Shoppers urged to remain vigilant
Shoppers in Berkhamsted and Tring are being urged to remain vigilant following a spate of suspicious incidents and thefts in the area.
On Saturday 5 December, a woman aged in her 70s was sitting inside her vehicle in Waitrose car park in Berkhamsted, when she was approached by a woman holding a sign, who knocked on the window.
The sign indicated the woman was deaf and was collecting money for a ‘new centre’. The victim handed over £5, leaving her purse on her lap as she did so. The woman then leaned close to the victim, as if to hug or kiss her, and the victim pushed her away. It was later discovered that further cash had been stolen from her purse.
On Tuesday 1 December, a man was approached in the car park of Tesco in Tring by two women. The women had a clipboard and claimed they were collecting for a charity supporting the deaf community. As the man handed over some cash, the women became overly friendly and started touching his arm and paying him compliments, before walking away. The man noticed a short time later that his Rolex watch was missing.
Neighbourhood Sergeant Damien Hewitt said: ‘We believe that other shoppers may also have been approached in similar circumstances, but have not reported the incidents to police.
‘With this weekend being the last before Christmas, we’re expecting shopping areas to be busy and I would therefore urge people to please make sure they remain vigilant.
‘We understand that many people feel charitable around this time of year and we would never discourage anyone from donating to those in need. However, it’s a sad fact that there are people out there who seek to take advantage of this good nature.
‘A genuine charity collector should be wearing a badge, confirming that they are legitimate. However, if you are suspicious, do not feel obliged to hand over money. If you do want to donate, we would recommend that you research official channels through which to do so.’
He continued: ‘Officers are conducting extra patrols in the area, but there are simple steps you can take to help keep your belongings safe while out and about. Keep all purses, mobile phones and any other valuable items at the bottom of your bag, make sure it is fully zipped up and never leave it unattended. Wallets should be kept in front pockets.
‘If you are approached in suspicious circumstances or feel uncomfortable, do not hesitate to walk away and report information to police.’
You can report information online at herts.police.uk/report, speak to an operator in the Force Communications Room via online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact or call the non-emergency number 101.
Always dial 999 in an emergency.
Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.