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Officers were called to Bell Farm Way, Hersham on 21 July following reports of a person armed with a weapon at the location. Due to mention of a weapon, armed officers were among those dispatched to the scene, and road closures were put in place along Bell Farm Way. Officers were on scene within eight minutes of the 999 call, and two 18-year-old men were detained and arrested at the scene for possession of an offensive weapon. They are both currently in police custody. Three Rivers Academy instigated a temporary lockdown procedure as a precaution to safeguard staff and students while officers carried out their initial enquiries. This has now been lifted and students allowed to go home. We are aware that Bell Farm Primary School and Toad Hall Nursery also placed themselves into lockdown after communication with Three Rivers Academy. Three Rivers Primary School and Toad Hall Nursery also implemented their own safeguarding procedures in response to hearing about the nearby incident. Elmbridge Borough Commander Inspector Chris Thoday said: “We take any report of this nature extremely seriously and had officers at the scene within minutes. “The school and other education facilities nearby also quickly instigated their well-prepared safeguarding plans to ensure the safety of pupils and staff. “We fully understand how concerning incidents like this are for our community and our investigation into the circumstances continues".

A 35-year-old man, Milad Ghafari, has been charged with murder following the death of a woman in Ashford last year. At 1.15pm on Thursday, 16 January 2025, officers were called to an address on Woodthorpe Road following a report of a concern for safety at the location. A woman in her 20s and a young child were found at the address with very serious injuries. Sadly, despite the best efforts of officers and paramedics the woman, 27-year-old Laleh Zarejouneghani, was pronounced dead at the scene. The child was taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged. Ghafari, (26/08/1990), who has joint British and Iranian nationality and was known to the victims, was initially arrested on 16 January 2025. He has now been charged with murder, attempted murder, and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. He is appearing at Guildford Magistrates Court on 23 July.

40-year-old Luke Ingram is currently serving seven years and five months in prison for his role in running a drugs factory out of storage containers. On Tuesday, 29 July 2025, officers carried out a warrant at a site just outside Horley. They found evidence of a sophisticated cannabis factory, including machinery to help harvest the plants on a substantial scale. Most of the plants had already been harvested, but a large quantity of cannabis was found in a fridge within the warehouse. Officers saw a man on a phone fleeing the site as they arrived, pushing through brambles and bushes to make good his escape. Subsequent phone data showed Ingram’s phone travelling from the site at that time. Intrepid police dog Jilly tracked the escapee’s scent through the undergrowth and encountered a dropped pair of keys. These opened the door to 2.2kg of cocaine in a container inside the warehouse, alongside evidence that it was being divided up for onward distribution. The site was leased to Ingram, supposedly to house supplies for a legitimate landscaping business. He was nowhere to be found, and officers soon learned he was intent on leaving the country as soon as possible. Three days later, officers intercepted Ingram just after sunrise at Gatwick Airport in line to board a 5.45am flight to Nice. He was arrested for being concerned in the supply Class A and B drugs and being concerned in production of cannabis. Rather than checking into his seat on a plane, he was instead booked into a police custody cell. Ingram was in possession of a new phone and a new number, which included messages where he talked about going away and needing more lives or a miracle. He was also sporting cuts, scratches, and bruises when detained, consistent with fleeing through woodland at speed. Ingram (30/07/1985), of Reigate, was sentenced at Chichester Crown Court on Tuesday, 16 June, after pleading guilty to playing a leading role in a large-scale drugs operation. Investigating officer, DC Ellie Blackford, said, “Ingram said in a text to a friend that he needed ‘a miracle’ to be able to get out of the country last August. Unfortunately for him we were fresh out of miracles, and he has now been grounded. “Drug dealing is far from a victimless crime, and we are committed to robustly tackling the production and supply of illegal drugs in Surrey and bringing those responsible before the courts.” 

A car thief has been sentenced after crashing a stolen Mercedes while attempting to evade police, with the investigation that followed linking him to further vehicle theft offences across Surrey and neighbouring counties. Officers were patrolling the roads of Esher in the early hours of 2 April this year when they spotted a Mercedes GLE travelling along Portsmouth Road. When they signalled for the vehicle to stop, the driver ignored them and accelerated away instead. The pursuit was short-lived. Failing to negotiate a bend, the Mercedes left the road, crashed through a hedge and came to a halt in the driveway of a residential property, causing significant damage to both the vehicle and the property. The driver, Lukas Arsulis, 30 (DOB: 19/10/1995), from Romford, abandoned the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. Officers quickly gave chase and detained him a short distance away. A search of Arsulis' belongings uncovered a small black Stanley knife, black tape, gloves and a car key. While these items immediately raised officers' suspicions, further enquiries soon revealed an even bigger picture. Checks confirmed the Mercedes GLE, valued at around £90,000, had been stolen just moments before. What initially appeared to be a dangerous driving arrest quickly developed into a wider investigation into vehicle theft. Further enquiries and analysis of evidence linked Arsulis to a number of recent vehicle thefts across Surrey, helping officers establish the full extent of his offending. Following the theft of a Mercedes GLC from an address in Bisley in late March, officers reviewed CCTV footage showing a man carrying a distinctive bag approaching the vehicle before gaining access and driving away. The male shown on the footage bore a strong resemblance to Arsulis. When officers later searched Arsulis' home, they recovered the same bag seen in the CCTV footage, along with further items commonly associated with vehicle theft, including false registration plates, specialist tools and multiple mobile phones. The evidence gathered throughout the investigation—including CCTV, digital evidence and items seized during the search—helped build a compelling case against Arsulis. Appearing at Guildford Crown Court on Wednesday 15 July, Arsulis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal motor vehicles, dangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, driving without insurance, possession of a bladed article and criminal damage. He was sentenced to four years and six months' imprisonment. PC Duncan Mackenzie who led the investigation said: "What began as officers stopping a vehicle quickly exposed a much wider picture of organised vehicle theft."The quick actions of the officers who pursued and arrested Arsulis gave us the opportunity to build a strong investigation. Through CCTV enquiries, phone analysis and the evidence recovered during searches, we were able to demonstrate his involvement in multiple offences and secure this sentence. "Vehicle theft has a significant impact on victims, leaving many without transport and facing considerable financial and emotional stress. We hope this sentence reassures our communities that we will continue to pursue those responsible, disrupt their offending and bring them before the courts." 

We've recently received reports of cash machines in the Elmbridge area being tampered with, and we'd like to remind everyone to stay alert when withdrawing cash. Here are a few simple steps to help keep your money and personal information safe:

- Take a quick look at the cash machine before you use it. If anything doesn't look or feel quite right, don't use it.

- Always cover the keypad with your hand when entering your PIN.

- If the machine isn't working as expected or behaves unusually, cancel the transaction and use a different ATM.

- Keep your card with you at all times and never let anyone distract you while using the machine.

- Regularly check your bank account for any unexpected transactions and report anything suspicious to your bank immediately.

If you notice anything unusual about a cash machine, please report it to the bank that operates it and let us know by calling 101, or 999 if a crime is in progress.