In the know

PC Straughair, PC Ellison-Davis, PC Kalyan, response officers from both Spelthorne and Runnymede joined Youth Engagement Officer PC Watkins for a fun filled visit to the wonderful Beavers of Virginia Water this week.

Elmbridge Safer Neighbourhood Team have been made aware of two incidents involving a male posing as a tradesperson or council worker in order to gain access to the homes of residents in The Dittons. These incidents both happened during the day on the 12th and 13th January 2025. In one incident, money was stolen from an address in St Chad's Close, Long Ditton on 12th January 2025 by a male posing as a tradesperson from the Water Board. Both incidents remain under investigation. Please be wary of allowing any stranger into your home if you are not expecting them, and be sure to check ID badges prior to entry. You can also check their identity by contacting the agency they state they are from.

A former school business manager who stole hundreds of thousands of pounds was ordered to repay £380,000 back to the school when she appeared at a confiscation hearing at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday (14 January). Debra Poole, 63, was sentenced to six and a half years’ imprisonment after she was found guilty of one count of fraud by abuse of position and three counts of fraud by false representation following a trial at Kingston Crown Court in March 2023. Ms Poole was the School Business Manager for Hinchley Wood Primary School in Esher and was in charge of the school bank accounts at the time the offences were committed. During her trial, the court heard how she abused her position as signatory of the wraparound care club’s bank account between 14 October 2011 and 10 October 2018 by transferring funds, writing out cheques to herself and then cashing the cheques. This amounted to a total of over £490K over the seven-year period. In February 2009, Poole, who also oversaw the documentation used for changes to staff pay, submitted a Variation in Pay Form to Surrey County Council payroll team, in which she increased her pay scale from level E to F. Two years later, in November 2011, Poole submitted further paperwork increasing her pay scale from level SP9 to SP10. Detective Inspector Charley Bryant from the Economic Crime Unit, said: “The outcome following the confiscation hearing today demonstrates that we will go after people who have benefited from the proceeds of crime and ensure that they do not continue to do so. “The fact that we have pursued this to a confiscation hearing should also be a deterrent to anyone else thinking of committing similar offences that it is simply not worth the risk – not only could you end up in prison, you could also have everything taken away from you as well.”

Stolen number plates can be used for various offences by criminals. These can include things like fuel theft, traffic violations or using them for ‘getaway’ cars. A quick and simple tip is to use security screws on your plates to make it that much harder for thieves to steal. If your number plates are stolen, please make sure to report it to us as soon as possible so that any future offences are not linked back to you. Find out more on how to keep your vehicle safe at Preventing car and vehicle theft | Crime Prevention | Surrey Police

If your car has keyless entry or keyless start functions it can leave you vulnerable to vehicle thieves who use relay devices to hack into and steal keyless cars. 

Below are some of our top tips for securing your vehicle from keyless car theft: 

Always leave your car locked and secure. 

Store keys away from windows and doors. As a rule, if thieves can see keys through a window or letterbox, they can steal them. 

Store all key fobs in signal blocking pouches, such as Faraday bags, whenever they aren’t in use. Remember to regularly test that they work, as over time the pouches can become less effective. 

Immobilisers can be a deterrent for thieves – use a good quality steering wheel lock or speak to your car’s manufacturer to discuss more options.

Laura O’Hagan recently joined Surrey Police with her attestation taking place last week. Laura will be one of 12 new officers on the DCEP (Detective Constable Entry Programme). Before joining Surrey Police, Laura was working in the TV industry as a producer/director on shows for the BBC, Netflix and ITV to name a few. On making the move to Surrey Police, Laura said: “The more I looked at the skillset of a detective, the more I started to think ‘this is the job for me’. My skills from working in TV are very transferable and I felt these could be a real asset to Surrey Police. Instead of making a TV show, I’d be using my skills to be part of a team that gets justice for victims and help make communities safer. The job satisfaction must be immense, and I’m excited to get started”.