Hillside Gardens Distraction Burglary

Crimestoppers is offering a £1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and charge of four burglars responsible for a string of offences around the East Surrey area, including Brockham where a 92 year old woman living in Hillside Gardens was targeted.

On Friday, 6 January between 7:30 and 7:50 pm, four males gained entry to her home in Hillside Gardens, Brockham. They told her that they were neighbours and were worried about a suspicious noise in her garden.

They then tried to get her to walk to the kitchen with them so they could take her handbag. She became suspicious as all her neighbours know she is disabled and unable to walk.

At this point the burglars snatched her handbag and ran off. The woman contacted neighbours, but by the time the police arrived the suspects were all gone.

The only description the woman was able to give was that they were four white males aged between 30 and 40, all wearing hats.

In total there were six incidents on Friday night (6 January 2006) between around 5:30pm and 9pm which police believe are connected. Most were ‘distraction’ type offences and occurred in the Redhill, Brockham, Dorking and Bookham areas.

DS Kevin Dunne, who heads the East Surrey Burglary Team, said:
“ We are doing everything we can to combat these kinds of offences but we need all the help we can from members of the public to bring these cowardly offenders to justice. I would urge anyone who thinks they saw anything suspicious around the areas where these burglaries took place to please come forward with any information they might have.

“I would also like to appeal to the consciences of anyone who knows someone who carries out this type of burglary to pass on what information they have either to Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222 or anonymously to Crimestoppers 0800 555 111. A person who is prepared to deliberately target such vulnerable members of the community is simply not worth protecting.”

Crimestoppers quote

This is linked to another offence on Overdale in Dorking at around 8pm when a male walked into the living room of 95 year old woman. He told the victim that he had just been burgled and that he needed to check to see if her money was missing. She took the male upstairs, where it was evident that her rooms had been searched. They returned downstairs and the offender walked straight out of the front door. Her purse was found to be missing from her handbag which was in the living room.

The offender was described as a white male, 5’8” tall, slim build and was wearing dark clothing and a blue and white woolly hat with horizontal stripes.

These two crimes are believed to connect to another four incidents that occurred that evening.

On Northmead Road, in Redhill, offenders entered the property of a 77 year old woman between 5.30-7.30pm and stole a purse and money from her bedroom while she was sat in the lounge.

On Colesmead Road in Redhill at 6.35pm a 68 year old woman was at home watching television when she was disturbed by her dog barking up the stairs. The victim went to investigate and disturbed three males who were searching her rooms. They made off after they were challenged by the victim. A hand bag was found to be missing.

The offenders were described as three white males in their late teens. One of the suspects had black collar length hair and another was wearing a woollen hat.

On Monson Road in Redhill between 5.45-7.15pm offenders forced entry through a window into the house of an 85 year old woman while she was asleep in the living room. The offenders stole two purses and a handbag before making off.

At 8.50pm on Proctor Gardens in Bookham an 85 year old woman let a man into her house after telling her he’d heard banging coming from inside the house. While the suspect was talking to the victim a second man forced entry through a back door. Both men then made off. Nothing other than a box of chocolates is believed to have been stolen.

One of the suspects was described as a white male, in his mid twenties, 5’10” tall and was of a slim build. The second suspect was also white, 5’10” tall, broad build and a round chubby face. Both men were wearing dark anoraks and black woolly hats.

Anyone who has any information about these or any other distraction burglaries in the East Surrey area should contact the East Surrey Burglary Team at Caterham Police Station on 0845 125 22222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Scrap dealers

There are still vans and Lorries going around looking for scrap in the rural areas. It is advisable to note down a description of people and vehicles including registration numbers and contact Surrey Police.

Thefts from stables

At Wayside Manor Norwood Hill on the Friday 2nd to Saturday 3rd September some one has driven into the yard and has stolen 4 sets of stable doors and several items of riding equipment. With a combined value of some £700 including the damage done

At Craiglea Barn in Newdigate some one has gone to a secluded site and approaching the farm yard stolen a 12ft galvanised gate with a value of £80

Burglaries in Leigh

There were 2 burglaries in Clayhill Road Leigh over the last couple of weeks.

A pedal cycle was stolen from Brook Farm on Thursday 10th November and the offender was seen riding away on it.

Several items have been stolen and damaged caused to the premises at Oak Farm on Tuesday 15th November.

A theft of tiles took place between Thursday 17th and Friday 18th November at Gosterwood Manor in Forest Green. The offenders went back on Friday evening to steal a caravan but were disturbed by the owner and left the scene in what is believed to be a red Toyota Celica.

A blue Leyland flatbed lorry index D34 BAY was seized by Police in a nearby field. It is believed that this was to be used to transfer the caravan to the intended destination.

The offenders are described as two males wearing three quarter length parker jackets.

Thank you.

PC 3480 Michelino Vaccaro
PC 2303 Dominic Loraine

MORE ABOUT YOUR SPECIALIST OFFICERS

PC2303 Dominic Loraine pages at Surrey Police, for Dorking Rural North

http://www.surrey.police.uk/borough_nso.asp?nsoid=2303

PC3480 Michelino Vaccaro pages at Surrey Police, for Dorking South

http://www.surrey.police.uk/borough_nso.asp?nsoid=3480

PC3135 Martyn Savage pages at Surrey Police, for Rural Affairs

http://www.surrey.police.uk/borough_nso.asp?nsoid=3135

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