News 29 December to 4 January
 Essex murder investigation to feature in Channel 4 prime time documentary
An Essex Police murder investigation, which included the search to find the body of a missing father in a landfill site, features in a new Channel 4 documentary this week.
Catching A Killer: Buried Truths focuses on the complex investigation into the death of Cumali Turhan in Chelmsford in November 2024.
It started with a concerned call after 45-year-old Cumali failed to show up to work and quickly escalated into a complex no body murder investigation.
The prime-time documentary, produced by Candour, will air on Tuesday 6 January and will feature senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe and Police Sergeant Simon Gray, who led the meticulous 47-day search to find Cumali.
This search is believed to be the first time an active police search of a landfill site in the UK has recovered a body.
The entire search involved more than 1650 officer shifts searching in 10 separate locations.
 Marine Unit at Maldon Little Ships row race
The Marine Unit attended the annual Maldon Little Ships row race on Saturday 3 January 2026.
Despite the freezing temperatures and the biting winds, hundreds of people turned out to participate in the races (some dressed in fancy dress) to raise money for the RNLI.
Keeping people safe on the water and along our coastline continues throughout the year, not just during the warmer months.
Photo credit kebspictures: Facebook Instagram Threads
A man has been arrested and is in custody in connection with homes being broken into in Hatfield Peverel.
We’d been called to reports of a man with a dog in a garden of an address in Prospect Close at around 4.05pm on New Year’s Day.
When officers attended and carried out enquiries in the area they located the man and also established that a number of properties had been broken into.
A 44 year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary.
An officer also reported being bitten by a dog and the man has also been arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.
 Teenage Kicks: Legendary band’s uplifting message for Saffron Walden footballers
Two of our dedicated neighbourhood policing officers have received a boost after launching Teenage Kicks, an inspiring new initiative in Saffron Walden.
Earlier this season PC Ryan McNamara and PC Glenn Braden brought together a group of young people from the local community to play football.
And just before Christmas, the players got a special message from legendary punk rockers the Undertones, the band behind the iconic track Teenage Kicks.
In the video, the band praised the young footballers for taking part and our officers for encouraging them to play. Initially, Ryan and Glenn hoped Teenage Kicks would attract six to eight participants. Instead, they’ve seen a consistent turnout of between 12 and 14 players every week.
The response from parents and players has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the real impact of community engagement.
Basildon: Quick responding officers secure burglary charge
Quick responding officers in Basildon have secured a burglary charge against a man after a break-in at an address in the town.
We had been called to Gordon Road shortly after 4.25am on Monday 29 December and officers were on scene within seven minutes.
Someone had attempted to steal copper piping and a water tank.
Thirty-two year-old Ben Clarke, of Gordon Road, Basildon, was arrested and has since been charged with burglary.
He appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court the following day and is next due to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on 12 January.
 Hanningfield: Aircraft incident
Continuing work at Hanningfield Reservoir following an airplane crash has resulted in the recovery of a body.
We have been working with colleagues in the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) to locate an aircraft that entered the water on Sunday 28 December.
The private aircraft, a Beagle B121 Pup, departed North Weald Airfield just before 12pm that day. It crashed in the reservoir, near Chelmsford, at around 2pm.
The crash site has been located following extensive work and sadly, on the afternoon of Tuesday 30 December, a man’s body was recovered by divers.
An identification procedure will be led by His Majesty’s Coroner.
The investigation has not identified any suspicious circumstances and a file is being prepared for the coroner.
Essex Police strike against organised drug gangs with 460 arrests this year
A drug line run by three brothers which saw cocaine trafficked from the Midlands to the streets of Essex has been dismantled following a “careful, complex investigation” – marking one of hundreds of successes in 2025 against organised drug gangs.
This case is just one example of the tireless work carried out by our Serious Violence Unit throughout 2025.
Key results for 2025:
- 460+ arrests
- 340+ suspects charged and remanded
- 220+ drug lines dismantled
- 30+ kilograms of drugs seized
- 130+ weapons recovered
- £360,000+ in criminal cash confiscated
- 50+ evidence packages prepared by our Orochi teams for enforcement.
- 190+ vulnerable adults and young people safeguarded
- 80+ referrals to partner services for support
 New Year Honours: Recognition for Specials coordinator and PFCC
Specials coordinator Les Hawkins and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst have been recognised in the King’s New Year Honours list.
Les Hawkins becomes a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for services to policing and to the community in Essex.
Roger Hirst has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to policing and community safety.
 Checks to ensure delivery drivers are working safely and within the law
Working with partners, our officers were making checks on delivery drivers across our county at the weekend to ensure they are working safely and within the law.
Officers were checking for insurance, driving licences and other documents but they also made several arrests for drugs offences.
We want to safeguard people who are being exploited by criminals while also targeting the perpetrators of organised immigration crime.
Altogether, 180 vehicles were stopped and checked during the two days in Basildon, Braintree, Clacton, Colchester and Southend.
And 14 people were arrested – including seven arrests on suspicion of driving while under the influence of cocaine or cannabis and five for breaching immigration rules.
Another 35 people were reported for driving offences and 26 vehicles were seized because they weren’t insured or the driver didn’t have the correct licence.
One vehicle prohibition notice was also issued because officers found it had such serious safety defects it was unfit to drive.
 Chelmsford: Kilo of ketamine seized following a routine car stop
Officers patrolling the Chelmsford district stopped a black Jaguar car in Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, shortly before 9pm on Saturday 27 December.
A search of the car located a large bag of white powder hidden inside a carrier bag in the passenger footwell.
Two men from Greater London, aged 23 and 29, have been arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply (Class A) and possession of drugs: they remain in custody.
The 29-year-old has also been arrested on suspicion of driving with excess drugs.
 Let's talk
Upcoming community police events across Essex this week
Monday 5 January
10am to 11am
Poundland, 43-45 Pier Avenue, Clacton-on-Sea. CO15 1QE
11am to 1pm
Wickes Chelmsford, Waterhouse Business Centre, 1 Baynes Place, Waterhouse Lane, Chelmsford, CM1 2QX
11am to 12pm
Touch Point, Stansted
12pm to 1pm
Pam's Place, Thaxted
3pm to 4pm
Outside Knightswick Centre, Furtherwick Road, Canvey Island
4pm to 5pm
Sainsbury's, Samson's Road, Brightlingsea, CO7 0RN
Tuesday 6 January
10am to 11am
Basildon Sporting Village, Cranes Farm Road, Basildon
10am to 11am
Memorial Hall, Elsenham
10am to 11am
Coffee Pot, Little Canfield
10.30am to 11.30am
The Megacentre, Brook Road, Rayleigh, SS6 7UT
12pm to 2pm
Asda Rayleigh, Rawreth Lane, Rayleigh, SS6 9RN
3pm to 4pm
Galleywood Library, Watchouse Road, Chelmsford
3pm to 4pm
Outside the Library, London Road, South Benfleet
Wednesday 7 January
10am to 2pm
Safe to go Stow hub, 28 The Stow, Harlow
10am to 11am
Manningtree Library, High Street, Manningtree, CO11 1AD
11am to 12pm
Oak Tree Coffee House, 4 Highwoods Square, Colchester
3pm to 4.30pm
Chigwell Library, Hainault Road, Chigwell, IG7 6QX
Thursday 8 January
10am to 12pm
Franks Cafe, Turkey Cock Lane, Stanway
10am to 11am
CVST, Harwich Hub, 276 High Street, Dovercourt, CO12 3PD
10:25am to 11:30am
Greggs , Culver Square, Colchester
11am to 12.30pm
Buckhurst Hill Library, 165 Queen's Road, Buckhurst Hill, IG9 5AZ
For full details of upcoming events, please visit the Essex Police website and enter your postcode.
 Crime prevention advice
Stay safe this winter
Winter running can be refreshing, but it's important to stay safe. Wear bright, reflective clothing so you are visible to others, especially in low light conditions.
Be fraud smart
Scammers are experts in what they do, help stop them by learning about the different tactics they use.
Friends Against Scams is a quick online learning programme that can help you understand the different types of scams there are, how to spot them and how to support anyone you know who may have been a victim.
 Join our team
Police staff jobs
Head of Fleet £77,346 to £87,213
Contact Centre Officers £27,204 to £29,859
Detention Officers £32,644 to £35,830
Visit our website for full advert, job descriptions and application form.
 This week we remember
 Leslie Bloom
Leslie Bloom spent all his police service at Colchester, where he qualified as a class one driver and is remembered for his great interest in traffic and road safety. In the early hours of a January morning, Leslie Bloom was riding his motor cycle along Greenstead Road in Colchester on his way to work for an early turn shift, when he hit the back of a parked transit van. He died from his injuries shortly afterwards.
Read more about other Essex officers on the Essex Police Memorial Trust website.
 Obituaries
Percival Jones
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague Pervical Jones who retired as a constable in 2006 and served at Tilbury, Grays and Thurrock.
He passed away on 4 December 2025 aged 82 years.
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