News 7 August to 13 August
An operation dedicated to targeting repeat offenders in Southend city centre has seen every case brought to court prosecuted successfully.
Southend Town Centre Team launched Operation Raker last September to target persistent offenders responsible for thefts, assaults and public order offences.
Since then, two officers have been dedicated to working with Southend City Council’s community safety officers, BID (Business Improvement District) Rangers and retailers to identify and arrest individuals and prevent their offending from escalating.
To date, 32 repeat and prolific offenders have been brought before the courts to answer for their crimes, which are mostly shop thefts and breaches of court-imposed criminal behaviour orders.
In less than a year, the Op Raker team has secured almost 500 charges and convictions in 55 cases.
And courts have imposed a combined total of almost 12 years of custodial sentences and 13 suspended, community or rehabilitative sentences in 46 of those cases.
Seven new criminal behaviour orders have also been imposed on prolific offenders, with a variety of conditions. These can include bans from stores they target and requirements to attend drug and alcohol treatment courses, which help to address their offending behaviour. Breaching one is an offence which can result in a jail term.
Currently, nine offenders are remanded in prison or are on bail pending sentencing.
Essex Police’s Southend Specials will be taking part in a fund-raising walk, in memory of their colleague, SC Paula Butteriss, who recently lost her battle with cancer.
The walk will bring together family, friends and colleagues who will complete a walk starting and ending at Southend central via Benfleet, on Sunday 18 August.
Joining the Southend Specials in their fund-raising efforts to walk the 17 miles, will be Dean, Paula’s husband, who said:
"Paula was amazingly proud to serve in Essex Police as a volunteer police officer, and we’re just as proud of her for doing so".
The organiser of a community event held in Southend over the weekend has praised officers for helping attendees feel “safe, secure and confident”.
The Sierra Leone Family Fun Day has been held in the city for seven years, with members of the Sierra Leone community travelling from across the UK to enjoy a day at the seaside.
Ahead of this year’s event, on Saturday 3 August, concerned organisers engaged with us after an incident of serious disorder in Southend last week.
Eight people have been charged in connection with this incident, after reports of people with weapons on the seafront on Tuesday 30 July.
Officers remained in close contact with the organisers of the Sierra Leone community event to ensure they felt safe.
Last month, our Roads Policing Unit officers seized 10 uninsured vehicles as part of Operation Scalis, a partnership road-safety initiative with Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) to tackle this important issue.
The operation was the first of a number of days of action planned for the months ahead.
Our Roads Policing Unit officers carry out enforcement activities daily to ensure safety for all road users, by focussing on identifying and targeting those drivers who pose the greatest risk, including uninsured drivers.
Extra funding from the Motor Insurance Bureau meant a collaborative approach to prioritise road safety by identifying uninsured vehicles during county-wide patrols on Friday 26 July, using data supplied by MIB.
 Let's talk
Upcoming community police events
SWednesday 14 August 11am to 2pm
Emergency Services Day, Southend Seafront, Marine Parade, By the water fountains
Friday 16 August 5pm to 6pm
Sainsbury, 1355 London Road, Leigh on Sea
Tuesday 20 August 10am to 3pm
Centre Place, 15 Prospect Close, Southend on Sea
Thursday 22 August 11am to 12pm
Waitrose, 1241 London Road, Leigh on Sea
Sunday 25 August 4pm to 5pm
Belfairs Woodland Centre, Eastwood Road North, Leigh on Sea
Friday 30 August 10:30am to 12:30pm
Natwest, 132 High Street, Southend on Sea
Saturday 7th September 11am to 3pm
Southend Police Station Open Day
 Crime prevention advice
Protect your mobile phone against criminals on bikes and mopeds
Criminals often use bikes and mopeds to snatch mobile phones from people, particularly at busy locations such as outside stations, shopping centres or concert venues. Often victims are approached from behind while talking or texting on phones. Criminals on mopeds or bicycles may mount the pavement to grab the phone or snatch it from the road. Sometimes when it’s a moped, a pillion passenger will snatch it.
While most thefts happen between six and ten at night, criminals operate during the day too, so always look out for what’s going on around you. Follow these simple steps to help protect your phone.
Be aware of your surroundings
- If you need to call or use your phone on the street, look out for anyone on a bike or a moped near you. Look up, look out
- Make it quick so you don't become distracted
- Don't text while you're walking – you won't notice what's going on around you
- If that's not possible, stand away from the roadside, close to a building or wall, so no one can come up behind you
- Going hands-free can prevent a thief from snatching your phone out of your hand
Use security features on your phone
- You must switch on your phone's security features to protect your phone
- Use the keypad lock so that thieves cannot immediately access your phone, or use the biometric authentication if your phone has it (finger print or facial recognition)
- Your phone may have other security features you can use – these could allow you to wipe data, lock your handset, or prevent a thief from restoring a phone to its factory settings from another internet device
- Consider installing an anti-theft app. These can be an effective way of helping police trace your phone and identify the thief
Know how to identify your phone if it's stolen
- Every phone has an IMEI number which helps police and insurance companies to identify it if it's stolen. UK network operators can also stop a stolen phone from working across their networks with its IMEI
- Find your IMEI number by dialling *#06# from your phone and keep a written note of it; if the phone is stolen, report the number to your mobile provider to stop it being used
- Register your valuables on an accredited property database.
Remember, never confront a thief or risk your own safety for the sake of your mobile phone.
Be fraud smart
Dating and romance scams
Most UK dating websites and chatrooms are legitimate, but fraudsters have been known to use them to steal people’s money.
Dating and romance scammers lower their target’s defences by building an online relationship, then asking for larger and larger sums of money. Well-meaning men and women have both fallen victim to this.
Holiday fraud
Holiday fraud is on the increase as people use holiday booking websites more and more.
Scammers will list a hotel room or accommodation that isn’t available or doesn’t exist. Often victims only realise it’s a scam when they arrive at their destination, by which time the fraudster is long gone.
Ticketing scams
Getting tickets to see your favourite band, football team, play or festival can be difficult as they sell out quickly. Scammers take advantage of this by tempting you to buy tickets that turn out to be fake or their websites offer tickets they can’t provide but are happy to take money for.
 Is it illegal to carry a knife around in my pocket?
is an offence to carry any sharp or bladed instrument in a public place, with the exception of a folding pocket knife where the cutting edge of the blade is 7.62 cm (3 inches) or less. Please note that the term ‘cutting edge’ is not limited to an area of the blade that has a textured or serrated edge. The courts have held that the whole length of the side of the blade is to be included in the measurement.
A lock knife is not a folding pocket knife and therefore it is an offence to carry around such a knife regardless of the length of the blade, if you do not have good reason. A lock knife has blades that can be locked and refolded only by pressing a button. A lock knife has a mechanism which locks the blade in position when fully extended, the blade cannot be closed without that mechanism being released. A lock knife is not an offensive weapon per se, as these knives were made with a specific purpose in mind were not intended as a weapon. However, possession of a lock knife in a public place without good reason is an offence.
Possession of a multi-tool incorporating a prohibited blade or pointed article is capable of being an offence under this section even if there are other tools on the instrument, which may be of use to a person in a public place, for example a screwdriver or a can opener. It is for the person to prove on the balance of probabilities that they have a good reason for possession.
The ban is not total, it is for the person in possession of such an instrument to prove on the balance of probabilities that they had good reason for its possession. It will have to be genuine, for example, someone back packing across the Lake District may reasonably be expected to have a knife for the preparation of meals. It will be far more difficult to justify on the streets of a city or town, but there will be occasions when someone is genuinely going to a martial arts sport or scout meeting which is easily checked.
The penalty for committing this offence is a maximum prison sentence of four years.
Be aware that some bladed articles may be deemed to be offensive weapons, for example, flick knives, daggers and butterfly knives. There is also an offence of carrying an offensive weapon in public without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
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