News 19 May to 25 May
 Retired Sergeant Ron Underwood celebrates 100th birthday
Retired police sergeant and WWII veteran Ron Underwood has celebrated his 100th birthday.
To mark the occasion, Ron, who lives in Brightlingsea, was presented with custom-made epaulettes featuring his former collar numbers by Tendring District Commander, Chief Inspector Stuart Austin.
Ron was surrounded by friends and family for a party at his home where cake and tots of rum were provided for guests.
Ron joined Essex Police in May 1947 having served in the Royal Navy for three and a half years. He was a leading airman with medals for his service in Italy, France, Germany, the Atlantic and the Pacific, and is one of the last surviving servicemen to have flown in a Swordfish aircraft.
During his career with Essex Police, Ron (PC 472) worked in Braintree, Grays and Colchester districts before being promoted to sergeant, taking collar number 85, in 1957.
He spent the final 15 years of his service in Chelmsford before retiring from the force on 31 August 1972.
 Prolific shoplifter jailed for ignoring countywide court ban
A prolific Basildon shoplifter has been jailed for breaching a countywide ban on entering BP garages and committing more thefts.
Jon Lee, 40, was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on 13 May 2025 to a total of 30 months in prison.
Lee had previously admitted 32 counts of shop theft between 24 September 2024 and 5 January 2025 – 29 from BP garages including East Mayne in Basildon, Cranfield Park Road, Wickford, Orsett South and Orsett Cock on the A13 near Stanford-le-Hope and London Road, Benfleet; one from B&Q in Howard Way, Harlow; one from Sports Direct in Braintree; and one from John Lewis in Bond Street, Chelmsford.
Stanway Roads Policing Unit sold
In July 2024, we announced that our Roads Policing Unit based at Stanway, Colchester, moved to our sites in Boreham and Thorpe-Le-Soken so that our officers could be even more effective on our roads, and better support the Strategic Road Network.
They have successfully been working in these locations since then, ensuring that we have a retained presence 24/7 in the north of the county, as well as our roads policing unit in Chigwell in the south.
Our Roads Policing Unit provide a specialist response across our road network. Their expertise helps to keep our roads safe and traffic moving. They work to make sure those road users who put others at risk by speeding, driving dangerously or any other illegal behaviour, are held accountable for their actions. Our officers look for those using our roads to commit crime and disrupt criminal activity.
In line with our Estates Strategy, the site at Stanway, which was never open to the public, has been sold. Funds will be reinvested into your police service.
This move does not affect the police teams who currently, and will continue to, work from Colchester Police Station. The sale of the Stanway site will not change local policing delivery or our visibility in our communities.
 Hotspot patrols lead to 295 arrests in 12 months
Targeted patrols and operations in areas of Essex with the highest probability of a violent incident led to 295 arrests and 534 stop searches in the past year.
Officers spent more than 19,000 hours working in 12 hotspot zones across the county to prevent violent crime and catch offenders. They also safeguarded 284 people and seized 182 weapons.
Data analysis is used to identify where and when officers should be deployed to maximise their impact.
Three of the hotspots are in Southend, with two in Colchester, and one in each of Basildon, Chelmsford, Harlow, Clacton, Braintree, Grays and Brentwood.
Alongside short, sharp foot patrols, officers engage with the community and highlight areas where improvements such as better street lighting and CCTV coverage could reduce the possibility of crime and help people feel safer.
Across the 12 hotspots, there were 105 fewer incidents of violence compared to the previous year – a fall of 5%.
 Drug dealer jailed for seven years
A drug dealer who assaulted a man he recruited to work on a county lines operation has been jailed for seven years, following an investigation.
Iretomiwa Olaojo, 24, known as Mash, ran the ‘GB’ line trafficking crack cocaine and heroin from London to Chelmsford. He attacked a driver who tried to leave the operation, causing serious injuries and ongoing threats.
Thanks to the victim’s bravery and support from safeguarding officers, Olaojo was arrested and charged. He admitted to drug supply and grievous bodily harm.
Teenager to attend fire safety intervention course after farm arson
Following an investigation by our Rural Engagement Team into a fire on a farm in north Essex, a teenager will be attending a special fire safety intervention course.
The 15-year-old has also apologised to the farmer for starting the fire next to a stack of hay bales on 3 May at the farm in the Braintree district.
Investigating officer PC Luke Jones explains that farm fires can cause a lot of destruction very quickly.
“The teenager admitted lighting the hay but said they didn’t intend to start a big fire.
 'We're taking the lead on steering young people away from knife crime'
A week-long focus on knife crime saw officers enter schools to educate around the reality of knife and drug crime.
Across last week, we visited schools, worked with partners to educate young people around the consequences of carrying a knife and busted some of the myths around gang violence and exploitation.
This included our work with the multi-agency Violence and Vulnerability Unit (VVU).
Prolific teenage burglar sentenced
"Our far-reaching and complex investigation involving teams across Essex Police ensured this prolific teenage burglar was brought before the courts.
"His actions caused great distress to his many victims, but meticulous detective and forensic work meant he had no option but to admit his guilt."
Detective Inspector Stuart Mitchell, from our Criminal Investigation Department, spoke after the 18-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced after admitting six burglaries, five attempted burglaries and a number of driving offences.
He also asked for 47 other offences to be taken into consideration, when he was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday 21 May.
Between August and September last year, as a 17-year-old, he persistently broke into people’s homes across Basildon, Brentwood, Harlow and into East London, with a clear aim of taking the victim’s car keys and then stealing their car.
On Thursday September 12, he was arrested and later questioned by detectives in connection with a series of burglaries and attempted break-ins which happened in the early hours of 25 August in Basildon.
He refused to answer questions during interview and said he was not involved in the offences.
However further investigations by Essex Police and officers from the Met lead to 14 charges being secured.
 Police Dog Kaiser catches up with a dangerous driver
A dangerous driver caught by Police Dog Kaiser following a high-speed police pursuit along the A13 has been jailed for 14 months.
Michael Burke, 24, drove at speeds of more than 100mph into London, sometimes on the wrong carriageway, before he abandoned his car and PD Kaiser located him cowering in bushes by the roadside.
Burke had previously admitted at Colchester Magistrates’ Court to driving dangerously on the A13, driving while disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance on 14 January 2025.
And on 15 May, he was jailed for a total of 14 months at Basildon Crown Court. He was also banned from driving for five years and four months and ordered to take an extended re-test before he can get behind the wheel of a vehicle again.
Sentencing him, the judge told Burke his record showed a ‘disregard’ for motoring laws, with similar offences committed in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
Our Marine Unit works to keep everyone who uses our rivers and coastline safe and secure.
Essex has a vibrant marine community which supports a busy fishing industry.
Marine officers regularly join operations with other agencies to deter criminal activity on the water and tackle breaches of fishing legislation.
Last week, they supported the Kent & Essex Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority and the Marine Management Organisation with one such operation, which focused on the types of fishing gear and nets being used.
 Let's talk
Upcoming community police events across Essex this week
Monday 26 May
10am to 11am
Priors Hall Farm, Lindsell
10am to 11:30am
Henham Community Store, High Street, Henham
2pm to 3pm
Thremhall Park Cafe, Start Hill, Great Hallingbury
3pm to 4pm
Outside Asda, The Water Gardens, Harlow
Tuesday 27 May
Live Facial Recognition deployment today in Chelmsford.
10am to 12pm
Community In a Cup, Maldon United Reformed Church, Market Hill, Maldon
10:30am to 12pm
Witham Town Hall, Heritage Suite, Witham
10:30am to 11:30am
Rochford Banking Hub, West Street, Rochford SS4 1AJ
2pm to 3pm
Marks & Spencer Foodhall, 12-24 Eastwood Road, Rayleigh SS6 7JQ
3pm to 4pm
Morrisons Supermarket, Waterglade Retail Park, Old Road, Clacton
Wednesday 28 May
10:30am to 11:30am
Manningtree Library, High Street, Manningtree
10:30am to 12pm
Alresford start up cafe St Andrews Church, St Andrews Close, Alresford
11am to 12pm
Tilbury Hub, Civic Square
11am to 3pm
Loughton Police Station, 158 High Road, Loughton
3pm to 4pm
Poundland, 43-45 Pier Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea
Thursday 29 May
Live Facial Recognition deployment today in Colchester
9:30am to 11am
CVST Harwich Hub, 276 High Street, Dovercourt
10am to 2pm
Market Square, Saffron Walden
10am to 11am
Purfleet Community Pantry & Cafe, 32 River Court, Centurion Way
1pm to 2pm
Impulse Leisure Cafe, Blackshots Lane, Grays
2pm to 4pm
Community in a cup, Burnham-on-Crouch United Reformed Church, 53 Station Road, Burnham-on-Crouch
Friday 30 May
Live Facial Recognition deployment today in Southend.
10am to 11am
Morrisons Supermarket, Centenary Way, Little Clacton
10am to 11am
Priors Hall Farm, Lindsell
12pm to 1pm
IKEA Lakeside (Customer restaurant), Heron Way, Essex
Saturday 31 May
Live Facial Recognition deployment today in Harlow.
10am to 2pm
Harlow Police Station, The High, Harlow, CM20 1HG
11am to 1pm
Dyke Crescent, Canvey Island
11am to 12pm
Miracle House, Silver Island Way, Wickford, SS12 9NR
Sunday 1 June
Live Facial Recognition deployment today in Clacton.
10am to 4pm
Fun for kids in space, The Museum of Power, Hatfield Road, Langford, Maldon
For full details of upcoming events, please visit the Essex Police website and enter your postcode.
 Crime prevention advice
Secure your number plate
Did you know stolen number plates are often used to hide vehicles involved in crimes or to avoid paying tolls and parking fees?
Keep your vehicle's number plate safe by using one-way clutch head screws to secure your plates and deter thieves.
Be fraud smart
2 Step verification
Buying tickets online for this summer’s hottest events?
Make sure you’re protecting your accounts with 2-step verification.
Two-step verification (also known as two-factor authentication or 2FA) is a security process that adds an extra layer of protection to your online accounts. Instead of just entering a password to log in, you also need to provide a second piece of information to verify your identity.
This means even if someone guesses your password, they can’t get in without the second step.
 Join our team
Police staff jobs
Vehicle Technician £38,754
Restorative and Mediation Service Co-ordinator £32,244
Digital Forensic Specialist £40,890
Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) £26,106
Detention Officers £29,109
Visit our website for full advert, job descriptions and application form.
 This week we remember
 Stephen Taylor (left) and Andy Morrison (right)
Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor served with Essex Police from 30 July 1979. He began his service at Tilbury, where his interest in diving fostered a desire to qualify as a police diver. After transferring to the Force Support Unit in August 1983 he achieved that ambition, and also became a firearms officer. While diving into the wreck of an old barge Steve Taylor and Andy Morrison got into severe difficulties which led to their deaths. Steve Taylor died at the scene on 1 June 1989.
Andy Morrison
Andy Morrison served with Essex Police from 2 February 1976. He was first stationed at Billericay then worked at Rowhedge and Colchester before transferring to the Force Support Unit in April 1982. He became a police diver in October 1983 and a diving supervisor in May 1986. On 1 June 1989 the divers were following a routine training exercise in some gravel pits close to Dobbs Weir near Nazeing. Andy Morrison and Steve Taylor got into difficulties while attempting to attach a hawser to a sunken barge. Steve Taylor died at the scene and Andy Morrison died the following day in hospital.
Read more about other Essex officers on the Essex Police Memorial Trust website.
 Obituaries
John Coyle
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague John Coyle who retired as a Chief Supt. in 2002 and served with the Southend Borough, Headquarters and Chelmsford. He passed away on 7 May 2025 aged 78 years.
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