News 16 April to 23 April
Vision Zero enforcement sees 39 drivers reported for not wearing their seatbelt and 12 cars seized for no insurance in Chalkwell.
Our officers held a Vision Zero day in support of this month’s national road safety campaign. The campaign forces on the Fatal Four offences that contribute collisions where someone is killed or seriously injured.
Specials support National Road Safety Operation
On Wednesday 17 April, the Southend Specials were out across the city in support of this month’s national road safety operation to keep our roads safe for everyone.
This month we’re conducting patrols to stop poor and dangerous driving that poses a risk to our communities, to detect offences that are collectively known as the Fatal Four.
Throughout their evening patrols, they were engaging with drivers and the public and, where necessary, they were enforcing driving standards to ensure our road safety message was brought to the forefront.
The Specials were on the look out for drivers who failed to adhere to the Highway Code, and were using mobile phones, not wearing seatbelts or drink driving.
To crack down on speeding, they issued 7 tickets to seven drivers at Maplin Way. Despite the speed limit being 30mph, one driver was caught driving at 47mph and a further two speeding tickets were handed out at Woodgrange Drive, one of those drivers was also reported for careless driving.
Road safety is everyone’s concern. We’d ask you to support us by looking out for each other and sharing the road safely.
 Inspector Mark McQuade on his final patrol with Inspector Penny McQuade
Inspector McQuade retires after 27 years service with Essex Police
On Monday 15 April Inspector Mark McQuade went on his final foot patrol of Southend accompanied by his wife Inspector Penny McQuade. Inspector Mark McQuade is retiring after 27 years service with Essex Police. His working life has been dedicated to public service, having previously served in the Army and worked as a prison officer before joining Essex Police.
He has spent all of his career with Essex Police working in the South of the County in both the Neighbourhood Policing and Local Policing Team helping to keep people safe. Thankyou for your service to Essex Police and the people of Essex, we hope you enjoy your retirement.
Embark on a rewarding journey by joining us as a police constable or a detective on our Investigate First entry route programme. We are actively seeking passionate and committed individuals to help people, keep people safe and catch criminals.
Apply today to start your career with us.
A man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison, after being found guilty of multiple non-recent sexual offences against a child.
Lee Miles, 51 previously of Studley Road, Forest Gate appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, 18 April for sentencing after being found guilty of nine sexual offences including four counts of rape of a child under 13.
A persistent beggar who regularly caused distress to members of the public in Southend has been jailed for 10 months after breaching a court order sought by Essex Police.
Richard Lewis, 37, of no fixed address, was made the subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) by Southend Magistrates’ Court on 5 April.
This order followed reports Lewis had been aggressively begging and escorting people to cash points to ensure they withdrew money for him.
Under the terms of the order, Lewis was strictly prohibited from swearing, intimidating or abusing people in public.
He was also ordered:
- Not to approach people to receive goods/money within the City of Southend
- Not to sit on the ground outside any shop
- Not to beg in a public place
- Not to enter any of the following tower blocks unless it’s his permanent place of residence: Pennine, Chiltern, Malvern, Quantock, Blackdown, Brecon, Grampian and Barringtons.
Town centre: Officer injured while making arrest
Officers with our Southend Town Centre Team had attended reports of an individual leaving a shop in High Street without paying for goods, at around 3.30pm on Saturday 20 April.
It was further reported threats had been made an assault allegedly carried out on security staff and a member of public.
Officers promptly detained a man and placed him in handcuffs.
During an ensuing struggle, an officer sustained a serious injury to his ankle.
He is receiving treatment.
A 34-year-old man, of no fixed address, remains in custody for questioning on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.
Coordinated strikes target vehicle theft
Two men have appeared in court following five warrants in the south of the county tackling stolen cars and drug-related offences.
The charges were a direct result of warrants conducted at four locations in Southend and one in Rayleigh on Wednesday 17 April.
The coordinated strikes were led by officers from Operation Falcon and Castle Point and Rochford Community Police Team who were supported by Operational Support Group, Stolen Vehicle Investigation Unit officers.
 Let's talk
Upcoming community police events
Friday 26 April 10am to 11am
Friars Park, Shoebury
Monday 29 April 7pm to 8pm
Holiday Inn, Eastwoodbury Crescent, Southend
Tuesday 30 April 11am to 12pm
Aryaan Cafe, Sutton Road, Southend
Tuesday 30 April 2.30pm - 1.30pm
Southend Christian Fellowship, Southchurch Road, Southend
Tuesday 30 April 5pm to 6pm
ASDA, North Shoebury Road, Shoeburyness
 Family gold theft
Follow these steps to prevent family gold theft....
- Be secure - lock your doors and windows every time you leave your house or go to bed. For extra security and peace of mind buy CCTV and a burglar alarm, and store high value items in a safe secured to a wall or floor. Alternatively keep high value items in a safe deposit box or a bank.
- Keep an inventory of your jewellery including photos. This can be done in a paper version or online with companies such as immobilise.com. Make sure you include details such as identifying marks, value, and purchase date. List each one of them on your home insurance and be sure they are covered by your policy.
- Be alert to risk when using social media - be mindful not to display or share pictures of expensive jewellery for all to see. Ensure your social media setting are set for private.
- When wearing jewellery in public, particularly during wedding season and religious holidays, consider keeping your jewellery discreetly hidden until you get to the venue
and be extra vigilant.
- Criminals sometimes identify targets through personal information - be wary of people asking for these details at work, socially or even over the phone. Also be wary of strangers calling at or hanging around your home
Be fraud smart
Did you really miss a delivery?
Be aware of fake emails and texts.
STOP: Do you remember ordering anything? If you did check the information matched the original order.
CHALLENGE: Is it the same? Does it have the correct email domain?
PROTECT: If you think it is a scam, contact your bank and report it to Action Fraud.
 I want to have a personalised numberplate with fancy writing, what are the requirements?
There are a number of legal requirements in relation to the display and format of number plates. Basically, you must not:
-
alter, rearrange or misrepresent the letters or numbers,
-
characters must not be moved from one group to the other,
-
character size and spacing must comply with the regulations.
Offences in relation to the above may result in any or all of the following:
|
