Fake police officer targets North Yorkshire with credit card scam

Scammers pretending to be police officers are targeting local residents for money.

North Yorkshire Police said today it had received reports from people who had been called by a man claiming to be a police officer.

The bogus officer told the people they called that one of their relatives was in police custody and that this person was in possession of their bank and credit cards.

The victims were then asked to immediately call their bank or the police on 911 to verify this was genuine, using the same phone and without waiting for a dial tone.

Fake officer names have included Detective Matthews, DI Stevens and DC Winston.

Six cases have been reported to the police and so far none have resulted in a loss of money.

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Police are urging people to hang up if they’re suspicious and to use a different line if they need to call the police or bank.

They added that officers and banks would never contact people to move or transfer money.

Last year North Yorkshire Police financial abuse safeguarding officer, Andy Fox, released the following statement about a similar scam:

“Everyone believes they won’t fall victim to a scammer but these individuals are experienced professionals who know every trick in the book to gain your trust.

“A police officer will never get in touch and advise you to move, transfer or pay money and neither will a bank or building society. If you receive a call out of the blue offering money or security advice, be very suspicious and do not give the caller any personal or account details.

The police have encouraged anyone caught out by this scam to report it to the force on 101.

Just eight covid fines issued in Harrogate district last month

Just eight people have been fined by police in the last month for covid breaches in the Harrogate district.

Figures published last night by North Yorkshire Police revealed four fines were given to visitors to the district and four to local people for indoor gatherings between December 2 and January 5.

Other areas within the county were dealt with far more severely: a total of 362 and 308 fines were issued in the Scarborough district and York respectively over the same timeframe.

North Yorkshire issued 710 fines in total for covid breaches.

The highest number — 334 — were handed out for indoor gatherings. The second highest category was for local residents, who received 191 fines.

A total of 161 fines were given to visitors and nine were for outdoor gatherings.

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Yesterday Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for North Yorkshire Police’s response to covid, said people would notice a higher police presence during the third lockdown.

He added police would step up patrols and anyone found in breach of the rules faced fines of up to £200.

Chief Inspector Rachel Wood said:

“I cannot stress enough how serious our current situation is. As a nation we have moved into new national restrictions and we are being told to once again stay home to save lives and protect our health service.

“Our local patrol plans have been revised and we have increased our presence and visibility in our local communities. We will take enforcement action against those who are breaking the rules and putting the wider community at risk from this deadly virus.”

In September, the force said it had issued 1,151 fines for covid regulation breaches up to that point in the pandemic.

 

Police appeal after man left with broken nose during assault in Ripon

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after a man suffered a fractured nose during an assault in Ripon last month.

Between 10pm and 10.30pm on December 23, the man was walking along Priest Lane.

He was approached by individuals, who assaulted him and made off in an unknown direction, leaving the victim with a broken nose and in need of hospital treatment.

Police are appealing for the public’s help to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

Officers are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who was in the Priest Lane area of Ripon at the time of the incident or who may have dashcam footage or CCTV.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for PC Lucy Mills or email lucy.mills@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and quote reference number 12200244105.

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Police recover stolen jewellery and medals

A treasure trove of stolen jewellery and medals, including some from the First World War, have been recovered by police.

North Yorkshire Police today appealed for people who may have lost the items to come forward.

It is urging anyone who suffered a burglary between August and October this year to check these photos and get in touch if they believe any belong to them.

The items include some distinctive items including First World War medals, one inscribed with the name DVR.P.WRIGHT.R.A., spirit level cufflinks, engraved signet rings and cufflinks, cluster rings, necklaces and gold chains.

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The force believes the items could have been stolen during burglaries in North Yorkshire and other parts of the country, including West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Humberside, Sussex, Dorset, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, the West Midlands and Staffordshire.

Anyone wanting to get in touch with the police should contact David.Pegg@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or call 01904 618691, select option 2 and ask for Dave Pegg.

North Yorkshire Police issues alert over delivery fraud

Harrogate district residents expecting deliveries over the holiday period are being targeted by fraudsters.

North Yorkshire Police has received 24 reports of the scam since November an dis urging people to be vigilant over the festive season.

The scammers have been sending messages saying delivery slots with parcel delivery firm DPD have been missed. The message includes a link to rearrange a delivery time.

The victim is then asked to pay a small sum to rearrange delivery. If they agree, they often then receive another call purporting to be from their bank alerting them to suspicious activity.

The victim is then asked to transfer their money to an account they believe to be secure, but to which the scammers have access.

The conmen are taking advantage of the popularity of delivery services in the run up to Christmas.

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Andy Fox, financial abuse safeguarding officer at North Yorkshire Police, said:

“If you receive an email purporting to be from DPD, check the sender. DPD has confirmed genuine emails will only come from the following addresses: dpd.co.uk, dpdlocal.co.uk or dpdgroup.co.uk and that they will never ask you to pay for a redelivery.

“Be very careful before clicking on any links in an email and if you are in any doubt, check the company’s website for details of any known scams. If you have received an email which you’re unsure about, you can report it to report@phising.gov.uk. You can report suspicious text messages by forwarding them to 7726.”

The police have also received reports that the fraudsters have gained enough information over the phone to take out a loan in the victim’s name. This is then transferred to a bank account they control.

The police have encouraged anyone that has been caught out by this scam to contact their bank immediately and report it to the force on 101.

Harrogate flasher on sex offenders list for 10 years

A Harrogate man who was “smiling” while he exposed himself to a woman in February 2019 has been placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.

James Bryant, from Sunnybank Shaw Mills, parked at a Harrogate filling station and waited until all the cars had left before entering the shop and performed the lewd act to the female cashier.

During his trial in November, heard at York Crown Court, Bryant avoided jail and was given a suspended sentence.

The case returned to virtual court today because the judge didn’t make an order for Bryant to be put on the register during the trial.

Judge, Sean Morris, placed Bryant on the sex offenders register for 10 years. This sentence comes with notification requirements this means any changes such as new addresses must be updated.

Bryant didn’t appear in court today due to a technical glitch with his video link.

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During his initial sentencing the court was told the incident lasted half a minute with CCTV showing Bryant “briefly smiling” at the victim before walking out and driving away.

He was arrested two weeks later and was found to be keeping a machete, hunting knife and a lock knife in the boot of his car.

Bryant had a previous conviction for flashing in 2016 when he was convicted of indecent exposure at Bournemouth Crown Court.

The court was told Bryant had mental health problems, his defence Aisha Wadoodi said his problems were largely “of his own making” due to his “heavy use” of cannabis.

Five arrests after thieves hit Harrogate building sites

Police have arrested five people after thieves targeted building sites in the Harrogate district.

Officers travelled to South Yorkshire to make the arrests and seize property this morning after a string of thefts between March and November.

The thieves stole newly-installed boilers as well as machinery and tools.

In North Yorkshire alone, criminals struck at abound 40 housing developments when the homes were close to completion. A number of the developments were in the Harrogate district although precise details are not known.

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Detective Inspector Chris Stone, of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“These incidents clearly involved high-value, organised crime, and had a significant impact.

“Not only businesses within North Yorkshire, but house buyers due to move in to their new properties.

“Significant resources have been deployed into this investigation, leading to today’s arrests.

“We are actively pursuing further lines of enquiry, and will continue to robustly investigate these offences.”

The police arrested a man in his 40s from Doncaster and three men in their 30s from Barnsley on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary and transferring criminal property.

Officers also arrested a woman in her 20s from Barnsley on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary

All remain in custody at this time while the police conduct the investigation.

55 drivers arrested in Christmas drink and drug campaign

North Yorkshire Police has arrested more than 50 drivers already in its annual Christmas drink and drug driving campaign.

In an update published today, the force said it had arrested 55 people on suspicion of driving over the limit since the start of the month. Eight happened after collisions.

One man in his 20s from Scarborough has been arrested twice: once on December 8 and again yesterday morning on suspicion of drug driving.

He has been released under investigation while enquiries, including blood tests are completed.

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The total number of arrests is similar to last year at the same stage.

Police have warned that many more drivers are likely to be arrested before the campaign finishes at the end of the month.

Traffic sergeant Andy Morton said:

“Anyone who’s convicted of drink driving faces at least a 12-month driving ban, which would mean losing your licence for the whole of 2021, possibly longer.

“They also get large fines, a criminal record and can even go to jail in some circumstances.

“Worse still, they stand a far greater chance of fatally injuring an innocent person. The risk is real, it happens here in North Yorkshire and it’s utterly devastating for the families who are left behind.

“So our message this year is simple – 2020’s been a terrible year. Don’t make it even worse by drink driving.

“There’s a good chance you will be caught, and if you are over the limit you will be prosecuted – there are no second chances.”

Teens arrested after another weekend of disturbances in Ripon

Police in Ripon have arrested two teenagers and said they will step-up patrols after another weekend of anti-social behaviour.

One teen has been charged with being drunk and disorderly; the other remains “under investigation”, the police said.

The force said Ripon suffered ‘several incidents of anti-social behaviour’ over the weekend, including teenagers throwing objects in the road and walking in front of cars.

A statement on Ripon City Police’s Facebook page said teenagers were not only committing anti-social behaviour but also ignoring covid warnings. The statement added:

“They do not register the risk and have stated it’s their choice.”

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The statement urged parents in Ripon to ask their children about their whereabouts last weekend. It added:

“We have increased officer presence and are proactively patrolling areas whilst responding to calls but we can’t be everywhere.

“Parents have the biggest role to ensure that children are not causing trouble, committing crimes, not distressing our community or putting themselves at risk.”

Last weekend’s incidents were the latest in a series of anti-social incidents.

On the previous weekend vandals smashed windows at Ripon’s town hall and cathedral office.

North Yorkshire Police declined to comment on those incidents when approached by the Stray Ferret last week.

Man jailed for murder of Harrogate woman

A Bradford man has been jailed for 16 years for the murder of a Harrogate woman.

Dale Tarbox was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court today for the murder of Susan Howells, who was a close friend.

A police investigation started in August 2019 when Susan, who was 51, was reported missing.

North Yorkshire Police passed the case onto West Yorkshire Police after its enquiries suggested she had been in the Bradford area at the time.

Dale Tarbox.

The police elevated the missing persons investigation into a murder investigation after officers failed to find her.

Officers arrested Tarbox in September 2019 in Doncaster and charged with the murder of Susan at his home address in Bradford.

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Police enquiries led officers to a caravan park when Tarbox was living. A few days later the police found human remains.

Further investigations led to the arrest of Keith Wadsworth, who was convicted of assisting an offender in preventing lawful burial.

Tarbox, 40, of Independent Street in Little Horton, was jailed for 16 years for Susan’s murder and given two years to run concurrently in preventing her lawful burial.

He refused to attend court to hear the sentence.

Keith Wadsworth.

Keith Wadsworth, 61, from Doncaster, was sentenced to three years and seven months for assisting an offender in preventing a lawful burial. He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

Speaking after sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Vanessa Rolfe, said:

“I hope today’s outcome provides some closure for Susan’s family, knowing that the man who murdered her has been given a significant prison sentence.

“Susan regarded Tarbox as a close friend and someone she could trust, but he showed no regard for her – taking her life in a cold and callous way and then teaming up with Wadsworth to try and dispose of her body.

“He is clearly a dangerous individual and the people of West Yorkshire should feel safer knowing he will be behind bars for many years.”