News 10 February to 16 February
 Roads Policing Unit Specials lead colleagues in road safety enforcement
Our Roads Policing Unit Specials led colleagues in road safety enforcement targeting uninsured vehicles as part of Operation Scalis.
The team led their full-time colleagues in an operation to take uninsured vehicles off our roads, thereby keeping everyone safe.
The clampdown in the Lakeside area of Thurrock, organised by Special Sergeant Steve Nelson, saw 10 uninsured vehicles seized and 20 traffic offence reports for a variety of road-related offences on Sunday 9 February.
The incredible team effort saw our Special Constabulary work alongside Roads Policing Unit officers to keep roads safe for everyone and to protect our more vulnerable road users.
 Southend: Arrest made after serious assault
An arrest has been made and officers are maintaining a presence in Southend following a report of a serious assault inside an address.
We were first called shortly before 5am on Sunday 16 February to reports of a man with an injury in the area of Greyhound Way.
Officers attended within minutes alongside ambulance service colleagues.
The man was taken on to hospital in a life-threatening condition.
It was quickly established he had sustained the injuries inside a nearby address in Stadium Road.
At this address, officers further found a woman who had also suffered injuries, which are not life-threatening.
She is also receiving hospital treatment.
 Debden: Persistent thief banned from entering shops
A burglar has been banned from certain shops in Essex after officers secured a court order aimed at protecting businesses from further harm.
Town Centre Team officers spotted a burglary suspect when they were patrolling and carrying out enquiries in Loughton.
Officers recognised the man’s clothing from descriptions circulated to them and they arrested Anthony Shimque.
A subsequent search of his home found more clothing and a rucksack, which linked him to the burglaries.
Faced with clear evidence of his offending he pleaded guilty when he appeared at court and, on Thursday 13 February, he was sentenced.
 Commercial Vehicle Unit keeps major roads safe
Thanks to the work of specialist roads policing officers in the Commercial Vehicle Unit, 83 drivers were issued traffic offence reports in an effort to keep our roads safe.
The Commercial Vehicle Unit is a dedicated team of specialist officers who identify and target drivers breaking the law or those involved in the criminal use of our strategic road network.
Over five days, the officers took part in Operation Tramline, a road safety initiative using an HGV on loan from Highways England: the height of the cab allows officers to see into other lorry cabins or down into cars on a lower level to see what is happening. Any driver who is seen breaking the law is stopped.
The team stopped 88 vehicles which resulted in 83 traffic offence reports being issued for a variety of offences.
Offences included 20 mobile phone offences and 17 drivers not wearing seatbelts – offences that are part of the Fatal Four offences which are known contributing factors to killed and seriously injured collisions.
There were six arrests for drink driving, another of the Fatal Four offences and two arrests for possession of drugs with intent to supply.
 Chelmsford: Detectives secure attempted murder charge
Detectives investigating a serious assault in Chelmsford on Wednesday 12 February have charged a man with attempted murder.
Officers arrived within seven minutes of receiving a call reporting a man found seriously injured in the Meadgate Avenue area at around 7.10pm.
He was taken to hospital for treatment and his injuries are not described as life threatening.
Within 45 minutes of arriving at the scene, officers had made an arrest.
Twenty year-old Albie Tricks, of Eglinton Drive, Chelmsford, has now been charged with attempted murder and possession of a knife in a public place.
 Canvey: £450,000 bank fraudster jailed
A 41-year-old woman has been jailed for 28 months after spending a decade stealing almost £450,000 form the high street bank she was employed by.
Claire Harvey, of Sylvan Close in Canvey, was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on 10 February 2025 after detectives and the bank’s own financial investigations established she had made regular payments to accounts she could access.
Between 2013 and 2023, in payments of no more than £200 at a time, Harvey credited 54 different accounts with £435,681.
She was charged with fraud by misrepresentation and acquiring criminal property, the second charge of which is under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, in December 2024 and quickly pleaded guilty at court in January 2025.
 Live Facial Recognition and OpenGate deployed in Harlow town
Harlow Community Policing Team have continued their work to drive down violent crime by using a mobile weapon detector and Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology in the town centre.
Thanks to funding from Harlow Council, the team now have an OpenGate system which is specifically designed to detect dense metal objects. Last weekend, this led directly to the discovery of a man carrying a knife.
The latest deployment of two LFR vans led to the arrest on an outstanding suspect for domestic violence, a community resolution being issued for theft, three stop searches and two pieces of intelligence being submitted.
The Community Policing Team have also been carrying out frequent patrols of the town’s hotspot policing zone where data analysis shows incidents of violence are more likely.
 How our Rural Engagement Team support local councils to tackle fly-tipping
Inspector Terry Jacobs was interviewed by BBC Essex at the launch of Essex County Council's SCRAP fly-tipping campaign
Our Rural Engagement Team are asking people who see dumped rubbish to report it to the local council.
They’re supporting the Essex-wide SCRAP campaign against fly-tipping.
More than 110,000 indecent images of children were discovered on a rape suspect’s mobile phone following a thorough and complex investigation by our specialist officers.
On Tuesday 11 February Daniel Taylor was jailed for 20 years after admitting numerous serious sexual offences.
In April 2022 we received reports of rape and sexual assault involving two victims.
Forty-two year-old Taylor, of Outing Close, Southend, was arrested and questioned. He initially denied all the allegations put to him and refused to hand over the pin to his phone.
Tenacious officers used forensic techniques to access the phone and were able to download the contents after months of work.
Last year, a coach driver was so concerned about the aggressive and dangerous driving behaviour of another motorist directed toward him, that he called our control room for help.
The incident started on the outskirts of Chelmsford when the driver of a BMW and a coach were exiting the Army and Navy Roundabout, toward Sandon, shortly before 4pm on Monday 25 March 2024.
 Rachel Lyus: An inspiration for women and girls in science
Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we focused on Rachel Lyus, a Senior Crime Scene Investogator, whose passion and perseverance highlight women's vital role in science.
 Safer Internet Day 2025: Building a safer digital world
Last Tuesday was Safer Internet Day 2025. We issued advice and information to protect from online scams with practical tips and advice and 'sort your settings'.
Between October 2023 and September 2024, victims in Essex lost over two million pounds to fraud. Scams range from simple confidence tricks to sophisticated high-tech online fraud. That’s why it pays to stay informed about the latest scams and advice is crucial to protect yourself and others.
Keeping safe online can be challenging. New technology and regular updates can make it difficult to keep up. To help, we have created simple step-by-step guides on our Sort Your Settings webpage, offering practical advice on protecting yourself across various platforms and devices.
 A12/A120: 95 drivers caught speeding in two hours
Nearly 100 drivers were caught speeding in just two hours on two of our major roads as our officers work to keep you safe.
Our Roads Policing Unit and Special Constabulary carried out speed enforcement on the A12 at Mountnessing and the A120 in Takeley on Sunday 9 February.
In just two hours they captured 95 drivers speeding, including five going more than 100mph.
 Let's talk
Upcoming community police events across Essex this week
Monday 17 February
2:30pm to 3:30pm
Marks & Spencer Foodhall, 12-24 Eastwood Road, Rayleigh SS6 7JQ
3pm to 4pm
Henham Community Shop, High Street, Henham
Tuesday 18 February
10am to 11am
Waitrose, London Road, Leigh
10:30am to 12pm
Witham Town Hall, Heritage Suite, Witham
11am to 12pm
Rectory Road Shops, Rectory Road, Pitsea, Basildon
11am to 1pm
Brentwood High Street.
1pm to 3pm
1 Garden Fields, Steeple, Southminster
1pm to 2pm
Rochford Market, 22-24 West Street, Rochford SS4 1AL
Wednesday 19 February
10am to 12pm
Heybridge Parish Council,
Plantation Hall, Colchester Road, Maldon
10am to 2pm
Safe to go Stow Hub, 28 The Stow, Harlow, Essex
10am to 12pm
Dementia Cafe, Loughton Library, Traps Hill, Loughon
12:30pm to 1:30pm
The Beacon Centre, Drake Road, Chafford Hundred
2pm to 3pm
Ockendon Centre, Derry Avenue
6pm to 7pm
Stansted Library, 72 Chapel Hill
Thursday 20 February
10am to 12pm
Woodham Walter Village Hall, Rectory Road, Woodham Walter, Maldon
10am to 11am
Morrison's Supermarket, Centenary Way, Little Clacton
10am to 12pm
St Clare Hospice, Hastingwood Road, Harlow
11am to 12pm
CVS Tendring, Kennedy Way Community Garden, Clacton on Sea
11:30am to 2pm
Maldon Promenade Park, Park Drive, Maldon
1pm to 2pm
Harpers Cafe, Cage Lane, Boxted, Colchester
2pm to 3pm
Lidl, London Road, Southend
3pm to 4pm
Havens, Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff
Friday 21 February
10am to 11am
The Close, Hatfield Heath
10am to 11am
McDonalds, Hartley Brook Road, Clacton on Sea
10am to 11am
St Johns Church, Outwood Common Road, Billericay CM11 2LE
10am to 11am
Walton Food Bank, Standley Road, Walton on Naze
11am to 12pm
Miracle House, Silver Island Way, Wickford, SS12 9NR
Saturday 22 February
9am to 10am
Park run, Harlow Town Park, Harlow
9:30am to 10:30am
Billericay Library, 143 High Street, Billericay CM12 9AB
10am to 11am
Asda Supermarket, Bull Hill Road, Clacton on Sea
10am to 11am
Jaywick Library, Golf Green Road, Jaywick
10am to 11am
New Ground Cafe, Newhall, Harlow
10am to 11am
Coffee Base, Newhall, Harlow
3pm to 4pm
The Forum, Elmer Square, Southend
Sunday 23 February
9am to 9:30am
The Snug, High Easter
10am to 11am
Costa Coffee, 50 Pier Avenue, Clacton on Sea
11am to 12pm
Community Centre, Tanton Road, Flitch Green
3pm to 4pm
The Link, Parsloe Road, Harlow
6:30pm to 7:30pm
Potters House Church, Coleman Street, Southend
For full details of upcoming events, please visit the Essex Police website and enter your postcode.
 Don't let burglars have a field day in your garden!
Want to protect your garden from burglars?
These steps can enhance your home's security and give you peace of mind.
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Install motion-sensor lights: These lights can startle and deter intruders by illuminating them unexpectedly.
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Secure tools and equipment: Lock up your tools in sheds and garages to prevent burglars from using them to break into your home.
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Layer your security: Use a combination of security measures to make your home less attractive to burglars and make them reconsider targeting your property.
Be fraud smart
Stay alert when a stranger flirts
Anyone could be a victim of Romance Fraud, let's talk tactics.
Have you met someone online who quickly declares strong feelings for you?
Are they sending frequent messages filled with compliments, affection, and talk of falling in love?
This could be love bombing.
Fraudsters use emotional abuse to lower your defences when building a relationship, before asking for money.
 Join our team
Police staff jobs
Assistant Business Services Manager £38,754
Visit our website for full advert, job descriptions and application form.
 This week we remember
Herbert Guiver
Herbert Guiver served with Essex County Constabulary from 8 October 1906 and moved to Southend Borough Constabulary on 1 April 1914. Four months later, with the outbreak of war, he was recalled to the Colours and assigned to the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment. After many battles in France, his division withdrew to move north to Flanders. Herbert was killed when a shell exploded in his trench on 17 February 1916.
Read more about other Essex officers on the Essex Police Memorial Trust website.
 Obituaries
Anthony Cole
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague Anthony Cole who retired as a Constable in 1983 and served at Hadleigh, Basildon, Chelmsford and Headquarters Garage. He passed away on 19 January 2025 aged 96 years.
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