South Wales Police

POLICE in Cardiff are appealing for information regarding a distraction burglary in Penylan, Cardiff.

The incident happened at the home of an elderly couple in Birchwood Road at approximately 10.45am on Tuesday, May 8.

An 81-year-old woman was at home alone when a man rang her door bell claiming that his niece had thrown a ball into her back garden.

He asked if he could collect it but was refused. The lady then went to her back garden where she met another man who she had not seen before.

He offered to cut her lawn and carry out repairs to her wall which she politely refused.

He left after asking for a glass of water and the woman, suspicious of their behaviour, reported the matter to police.

It was later discovered that several items had been disturbed upstairs and a quantity of cash stolen from her handbag.

The first male is described as white, with bristly ginger-ish hair which was thinning or balding. He is described as a bit plump, of average height, with a possible Irish accent and was aged in his 30s.

The second male is described as white, younger, skinny, of gaunt appearance with neat dark hair. He spoke with an unknown accent and wore blue jeans and a dark long sleeved.

DC Phil Dallyn from Rumney CID said: "These two men have been cruel and cowardly and would appeal for anyone with information to contact us.

"Residents are reminded that although such incidents are rare, they should be suspicious of any unknown callers at the homes and not to allow strangers inside."

A full investigation is on-going and extra patrols are being carried out in the area.

Police are appealing with anyone with information on this incident to contact Rumney CID on 029 2077 4233 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

ADVICE:

Distraction burglars use a variety of tactics to deceive the victim to get into their home to steal valuables. They often claim to be from the water board, electricity company, local council or other organisations and they will try to pressurise or confuse the person who answers the door.
When a stranger calls at your door, follow the Police Doorstep Code:
. When someone unexpectedly calls at your door, take a look out of the window. If you do not recognise them, don't open your door to them.
. Make sure both your front and back doors are locked.
. If you do not have a card, ask them to post their details through your door but do not open your door.
. If you don't know them, ask them to leave.
. If the person refuses to go away, ring South Wales Police immediately on 101 and report it to them. Try to provide a description of the person, vehicle or anything else suspicious.
. Talk to your family and friends about this caller and consider talking to your neighbours about any suspicious activity just in case the same scam is tried on the

POLICE in Cardiff are re-appealing for information regarding a rape in Butetown, Cardiff.

A 43-year-old woman was sexually and physically assaulted in a subway between Lloyd George Avenue and Bute Street as she walked to a friend’s house in Cardiff Bay.

The victim has described to officers how she feared that she was going to be found dead after the ordeal.
CCTV of the suspect is due to be shown on an ITV Crimestoppers appeal this weekend as detectives continue to trace the person responsible.

Detective Inspector Noel Harris said: "This was a terrifying incident for the woman. An incident room has been set up and extensive enquiries have been conducted since the incident occurred at about 6.20am on Sunday, April 22.

“CCTV shows that the suspect walked from the bay area back into the city centre after the assault and then out of the city along North Road speaking to a number of people along the way.”

The suspect is known to asked people for a cigarette and at times appeared to be upset.

DI Harris added “We are particularly keen to trace the driver of a dark coloured VW Polo or Golf who was spoken to by the suspect as he waited at traffic lights at Callaghan Square – perhaps he asked the driver for directions or for a cigarette.

“I am keen for anybody who has spoken to this individual or may know of his identity to contact the police.”

The suspect is described as having tanned skin, of stocky build, with blue eyes and dark hair.

He was wearing a ‘puffa’ jacket which had a fur trim around the hood, is aged in his late 20s or 30s and is described as speaking broken English.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Fairwater CID on 02920 527 248 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

SOUTH Wales Police has launched a murder investigation following the death of a man in the Roath area of Cardiff earlier today.

The incident happened in Claude Road at around 2.45am on Saturday, April 28.

Police wish to trace a man who was seen in nearby Oakfield Street at around the time of the incident.

He is described as white, wearing a light-coloured hooded top and trainers, and was running in the direction of Newport Road.

Officers want to hear from this man or anyone who may have seen him.

They are also appealing for information from anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in Claude Road and Oakfield Street areas on Saturday morning between 1am and 3am.

 A major incident room has been set up at Cardiff Central Police Station and the investigation is being led by Detective Superintendent Stuart McKenzie.

Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact the Incident Room at Cardiff Central Police Station on 02920 571530 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Officers investigating an early morning robbery which occurred on New Road, on January 22nd 2012, have released these CCTV images of the suspect moments before the incident.

At around 5.20am, the 49 year-old victim was walking home after working a night shift at a local factory, when she was confronted by a young male who demanded money.

When she refused, the woman’s pockets were searched by the male, who went on to steel the woman’s phone and some cards.

The incident took place on New Road, at the junction with Gellifaelog Old Road.

The male made-off along New Road in the direction of Esso Garage, where it is believed he came from.

The male is described as being in his late teens, possibly 20. He was approximately 5ft 5, with a thin build and short dark hair. He spoke with a local accent. At the time he was wearing a dark blue short sleeved t-shirt, which had a logo on the chest. He also had a dark hoody which was tied around his head to conceal his identity. Before the incident the hoody was seen to be draped over his shoulders.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Merthyr CID via 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Officers at South Wales Police hope dramatic CCTV footage taken from a Merthyr betting shop which was recently targeted by thieves, will encourage people to come forward with valuable information.

On Monday (April 16), at around 1.45am, a local man called the police when he was awoken by the crash of a vehicle as it reversed through the glass doors of the Coral betting shop, which is in the Market Square area of the Town.

Three males – one equipped with a crowbar - headed for the shop counter. A fourth person remained in the vehicle.

Almost as soon as they arrived at the counter, the three males headed back to the vehicle and drove away from the scene along Victoria Street and into Church Street.

Officers suspect they had lost their nerve after realising they had underestimated the shop’s security. They got away with nothing but caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The vehicle used in the incident, a dark coloured Diahatsu Fourtrak, was recovered – it had been dumped at a nearby location called Kingsley Terrace what police believe to be a short time later.

It is now known the vehicle used was stolen from New Tredegar, Gwent.

Detective Sergeant Roy Portlock, said: “We are appealing to anybody with information about this incident to come forward.

“We are looking for four people, and believe they may well be from the local area.

“We know the vehicle used was stolen from the New Tredegar area so somebody there may have noticed something suspicious.

“Or people may have heard something late that night as they dumped the vehicle to make their escape.

“The CCTV footage captures the whole scenario and it shows just how reckless they were. It was very lucky nobody was seriously hurt.”

Anybody with information is urged to contact Merthyr CID via 101 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Footage of the raid can be seen on youtube at http://bit.ly/HNaxCU

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South Wales Police are appealing for witnesses following a Road Traffic Collision that occurred at approximately 11.40am today (Monday April 16th) at the junction on Heronston Lane and Ewenny Road, Bridgend.

A purple/blue and orange Honda motorcycle was in collision with a white old style Volkswagen camper van.  The 25 year old male rider of the motorcycle sustained fatal injuries.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the collision or who may have seen the manner either vehicle was being driven before the incident.  The rider of the motorcycle was wearing black and red motorcycle leather and a black and white helmet.  It is believed he was travelling from the direction of St Brides Major towards Bridgend.

South Wales Police are appealing for any witnesses to contact them.

The Police would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision or who stopped to provide assistance and who have not yet given their details.

The carriageway was closed for approximately four and a half hours whilst the police conducted initial investigations.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the South Wales Police Roads Policing Unit in Gwaelod y Garth, Cardiff on 02920 633438 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

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POLICE in Cardiff are continuing to investigate three burglaries reported in Roath over the weekend.

Detectives are appealing for witnesses to the break-ins and information on the whereabouts of a number of distinctive items.

Homes in Orbit Street and Bedford Street were broken into on Sunday while a flat in Claude Road was burgled on Saturday morning when the front door was forced open.

It is a believed a pillowcase with a butterfly design was used to steal items, including an Xbox, iPod, and Top Man cardigan, from the ground floor flat in Claude Road.

Also stolen were Rolo, Kit Kat and Little Britain mugs.

The following day two further burglaries were reported in Orbit Street and Bedford Street.

Significant items stolen include:

Lenovo Thinkpad
Sony Vaio laptop
HTC Touch mobile phone
Sony video camera in a grey and black case.
PlayStation 3
Toshiba laptop
Accurist man’s watch
Fuji Fine Pixel camera.
iPod Touch with pink cover
Detective Sergeant Stuart Wales said: “Being a victim of a burglar is a traumatic experience and therefore reducing and detecting these offences is a priority for South Wales Police.

“We are carrying out enquiries into each of these burglaries but would very much appreciate the help of the public.

“People can help by reporting any suspicious behaviour they might have noticed in these streets over the weekend, particularly in Claude Road where we think a decorate pillowcase has been used to steal property.

“We are equally keen to hear from anyone who knows where these stolen items might be. It could be that they have been offered for sale somewhere.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cardiff CID on 02920 527 420 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

South Wales Police is hoping the public can help them identify two males seen in Mountain Ash yesterday (Monday, April 3rd), selling mattresses from a white van.

Officers would like to speak to them in relation to the theft of a significant amount of cash from a nearby house.

At around midday, the 63 year-old victim was walking along Rheola Street when he was approached by two males with a large white van selling mattresses. When he agreed to buy one, he was given help by two males to take it to his home address – a flat in the area.

Once the two males returned to the van and left the scene, the man realised money had been taken from his property.

One of the males was white, with short fair hair and smooth skin. He was between 25 – 30 years of age, approximately 5ft 11, and spoke with a welsh accent. He was wearing casual clothes.

The second male is described as having short, dark hair with a stocky build. He was approximately 5ft 10, and around 30 years-old. He also spoke with a Welsh accent and was wearing casual clothing.

DI Phil Cam said: “We are confident that other people would have been approached that day and can help us identify who these men are. They may have travelled around so we are also looking to speak to people beyond Mountain Ash or Cynon who may have been approached.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Merthyr CID via 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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POLICE in Cardiff are seeking information about burglary that occurred at Russell Street, Roath.

The victim is an elderly gentleman, who has been left very distressed by the break-in which happened overnight between Wednesday March 14 and Thursday, March 15.

A number of items of sentimental value were stolen including the gold wedding ring of his late wife which was engraved with the letters “IP”.

Also stolen were a black Hewlett Packard computer and gold necklaces, including a crucifix necklace and chain with a solid gold heart.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Cardiff CID on 029 2052 7420, Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111 or DC 4657 Miriam Purple on 07584 770609.

Today South Wales Police is launching its Accessibility strategy to outline plans for keeping in touch with and serving the needs of the communities of South Wales in 2012 and beyond.

The strategy is being launched on our website at www.south-wales.police.uk.  This begins a process of consultation during which members of the public will have the opportunity to give us their feedback by clicking the link for the email address:   accessibility@south-wales.pnn.police.uk

You will be aware from previous announcements that we are fundamentally reviewing our service, refocusing our efforts on the front line in order to put our communities at the heart of what we do. However further change is necessary to ensure we can continue to deliver a 21st century police station despite the challenges that we face.   

The Accessibility Strategy is being developed to make sure everyone in South Wales gets the service they need and deserve and to ensure that South Wales Police is the best at understanding and responding to the needs of the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

This strategy includes proposals for a review of provision at all police stations which will soon be made available to the public on the South Wales Police website.   

Outside London the Force has the largest number of police buildings in Wales and England. Many of these are in a poor condition and in the wrong location for the needs of the public. 

How will we improve accessibility in 2012?   

We are committed to helping customers contact us via :

•        Phone.

•        One to one police officer or PCSO contact.

•        In person at police stations across the force.

•        At mobile community access points – travelling around the area, providing access on the doorstep of customers.

•        Improved web access

•        Developing our social networking sites.

•        Letter  

What difference will the public see and how will they benefit?   

Public Service Centre

Our Public Service Centre, launching in Spring 2012, will serve as a ‘one stop shop’ for customers who contact us by phone. Research shows that this is now by far the most popular way to get in touch with us.   

At the PSC staff will try to assist in the resolution of a caller’s problem on the spot. If this is not possible they will have the ability to deploy a police officer immediately, schedule an appointment for a convenient time, or refer it to an officer or member of staff with specific skills in that area, domestic violence or hate crime for instance.

We have invested in new technology that allows the Public Service Centre to track the location of our officers and vehicles and ensure that our service is delivered on time, by the right person with the appropriate skills.   

Front Counter Services at Police Stations

We are committed to providing members of the public with opportunities to talk to officers and staff face to face, providing a safe, private, and pleasant environment to discuss personal or sensitive matters. We have recognised that the number of customers visiting some of our community police stations and front desks is now extremely low.   

As part of our Accessibility Strategy we have looked at how many people use police stations and based on demand we propose enhancing our front counter services at eight key and busy locations across the force. Namely:

Bridgend

Barry

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff Central

Merthyr

Pontypridd

Neath

Swansea Central  

These stations will operate 16 or 24 hour walk-in-service to the public staffed by a station enquiry clerk.  Of course by prior appointment we can see you either at other police stations or via a mobile access point.  

We will also seek to make our service generally more accessible, and hope to achieve this through a combination of fit for purpose buildings and an array of effective alternative methods of accessing our services.

However these proposals also suggest reducing the number of station enquiry posts at stations across the force area in 2012. We will try to redeploy or ensure voluntary redundancy for these staff.   

Mobile Community Access Points   

We will also be launching purpose-built vehicles to allow people to sit down and discuss with us their concerns. They will travel though communities on a regular basis and will be a visible presence in towns and villages. In this way we will continue to offer face-to-face contact to members of the community.

These will provide a range of services to communities working with local community teams and Community Safety Partnerships. The facilities on offer could include web access to our services, advice surgeries, recruitment and other services requested by communities. They will have published times and dates at specific locations so that we continue to offer the option of a face to face, flexible service to the community, managed centrally with dedicated staff.    

They will also provide an opportunity for less mobile residents to meet an officer, discuss concerns and pass on and receive information of interest.   

PCSOs

We will soon be recruiting over 200 PCSOs who play a valuable and vital role and face-to-face contact in our communities, and will be in addition to the PCSOs you already have in your community.  

Web Access and e-services

We have established a specialist ‘E-services Team’ to develop service delivery through technology. Four key areas are being developed:  

•        A new website providing a route map to services and improved access to information.

•        On line crime reporting – the opportunity to report non- emergencies on line.

•        On line crime tracking – this will enable members of the public to keep track of the progress of an investigation online using a unique crime number to log in.

•        On line recruitment – a facility to enable the public to apply for police, PCSO and police staff vacancies on-line.

Speaking about the Accessibility Strategy, DCC Colette Paul said:

“Our Accessibility Strategy aims to make it easier and more convenient for all members of the public to get in touch with us when, where and how they choose and to make sure we give everyone in our policing area the service they need and deserve.  

“For the future we want to ensure that we are the best at understanding and responding to our communities’ needs 24 hours, seven days a week.

“Times are changing and so are communities and the way we police them. Fewer people now pop into a police station to speak to an officer in person. The telephone, especially mobile phone, the internet and email, are becoming increasingly important ways to get in touch. We need to adapt accordingly.   

“But we are also committed to continuing to provide face-to-face contact where it is needed most.

“We know some communities may be concerned about the idea of some front counter services being withdrawn from police stations but we would like to stress that the stations will still be in use by police officers, PCSOs and community teams.  

“Traditionally front counter facilities across the force area have been based in the majority of stations in our towns and villages but the Force has a very large estate, much of it in a bad state of repair and no longer fit for modern policing.   

“Other stations have front desk functions even though, in reality, demand has declined. Research has shown that visitors and callers to some of our stations are minimal and, as such, maintaining front counter staff does not provide value for money or the best possible service to the community.

“We want officers out and about doing their jobs where they are most needed.  

“We know from our research and public feedback that the telephone is by far the most popular way for people to get in touch with us now.

“The opening of our Public Service Centre Project in April is vital to dealing with these calls, giving people the service they need when they need it. It will be a ‘one stop shop’ where staff and officers can take both emergency and non-emergency calls and try to deal with and solve a caller’s problem right away.

“This is a time of change and retaining public confidence and responding to the needs of our communities are our top priorities. That is why we are changing the way we work, to make ourselves more accessible to the public. Key to this will be to continue to develop other methods of engagement at public buildings, shopping areas, and formalising them as community access points.  

“We will also be launching purpose built vehicles to allow people to sit down and discuss with us their concerns. They will travel though communities on a regular basis and will be a visible presence in towns and villages. In this way we will continue to offer face-to-face contact to members of the community.

“In development are new online facilities such as a new and improved website, providing better access to information. When our on-line crime reporting facility is ready, people will be able to report non-emergencies and incidents on-line instead of by phone, keeping track of what is happening with the investigation using a unique crime number to log in.

“By adapting in these ways we will make sure we have a modern service for a modern South Wales.”

Your opinions are very important to us, you can view and comment on our Accessibility Strategy at www.south-wales.police.uk.  Alternatively please email us directly at accessibility@south-wales.pnn.police.uk