News 11 June to 17 June
 Richard Lewis has been jailed for six months
Work by Southend's Neighbourhood Policing Team has ensured a man who repeatedly harassed and abused vulnerable members of the public has been put behind bars.
Richard Lewis, 38, 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.
Despite this order, Lewis has persisted in approaching members of the public, specifically targeting the vulnerable including children and the disabled, in a bid to extract money from them.
He was arrested in Southend High Street on Tuesday 6 May and charged with four public order offences, assault and four breaches of his CBO.
Lewis admitted each of the charges and at Southend Magistrates' Court on 29 May he was sentenced to six months in prison and the CBO against him was extended until 2030.
A career detective who has dedicated more than 31 years of his life to policing has been awarded the King’s Police Medal.
Former temporary Assistant Chief Constable Kevin Baldwin, who retired from Essex Police last year, received the prestigious policing honour recognising a life dedicated to public service, protecting and serving victims and investigative excellence.
Kevin first joined policing, serving with the Metropolitan Police Service, in 1992. He served in a variety of detective roles, including on Hackney CID, the robbery squad at Bethnal Green and the murder squad at Barking.
During his career, Kevin has led countless cases involving harrowing crimes against children and vulnerable people, with a commitment to giving victims a first-class service and showing them that they’re not alone.
In 2010, Kevin undertook the role of Detective Chief Inspector on the Met’s first gangs unit in Newham before transferring to Essex Police in 2016.
During his time in Essex, Kevin was both the Superintendent and Chief Superintendent for the South Local Policing Area, a role he cherished as a South Essex resident.
During his time in the South of the county, public confidence in Essex Police soared which is testament to not just Kevin’s own commitment to victims, but his drive as a senior leader to instil his values in every one of his officers.
Kevin was extremely proud of his achievements as a detective and to this end formed Essex Police’s first Crime Academy, to not only support those undertaking their tough National Investigation Exams but to drive up investigative excellence amongst the force’s many talented detectives
Our covert firearms officers executed a safe and controlled vehicle stop to detain several suspects following a knifepoint robbery.
The vehicle was linked to the incident, reportedly involving a machete, in the Greenwich area of London last month.
Working closely with Met Police colleagues, the vehicle was traced entering the county of Essex before travelling along the A127 towards Basildon.
It was closely followed by several teams, including our covert officers and the National Police Air Service helicopter.
Four suspects were detained without the need for a pursuit or any further risk to the public.
 Carly Hicks
Warm tributes have been paid to a “wonderful” mother-of-two after a fatal collision in Southend.
Carly Hicks, 37, from Shoeburyness, sadly died in hospital after a single-vehicle collision in Royal Artillery Way shortly before 11.30pm on Tuesday 20 May.
Her family said:
“We have been left heartbroken after our beautiful Carly lost her life.
“She leaves behind two devastated children, whose lives will never be the same.
“Her loss leaves a huge hole in our family which can never be filled.
“Carly was a wonderful mum with a great sense of humour. She had a loving, caring personality and brought a lot of love and joy to her family and friends.”
 Let's talk
Upcoming community police events
Thursday 19 June 11am to 12pm
Waitrose, Fossetts Way, Southend
Saturday 21 June 12pm to 3pm
Summer Fayre at St Saviours Church, Kings Road, Chalkwell
Friday 27 June 3.15pm to 5.15pm
Summer Fayre at Edwards Hall School, Macmurdo Road, Eastwood
 Crime prevention advice
Warmer weather means more people cycling
Some simple ways to help protect your ride:
- Lock through the frame and both wheels
- Register your bike online
- Try to park in busy, well-lit areas
These tips can help make things harder for opportunistic thieves and support us in recovering bikes if they do go missing.
Be fraud smart
Stay safe don’t get ghosted
Beware of Ghost Brokers!
Criminals who pose as insurance middlemen, claiming they can get you super-cheap car insurance.
Be cautious of ads on:
- Local community social media groups
- Newsagents & garages
- Dealerships & repair shops
Always check if a broker is legit via the Financial Conduct Authority or British Insurance Brokers’ Association websites.
 A car has appeared outside my house and it looks abandoned, what action should I take?
You should first make enquiries with your neighbours, in order to ascertain any information regarding the owner of the vehicle.
If this proves unsuccessful and you believe the vehicle is abandoned, you can report the vehicle to the local council via the link below:
Abandoned vehicles – Southend-on-Sea City Council
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