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Bulletin 6 March 13th – March 25th 2025
Secure your number plates and protect yourself against identity theft.
You may not think that a car's number plate would be an item that would be worth stealing, but to many thieves it’s an easy way of avoiding detection, fines and generally assist them in committing more often serious crimes, all while under the guise of being you.
Being a victim of number plate theft is not a trivial matter and you need to report it.
A car number plate is unique, and is linked to the registered keeper of the vehicle. If your plates are stolen and used, thieves are stealing your identity.
To avoid becoming a victim of number plate theft, we recommend taking the following actions: - Park in a well-lit area and use car parks that are accredited to the Secure Car Park Scheme. - Fit non-returnable screws to your number plate, or another fixing device such as an epoxy adhesive. These are available from car parts supply shops and some DIY stores. - Purchase theft resistant number plates from a reputable dealer and ensure they adhere to British Standard BSAU 145d. - While most people use sticky black plastic adhesive, anti-theft screws and anti-theft bolts are much more effective method of reducing the risk of having number plates stolen.
Inspector Lyndsey Whatley Tandridge Safer Neighbourhood Inspector
CRIME REPORTS IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
Members of an organised crime group jailed for a series of burglaries, a vicious assault and stealing high-value cars worth more than £215,000 in Surrey and surrounding areas have their sentences increased. Two of the five men sentenced for their involvement have had their sentences increased to more than 13 years in prison, with an additional man having his prison time rise to more than eight years. After appearing at the Court of Appeal on Thursday, March 13, the trio’s sentences for robbery were increased after being deemed "unduly lenient". Five men were initially sentenced to a combined total of 27 and half years following a trial at Guildford Crown Court on December 9th 2024. Between June and August 2023, homes were burgled in areas including Epsom and Walton On Thames in Surrey and Croydon and Chessington in Greater London. Members of the group burgled multiple homes and were also linked to other offences such as keyless car thefts, in which vehicles were taken close to the owners’ house to be unlocked, before being stolen. The group would locate a vehicle to target, and either steal the keys, or use illegal devices to gain keyless entry. Following this, they would drive the vehicle a short distance before parking and leaving it to determine whether tracking devices had been activated. During this, the group would identify similar vehicles which had been insured, and attempt to stop the vehicle from being detected by creating illegal fake number plates and fitting them to the stolen cars. The five men were caught after police identified these residential burglaries could be connected with a distinctive Audi A8 - one of just 15 in the country. The Audi was seen at a petrol station with a number plate which had not been fitted properly and didn’t match with its genuine details. Soon after, a second car suspected of being linked to the crimes was identified. After amounting a significant body of evidence, on August 29, 2023, police apprehended two of the men outside a shop in East Grinstead. One made a failed attempted to evade officers; who later found a keyless car theft device that he had tried to discard inside the shop. The investigation used a variety of tactics including identifying cloned number plates, tracking vehicles through ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) and matching the suspects’ descriptions and clothing to CCTV footage.
Our Neighbourhood Patrol Team and Safer Neighbourhood Team deal with a variety of incidents. Here are a few they dealt with since the last Bulletin.
There were 36 Arrests in the period March 10th to March 23rd 2025 : Domestic Abuse / Violent Domestic Abuse 16 , Prescribed Limit Offence 3 , Public Order 2 , Child at Risk 3 , Violent Crime other 4, Sexual Offence 1 , Harassment 1 , Assault 1, Drug Related 1, Criminal Damage 1, Hate/Diversity Incident 2, Crime other 1 .
If your area is NOT referred to below it is because we have not been informed of the crime or it has not been affected by reported crime in the categories below. Feedback from you will help to achieve the most appropriate circulation of information.
DORMANSLAND, COPTHORNE AND NEWCHAPEL
Burglary Residential including sheds and garages
Brickhouse Lane, Newchapel. Between March 20th and 24th the bolt on a shed door was unscrewed and a black Cross 15 gear road bike was stolen (PR45250034922).
Theft
Eastbourne Road, Newchapel. Overnight March 19th to 20th the bonnet of a farm vehicle was stolen and a failed attempt to start it was made (PR45250033008).
Vehicle Crime
Copthorne Bank, Copthorne – Theft. Overnight March 13th to 14th a white Toyota Hilux Invicible X D-4DW index DIG414 (PR45250030250).
Station Road, Dormansland – Theft. Between March 21st and 24th index plates CE58BSX were stolen from a car (PR45250035183).
SOUTH GODSTONE, BLETCHINGLEY, NUTFIELD AND SOUTH NUTFIELD
Burglary Residential including sheds and garages Eastbourne Road, South Godstone. Between 20.00 and 21.00 March the victim heard banging at the door and saw torches. The door was forced open and two males who purported to be police and held him by the wrist. It appeared a brief untidy search had taken place but nothing was stolen (PR45250033054).
Burglary Business and Community
Crab Hill Lane, South Nutfield. Between 20.57 and 21.11 March 16th CCTV captured three males who had broken into a workshop through the roof and a number of tools were stolen (PR45250031624).
Clare Cottages, Bletchingley. Between 01.00 and 02.00 March 19th a shed was broken into and a Mekk 2gpoggio 2p carbon fibre black and white and lime green road bike was stolen(PR45250032753). An attempt was also made to break into a neighbouring shed and the lock was damaged (PR45250032830).
Theft
Church Lane, Bletchingley . Between 09.30 and 11.00 March18th a BMW G310R motorcycle index HL19YTC was stolen (PR45250032231).
Sandy Lane, South Nutfield.Between March 16th and 20th the lock on a secure storage unit was ripped off and three Big Green Egg BBQ’s were stolen (PR45250033174).
Mid Street, Nutfield. Between March 17th and 19th swings were unbolted and stolen from a village playground (PR45250034737).
Vehicle Crime
Tylers Close, Godstone – Theft. Between March 12th and 14th a greyish green Peugeot Estate index KY57AHA was stolen (PR45250030699).
OXTED AND LIMPSFIELD
Burglary Residential including sheds and garages
High Street, Limpsfield. Between 12.45 and 17.00 March 17th a ground floor flat was entered by unknown means and jewellery and cash stolen after a tidy search (PR45250032402).
Theft Home Park, Oxted. Overnight March 12th to 13th a mini digger and 12” stone grinder were stolen from a building site (PR45250029818).
Vehicle Crime
East Hill, Oxted – Theft. Between 07.45 and 23.00 March 13th a black Land rover Discovery index OU16WFN was stolen (PR45250020181).
The Greenway, Oxted – Keyless Theft. Between 97.45 and 19.50 March 14th a silver Ford Transit Panel van index BU63XNR was stolen (PR45250030805).
CATERHAM AND WHYTLELEAFE
Burglary Residential including sheds and garages Station Road, Whyteleafe. Around 07.30 March 16th the victim surprised a male who was searching her flat. He was described as white, 5’ 7” tall, skinny, medium build, blonde hair, blueish eyes, no facial hair, wearing all black with a balaclava rolled up. He was carrying a black bag and threatened the victim with a knife and also threw a plant pot at her which hit her hand and caused a cut to her palm. He escaped through a window after the victim retreated and locked the door to the room from the outside (PR45250031516). Highwoods , Caterham. Between 08.00 March 20th and 08.25 March 21st suspects climbed onto the window sill and then on to the conservatory roof to gain access through an en suite window. An untidy search took place and a gold curb chain bracelet and cash were stolen (PR45250033424). Vehicle Crime Hornchurch Hill, Whyteleafe – Theft. Between 09.00 and 13.00 March 12th laptops and diagnostic equipment was stolen from a van (PR45250029908). Then overnight March 15th to 16th unknown persons gained entry to a car and stole a pair of Raban sun glasses and a gold antique bracelet from the glove compartment (PR45250031202). Godstone Road, Whyteleafe – Keyless Theft. Overnight March 13th to 14th a navy blue Ford Transit tipper index TR55ART was stolen (PR45250030684). Godstone Road, Whyteleafe – Keyless Theft. Between 13.30 and 16.30 March 26th a grey Mazda DS7 index FL19DND was stolen (PR45250036028).
.WARLINGHAM
Burglary Residential including sheds and garages Limpsfield Road, Warlingham. Around 20.00 March 14th three suspects smashed the window in a rear patio door to gain access to a house after breaking through the fence of in a neighbouring garden. The occupier confronted the three suspects after hearing a noise who were all wearing black clothing, balaclavas and gloves and one appeared to be holding a knife approximately 6 to 7 inches long. An untidy search had been conducted but nothing appears to have been stolen. The suspects were driving a black Mini Cooper on false index plates (PR45250030158).
Westhall Road, Warlingham. Between March 20th and 22nd two bags containing cash and personal items were stolen from a flat within an apartment block. Method of entry believed to be through the front door that was unlocked (PR45250034457).
Vehicle Crime
Harrow Road, Warlingham – Theft. Between March 10th and 14th index plates MW63WEH were stolen from a car (PR45250030370).
Boxwood Way, Warlingham – Theft. Between 18.00 and 20,00 March 15th the side door of a van was pulled open and deadlocks drilled out prior to tools being stolen (PR45250031315).
Limpsfield Road, Warlingham – Criminal Damage. Between March 14th and 16th a 2” diameter hole was cut in the rear door of a van but nothing was stolen (PR45250031784).
Theft
Farleigh Road, Warlingham. Overnight March 19th to 20th a yellow Thwaites dumper truck Fleet Number 22300 was stolen from a building site (PR45250032950).
If you have to contact us about a non urgent matter or to provide information on non-urgent suspicious matters or unusual behaviour you have observed which may be useful intelligence for us at a future date please email Tandridge Safer Neighbourhood Team: tandridge@surrey.police.uk
We have a portal for circumstances where no crime has been reported, but the suspicious behaviour could potentially be related to a burglary, theft of a vehicle, or catalytic converter, for example. We have a different unique link we provide to victims and witnesses when a burglary has occurred. To find out more about the portal and submit your footage visit this link: https://surrey.police.uk/suspiciousactivityportal
How to contact us with information when we issue Witness Appeals or Appeals for information
Any recipient of Neighbourhood Alert is free to copy our Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter to any other interested party who can also register to receive the bulletin at: https://neighbourhoodalert.co.uk
You can read past editions on the Tandridge Neighbourhood Watch website www.tandridgenhw.org if you click on the tab headed Police Tandridge Beat Facebook Page Just a gentle reminder that our Safer Neighbourhood Team mail box, Facebook and X account are not monitored 24/7. To report incidents please call 101 or in an emergency 999.
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