this is having on the business community and is making every effort to combat further criminal activity by increasing the levels of high visibility patrols across London.

Criminal activity has taken place across a number of areas. There is no intelligence of specific targeting of identified business premises.

The Operation Withern team is continuing their investigation to identify those people responsible for the violence, disorder and crime we have seen to ensure that they are brought to justice.

You may notice an increase in the number of police officers in your area and this should not be cause for alarm.
You may wish to take the following precautionary measures.
1. Where possible retail premises should be suitably staffed with security guards
2. Ensure staff report any suspicious activity to security and/or police
3. Consider regular checks of the building and surrounding area
4. Identify areas that are vulnerable to forced entry
5. Make sure all service doors are kept locked and secure when not in use
6. Ensure your CCTV system fully operational
7. In case of an emergency is there a record of the names of keyholders who can be contacted
8. Consider removing high value goods from display windows overnight
9. Consider keeping as little cash as possible on the premises
10. Ensure that your premises are secure and if fitted your alarm systems are fully operational
11. In the event of a non emergency, call the police on non emergency number 101
10. In the event of an emergency, call the emergency number 999
11. If you have any information you wish to provide to police anonymously you can contact the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Operation Withern is investigating the disorder and violence in parts of London over the weekend. An incident room has been set up. Anyone with information should call the major investigation team on 020 8345 4142.

The MPS has extra resources on duty across the capital. We are carefully monitoring any intelligence and ensuring we have our resources in the right places to support the ongoing policing plan. We will continue to respond to the needs of London’s communities and deal with any incidents of criminality.

DRIVE OUT VEHICLE CRIME Merton has become the latest borough to become an active member of the Petrol Station Forecourt Watch Scheme. The scheme, run jointly by Territorial Policing Pan-London Forecourt Crime and the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS) aims to cut fuel theft across the Metropolitan Police Area. Forecourt Watch is being used in the London Borough of Merton to target and deter criminals who commit drive-offs, this problem has increased significantly with the recent rise in fuel prices. This type of crime is often linked to other crimes including theft of number plates and burglary so it is important that we catch those committing these offences and bring them to justice. PC Richard BROWN the Problem Solving Advisor for Merton Borough and Borough representative for Forecourt Watch said:- "We are all affected by this crime, as ultimately any losses suffered by the industry will be passed on to the paying customers. Several petrol stations have invested in upgraded CCTV to protect their staff and help to support prosecutions." Our aim is to maintain fuel stations as a safe environment for customers and staff, targeting those people who drive off without paying for their fuel and use service stations as a route to commit more serious crimes.” Research shows that offences of driving off without paying for fuel are often linked to offenders or vehicles involved in other types of crime and to disqualified drivers, those without insurance, tax or MOT, or vehicles with false number plates. BOSS Forecourt Watch documentation for the recording and notifying of drive-off incidents will be provided to staff at all forecourts taking part in the scheme. This enables fuel service stations to work in conjunction with police and BOSS to help bring offenders to justice. High visibility stickers and posters on the forecourt itself will raise awareness among customers and potential thieves that Forecourt Watch is in operation and that making off without payment is a criminal offence. Service stations registered with the scheme will also benefit from sharing information with police and each other on suspects, vehicles and known offenders – to maximise disruption and detection of offences. For any further information please contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team via the main Met Police website by telephone or by e-mail. If you wish to become a member of Community safe and sign up to free crime alerts and news of what your local safer Neighbourhood Team is up to please contact them direct or join via www.communitysafe.gov.uk.

DRIVE OUT VEHICLE CRIME In an effort to combat vehicle crime, Merton Borough Police in conjunction with Safer Merton are launching a ‘Drive Out Vehicle Crime’ initiative which will include a number of partnership interventions throughout the next 12 months. Inspector Jim COOK from Merton Police said, “Vehicle crime is the one of the highest crime types in the Borough and a number of Safer Neighbourhood Teams have had vehicle crime reduction chosen by their ward Panels to work on. We will be looking to raise the public’s awareness and offering advice on how they can help us reduce the incidence of vehicle crime. Over the coming weeks and months Merton Police will be carrying out a number of proactive operations against those involved in vehicle crime. Already the Safer Neighbourhood Teams conduct a large number of Automatic Number Plate Operations and will continue these with both uniform and plain clothes patrols in areas where vehicle crime is most prevalent. I would urge those living in Merton to contact their local Safer Neighbourhood Team and sign up to Community Safe to receive up to date news of what their local Safer Neighbourhood Team is up to. This is a free system and by joining it you can find out about crime alerts and what the Police are doing in your local area. You can join by either logging onto WWW.Communitysafe.gov.uk or by contacting your local Safer Neighbourhood Team direct”. We take this opportunity to remind you all to: Ensure cars are locked – this might seem simple but a high percentage of cars are left unlocked in Merton. Don’t leave anything on view – you may know your jacket is empty but an opportunist thief doesn’t. Take your sat nav out of your vehicle and clean the suction mark off the windscreen – thieves will smash your window just to check the glove box. For any further information please contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team via the main Met Police website by telephone or by e-mail. If you wish to become a member of Community safe and sign up to free crime alerts and news of what your local safer Neighbourhood Team is up to please contact them direct or join via www.communitysafe.gov.uk.

Newsletter Merton Safer Transport Team October eddition The Safer Transport Teams Current priorities are: • Route 152 • Route 200 • Increased detections for assaults on drivers Route 164 On 22nd August 2009, Police attended an altercation that took place in St Helier Avenue , Morden. A man assaulted another male who had accidentally bumped into him on the bus. The assailant was later given an £80 fine for a Public order offence. Route 200 On 9th July 2009, Police responded to a call from a driver of a route 200 bus. A female had spat and swore at the driver. She was later fined £65 for her behaviour. She was also given a community service order for 12 months and placed on an alcohol treatment programme for 9 months. Confirmed Result On 10th October 2009, Police stopped 2 men at a bus stop on London Road, Morden. When searched they were found to be in possession of cannabis. Both were given official warnings for possession of drugs. Crime Prevention Day On 17th October the Safer Transport Team hosted a Crime prevention day to increase public awareness of crime on the boroughs transport system. The event took place on Wimbledon Broadway using the boroughs reassurance bus. Police outlined activity they had undertaken to reduce crime and explained what members of the public can do to prevent them becoming a victim of crime. A screening arch was on display. This is a tool used by Police to reduce knife crime and to detect people carrying weapons. PCSO Steve also attended and engaged with the younger members of our community. Information on crime reduction relating to car crime, burglary and pickpocket on buses was also distributed to members of the public. Bus stop surgeries Bus Stop surgeries are very helpful to us as we are able to obtain opinions and concerns from you the passengers. We use this information to focus on problem areas making it safer for you to travel. The next surgeries will be as follows; On 10th November 2009 at the bus stop near Lidl in Morden and at Sainsbury’s Merton High Street, 10am - 12pm and 1pm - 3pm. On 11th November 2009 at the Bus stop near Blockbusters on Upper Green East and Sainsbury’s Worple Rd, 10am -12pm and 1pm - 3pm. On 12th November 2009, At Co-op at Morden Grand drive 10am - 12pm and 1pm - 3pm. Please feel free to come along and talk to members of the Safer Transport Team. Halloween During the run up to Halloween and bonfire night we are increasing patrols and our presence on buses and trams. Officers will be positioned in key locations across the borough on Halloween night to ensure any issues on the buses or trams they are dealt with effectively and efficiently. There will be increased patrols around the town centres and major bus routes. TEAM Inspector Dave Robling Sergeant Sarah Coleman Sergeant Ann Osland Sergeant Ruth Jones PCJames Burgess PC Pete Beatty PC Jo Quayle PCSO Wayne Marques PCSO Phillipa La Fontaine PCSO Christine Storey PCSO Rob King PCSO Louise Russell PCSO Mellisa Lucas PCSO Gemma Stenning PCSO Yiu-Hay Man PCSO Jamie Clarke PCSO Sarah O’Keefe PCSO Mark Collins PCSO James Spink PCSO Charley Shearing PCSO Daniel Crowley PCSO Robert Tracey PCSO Luke Holland PCSO Alec Burns PCSO Louise Morris PCSO Shelley Offer You can contact us on 07825 386 725 020 8721 2259 STT.Merton@met.police.uk