News 11 December to 17 December
 Arrests after motorcycle thefts
More good work from our Dog Section led to a man being arrested in Colchester following reports of motorcycles being stolen.
This time it was thanks to the work of Police Dog Kylo and his handler, PC Darren Barnard.
The pair were on patrol in the Highwoods area when PC Barnard saw two people acting suspiciously. When the officer approached them, they ran off.
PD Kylo sprang into action and quickly stopped one of the men.
Further investigation found three motorcycles, which were identified to be stolen. The vehicles were returned to the owners.
A 19-year-old man from Colchester was arrested in connection. He has been released on police bail while enquiries continue.
Man jailed after city centre sexual assault
A man has been jailed after sexually assaulting a girl inside a shop in Colchester.
Three girls were shopping in Culver Square on Saturday 28 October when one of the group was approached by Richard Mills.
Mills, 39, then sexually assaulted her and then immediately left the store.
The three girls immediately reported the matter to security staff in the shop and staff were able to clearly identify the incident on CCTV and the man’s immediate movements afterwards.
A still image of the suspect was then sent to a team of officers who specialise in managing sexual offenders and the man was identified as Mills and he was then arrested.
Read more by clicking the button below.
“We know times are tough but please don’t be tempted to buy goods you know or suspect to be stolen,” says business crime officer
In November 2024, our officers made 127 arrests for shop theft and secured 283 charges against 92 people who are now at risk of getting a criminal record.
Our officers have increased patrols in many areas in the run-up to Christmas as shoppers flock to stores in the hope of grabbing a bargain.
And our specialist business crime officers will continue to work with retailers to deter shoplifters and keep their staff and premises safe and secure during the busiest period of the retailing year.
Read more by clicking the button below.
Man jailed for 25 years for multiple sexual offences
A man has been jailed for 25 years after being found guilty of many sexual offences, including multiple counts of rape thanks to work by our officers.
Stephen Gallagher, 59 of Normandy Avenue, Colchester appeared at Ipswich Crown Court today (11 December) where he was sentenced, concluding a complex investigation by Essex Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team.
The investigation was launched in 2016 when Essex Police received a report from a woman, who reported that she had been sexually abused multiple times when she was a child by Gallagher.
Following the initial enquiries, more victims bravely contacted Essex Police to report that Gallagher had sexually abused them as children.
Read more by clicking the button below
 Crime prevention advice
If you’ve ever had your bicycle stolen, you’ll know how upsetting it can be. Our practical tips will help keep your bike safe and out of the hands of thieves – and also advise on how to get it back if it is stolen.
The most important thing to remember is, double lock your bike and register the frame number.
Click more advice for top tips to keep your bike safe.
Be fraud smart
Business fraud is simply the intent or the act of misrepresentation – scammers lying about themselves or their actions and services – to cause a gain or loss.
With limited resources and in tough economic conditions, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) tend to think more about innovation, growth and survival rather than due diligence, internet controls and risk management. These can often seem expensive, hard work and involve a lot of paperwork.
But this approach leaves SMEs particularly vulnerable to fraud, with many owners and managers unaware of the risks their businesses face.
It’s important to recognise that a fraud can come from anywhere, including:
staff members
customers
suppliers
third parties, unconnected to the business
From the start, fraud can seem complicated and difficult to understand, as criminals use a variety of tools and techniques.
We can’t provide a single solution to prevent all business fraud, but the information below will help you identify the most common types and take action to protect yourself, your staff and your business.
 I have lent something to a friend / relative / partner and they have not given it back, what can I do?
The refusal to give something back which has been borrowed is not automatically theft. In some cases it might have to be resolved using the Civil Courts and you may need to seek a solicitor for advice.
Example:
B borrows C's power drill. B keeps promising to return it, B does not intend to keep it and it is just left in the garage, but B doesn't get round to giving it back. If this is pure forgetfulness, which goes on for a fairly long period (despite reminders) it would not be theft. However, eventually there comes a point where C has been deprived of their property for so long that B has no excuse for not returning it (perhaps a year or more) and the Criminal Courts could consider if B had stolen the drill.
If you have a problem with someone who has borrowed your property and has not given it back, keep a record of all the occasions you have asked for it and then ask a solicitor to send a formal letter asking for the return of the property. If the property is still not returned, there may be sufficient reason to justify making a complaint of theft to the police.
Every case will be different and it may be, for example, that the borrower claims the property was a gift. In circumstances like that, the police may not be willing to take action and you could go to the Civil Courts for help to get your property back. In the case of a borrowed item up to a certain value, it may not be considered economically worthwhile to pursue.
Below is a summary of the offence of theft, it is not intended to be a comprehensive explanation.
"Theft occurs when someone dishonestly appropriates (takes possession of or makes use of exclusively for oneself/someone else without permission) some property that does not belong to him or her and treats it as his or her own with the intention of permanently depriving the rightful owner of the property."
Examples:
◾ B is sat on a park bench with their mobile phone on the bench next to them when C runs past and takes the phone from the bench and runs off with it.
◾ B takes an item from the shelf of a shop and leaves the shop without paying for it (shoplifting)
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