District’s house building sites hotspots for burglaries

North Yorkshire Police is urging for vigilance following an increase in burglaries on new home development sites across the district.

During the past 24 hours, two incidents have been reported. One at a new site one in Langthorpe, near Boroughbridge, and the second in Penny Pot Gardens in Harrogate.

Boilers are the main item to be stolen. The perpetrators are cutting the gas and water pipes before removing the boilers, meaning some of the homes are left flooded.

Other targeted locations in the district include Knaresborough and Ripon. Furnishings valued at £70,000 were stolen from two show houses at a site in Knaresborough. In Ripon, a dumper truck was stolen from a site in the nearby village of Markington.

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The police are asking local residents to keep an eye out and report any suspicious activity.

It has also asked if any CCTV overlooking any of the targeted sites is checked for activity such as large vans driving around the sites.

Information can be reported using the 101 number, dial 1 and pass the information onto the Force Control Room.

Over 20 arrests made on district roads last weekend

The police made 20 arrests over a single weekend on roads around Harrogate, Knaresborough and Skipton as part of a campaign to tackle drink driving.

The highest reading of the weekend was 144ug/100ml – over four times the legal limit – by a women from the Knaresborough area driving in York.

Operation Attention follows a summertime peak in drink driving. The efforts by the police are to put on a “show of force” to deter drink or drug drivers and catch offenders.

A total of 23 arrests were made between August 14 to 17. Out of those arrests, 10 were found to be over the legal alcohol limit – 35ug per 100ml of breath.

Other offences included speeding, with one driver caught driving at 80mph within a 30mph zone.

Traffic Sergeant Andy Morton from the Road Policing Group said:

“The results send a clear message that if people choose to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and break the law, there are consequences to your actions and officers will catch you. We are here to protect the public’s safety on the roads of North Yorkshire and by catching these people. The local community can be confident that these drivers will pay the price by being given lengthy bans, significant fines and even prison sentences.”

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Last weekend’s operation involved specialist road policing officers, special constables and local policing teams and more than 50 drivers were stopped.

The operation has ran from July 13 to August 16, a total of 171 people have been arrested for drink and drug drive offences across North Yorkshire.

‘I found more than 30 pellet wounds in my cat’

A woman who lives near Thruscross Reservoir has found more than 30 pellet wounds in her cat.

Clare Brandstrom found her one-year-old cat Elvis in the garage on Wednesday morning in a bad state.

She believed that an animal had attacked him so took the cat to the vets. The vet examined him and found pellets all over his body.

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They managed to remove around 10 pellets near the surface of his skin but did not remove the ones which were more embedded.

The vets are hopeful that Elvis will manage to survive with the pellets in his body provided that the wounds do not get infected.

It is not the first time that Mrs Brandstrom has found her cat with gunshot wounds. Her other cat Jarlie also lost an eye a few years ago.

Mrs Brandstrom told the Stray Ferret that she has reported this latest incident to the police and added:

“It is really alarming. I thought at first that animals had done this to Elvis. When we found out that he had been shot we realised we were right. The person responsible is an animal. Elvis is such a gentle cat, he would never hurt anything. He is still purring now and it breaks my heart.”

Heather Eastham worked on Elvis at Crab Lane Vets in Harrogate and told the Stray Ferret:

“There is no way that anybody could mistake this young cat for any other animal. We believe that this was a malicious attack. It is just disgusting to see. This is definitely one of the worst cases we have dealt with. I have never seen this many pellets in an owned cat before.”

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police has appealed for anyone with information that could identify the culprit to call them on 101 with reference 12200139610.

Police warn Knaresborough residents over security after suspicious incidents

Police are warning Knaresborough residents to stay vigilant after a series of suspicious incidents, including three men approaching houses in the Aspin Avenue area last night.

The men were reported to be trying car doors and approaching houses around 12.30am. There have been no reports of thefts or burglaries.

Earlier in the evening, police received reports of a residential home on Manor Road being entered between 8.30pm and 9pm. It is unclear if anything was taken.

The combination of incidents has led police to warn residents in surrounding areas to take further precautions to ensure the safety of their valuables.

key in door lock

The police are warning residents to ensure their houses and valuables are secure.

North Yorkshire Police has offered advice to improve home safety:

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Local police have also ask residents to check any CCTV that they have of these areas overnight. Anything suspicious should be reported to police on 101, quoting the reference number 12200134639.

Police warning after Harrogate victims lose £55,000 in bank fraud

North Yorkshire Police have issued a warning to residents and businesses after a high volume of bank fraud cases in the county, including £55,000 stolen from victims in Harrogate.

“Courier fraud” is when a victim receives a phone call from someone claiming to be from the police or their bank’s fraud team and who asks for money to be handed over to be used in an investigation.

They usually tell the victim they are investigating the bank due to allegations of theft from customers.

Police have issued the warning after three incidents were reported in Harrogate. One case saw a 65-year-old woman lose £50,000 to fraudsters after she was persuaded to withdraw money from her bank and to buy gold as a safer investment before it was placed into safe storage.

A further case saw a 60-year-old man conned out of £5,000. He refused to travel to London to hand the money over in person, but he agreed to pass it to a courier.

Meanwhile, an 80-year-old woman almost lost £6,500 back in March until she contacted her bank’s for fraud advice. The suspect did not contact her again.

Police continue to investigate these incidents.

Detective Detective Constable Neil Brodhurst, a fraud investigator, urged anyone who has been a victim of a courier fraud to come forward.

He said: “Courier fraud is clearly a despicable and malicious crime which preys upon vulnerable people who are genuinely frightened that their life savings are at risk.

“It is vitally important for residents to know that the police or a bank would never contact people in this way. They would also never ask for highly personal information such as PINs and bank account numbers over the phone.

“If you or someone you know receives such a call out of the blue, the best advice is to end the call straight away and report it to the police and the bank for investigation..

“Please do not feel foolish in any way. We are here to help and support victims and we will do everything in our power to bring suspects to justice.”

Three men arrested after investigation into stolen parked cars in Harrogate

 

Over the past four months, the police say there has been a large number of reports cars being stolen, particularly in the south of the town. The thefts mainly took place at night with valuables stolen from the cars which were left unlocked.

Three men were arrested yesterday in connection with the investigation. A large amount of suspected property was recovered by officers, including sunglasses, satnavs, watches and jewellery.

One of the men, aged 22, has been released on bail as enquiries continue. Another man, aged 29, has been released under investigation.

A third man, 31, has been charged with fraud in connection with the use of a stolen bank card on 17 April 2020. He will appear at Harrogate Magistrates Court in June.

Officers are now making enquiries to identify the property and return it to its owners.

Sergeant Nicola Colbourne, of Harrogate South Neighbourhood Policing Team, said in many cases the vehicles stolen weren’t locked:

“It appears that in many cases the targeted vehicles were left insecure, and no damage was caused to gain access to them. For that reason, I’d like to remind residents how important it is to lock your car whenever you leave it unattended. It only takes a few second to do so, and could stop you becoming a victim of crime….

Neighbourhood Policing Teams have already increased patrols in affected areas, and those will continue. Harrogate is a very safe place to live, and we are determined to keep it that way.”

North Yorkshire ‘safest place in country’ despite 9% rise in overall crime

Police have said that North Yorkshire remains the safest place to live in the country despite a rise in crime – particularly stalking and harassment as well as public order offences.

New figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) for 2019 showed that North Yorkshire Police recorded 47,929 crimes, which is 9% higher than the year before.

The county seems slightly out of step with the rest of the country, which recorded a drop in overall crime by 5%.  Greater Manchester Police was not included in the data set because of issues with its new IT system.

Stalking and harassment crimes, as well as public order offences, went up significantly by 39% and 36% respectively. When questioned by the Stray Ferret, a spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said they were not able to add anything to their statement.

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Morgan, however, believes that the crime increases are partly down to better recording of offences but said that she was “particularly worried by the rise in violent crime and robbery.”

One of the biggest issues in the Harrogate district remains drugs. An exclusive report in March by the Stray Ferret uncovered that school children “can get drugs in their lunch break.” Police in the town said at the time tackling county lines drugs was their highest priority.

Broken down into the main categories, the ONS figures for North Yorkshire show:

North Yorkshire has a crime rate of 58.1 per 1,000 of the population which is the lowest nationally and lower than the average of 89 per 1,000 across England and Wales.

Chief Constable Lisa Winward, North Yorkshire Police said:

“These figures show that North Yorkshire Police continues to be the safest place in the country per 1,000 of the population, despite the snapshot showing a 9% rise in recorded offences in comparison to the same period the year before. Even with our national position, we are not complacent, and a top priority for the force is ensuring victims continue to feel confident about reporting offences to us. As part of this, our piece of work to improve how we record crime, and also detect and investigate offences is ongoing as this naturally influences the county’s crime levels.”

‘You can get drugs in Harrogate during your school lunch break if you want them’

 

“You can get drugs in Harrogate during your school lunch break.”

“We have had letters sent home from school to say the children are having a drug awareness talk.”

“We’ve warned our own children from a young age about the dangers of drugs.”

These are just some of the comments from parents who have spoken to The Stray Ferret about their children’s experience of drugs and what goes on during a typical school day in Harrogate.

Families who have moved to one of the ‘safest towns in Britain’ for a better life, have revealed a real fear that their children could be exposed to drugs at a pre-adolescent age.

Our special focus follows the high-profile county lines drug raids, which police carried out in an unprecedented move to smash drug dealing.

The parents, whose children go to Harrogate’s state schools and asked to remain anonymous, have told how they fear the upmarket and traditionally wealthy town of Harrogate may be being deliberately targeted, as children and teenagers living here often have a higher disposable income, than in other areas.

One mother said a 16-year-old boy had told her how pupils can seek out drugs during the school lunch break, if they chose to do so:

 “We know there are definitely issues with drugs happening in or around school life. I’ve been told recently by a teenager: ‘You can buy drugs during your lunch break if you want. Everyone knows it and knows who to ask.’

“Of course they may go out of school to do this, but it is still rather worrying.”

Another parent, who has two teenagers, said: “We have letters sent periodically from school warning that there is to be a drug awareness seminar. I suppose it is good they are being pro-active, but evident that the police have concerns for our young people and who they might mix with.

“it is not just our school, it is happening in all of them. It is worrying.”

The parents have also said that the impact and fear of drug culture had hit home only recently, after recent police raids.

Harrogate is officially one of the safest towns in Britain, with North Yorkshire named as the county with the lowest crime rate in England and Wales, despite covering the fifth largest geographical policing area.

Yet undeterred by this, drug dealers from outside the area are using vulnerable young people to deliver drugs across our town and surrounding areas.

Here is what some Harrogate parents had to say:

“It is vital to educate your children at home about the dangers”

One Harrogate couple, who run their own business, say they are unsurprised by the recent police raids, but say it is vital that parents educate their children from quite a young age about the dangers of drugs, to encourage them to make the right choices.

The father-of-two, who had received the letter about drug awareness session, said: “There has always been drugs available in Harrogate, like anywhere, despite it being a wealthy and upmarket town, so recent events do not come as a surprise.

“Drugs are there for those who seek them out, but they are now more widely available and easier than ever to get hold of.

“We are not concerned about our teenage son. We have educated him at home about drugs and choices and feel confident he can make the right decisions for himself.”

 

“We’ve been to drug awareness seminars at school”

Another mother, in her 40s, who lives just a five minute walk from The Stray in Harrogate, said: “Our son is only 12, but already there has been mention of drugs. We have been to drug awareness seminars for parents at school and I am glad to see that all the schools in Harrogate seem to be “on it”. I think they have to be.

“We have lived here for 20 years. We love living here and feel very privileged to have such a lovely life in a good area. It is a great place to live and work.

The working mother added: “Our son is only young and in year 8, he’s not even a teenager yet, but we are definitely aware of things happening and want him to be aware and vigilant too.”

North Yorkshire Police dog Marley helps during recent county lines searches

 

What is being done to educate our children?

Pupils as young as 10 are taking part in drug awareness sessions, in schools across Harrogate and North Yorkshire.

Sessions start in Year 6, the top class in primary school and are also delivered in secondary schools.

North Yorkshire Police has eight school liaison officers (SLO) who support PSHE curriculum subjects including drug use.

They engage with working partners such as the Inspire Youth Project in Harrogate and Knaresborough, who deliver awareness around drugs, county lines and Child Sexual Exploitation.

Other projects include the Crucial Crew, who go in Year 6 primary classes and The North Yorkshire Youth Commission which delivers Kym’s Game, to encourage discussion around drug use and about keeping your friends safe.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “The aim is to educate children and young people around the types of drugs, their effects and the consequences – criminal as well as health related.

“In addition there is a large emphasis on teaching them to stay safe around drugs, as we do not presume that we can stop drug use all together.

“Parents can help by educating themselves. Sessions are available to parents if they wish. They are very well received and the feedback is excellent.

“Sadly, they are not as well attended as we would hope.”

 

What is county lines and what parents should look out for?

What is ‘County Lines’?

‘County Lines’ is a term used when drug gangs from big cities expand their operations to smaller towns, often using violence to drive out local dealers and exploiting children and vulnerable people to sell drugs.

These dealers will use dedicated mobile phone lines, known as ‘deal lines’, to take orders from drug users.

All kinds of illegal drugs are being supplied and ordered, including heroin and cocaine. Other drugs such as cannabis and ecstasy are also in demand.

In most instances, the users or customers will live in a different area to where the dealers and networks are based, so drug runners are needed to transport the drugs and collect payment.

A common feature in county lines drug supply is the exploitation of young and vulnerable people. The dealers will frequently target children and adults – often with mental health or addiction problems – to act as drug runners or move cash so they can stay under the radar of law enforcement.

Suspected drugs seized from one of the recent property raids

Destructive cycle

Detective Superintendent Fran Naughton, of North Yorkshire Police, said that county lines was an operational priority for North Yorkshire Police, with three dedicated proactive teams dedicated to the issue: “There are drug users in all towns and it’s important that vulnerable people are offered the help to get out of the destructive cycle of drug use. It’s a complex problem with many factors which is why partnership working with housing providers, drug intervention and local authorities and the health service is important.”

“The criminals will exploit younger people and children and force them to transport the drugs to the smaller towns, often using public transport. In a practice known as cuckooing, they also take over the homes of vulnerable people, again often drug users themselves, to store and sell their drugs while they are in the area.

“Any teenager is at risk of becoming involved, even those from affluent families.

“Our advice to parents is to talk to your children about drugs and be aware of the signs to look out.”

What should parents look out for:

Gangs are increasingly using social media to recruit children via mobile phones who aren’t typically vulnerable, so everyone needs to be alert to the following signs:

If you suspect a child you care for or know is being exploited, please call the police on 101, if they are in immediate danger, always call 999 

Visit https://northyorkshire.police.uk/ for advice and information for parents.

Vigilance needed to protect ‘safest’ town, following raids

North Yorkshire Police says that public help and vigilance is needed, following high-profile county lines drug raids across Harrogate.

Detective Superintendent Steve Thomas, of North Yorkshire Police, has revealed a list of “key challenges” for the force and says although three county lines drug dealing routes into Harrogate have been smashed, there is still work to do,

He said that it was a priority for one of Britain’s safest towns that police resources were going into the fight against drug dealers, in a bid to keep them out of North Yorkshire.

Speaking at the recent Overview and Scrutiny committee, at Harrogate Borough Council, he said: “There is a drug using community here in Harrogate and weapons are being used to protect the business model to make it work.

“All our police resources have been put into county lines. We are working to stop the gap being filled after recent arrests and keep them out of Harrogate and North Yorkshire.”

His comments come after two police operations to smash drug dealing involving more than 70 officers from North Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Police and the National Crime Agency. They targeted a series of addresses relating to county lines dealing, which has seen 18 arrests to date.

He said that Operation Jackal had taken eight months of intensive police work – focusing on gangs in Bradford and also criminality in Harrogate, bringing a total of 18 arrests so far.

Lowest crime rate

Although Harrogate is officially one of the “safest” places to live in Britain, with the lowest crime rate in England and Wales, it has not deterred the infiltration of drug dealers.

People who live and work in North Yorkshire are around twice as unlikely to fall victim to crime compared to other areas, despite a 12% increase in recorded offences, with violent crime, stalking and robbery on the rise, according to the latest crime figures.

Acting superintendent Andy Colbourne

Acting Superintendent Andy Colbourne, of North Yorkshire Police, pictured above, added: “County lines remains a major priority for North Yorkshire Police and I hope our recent operation provides reassurance to the people of Harrogate that we will take action against the scourge of drug dealing, particularly where it affects some of the most vulnerable people in society.

“We urge anyone who has any information about drug dealing in their neighbourhood to contact us on 101 or if they prefer, to pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers. Every piece of information helps us to build up a bigger picture and informs our operational activity. As you can see, we are determined to rid our communities of the misery and associated crime that drug dealing causes.”