Earlier this month, we reported a 75% drop in the amount of reported crime in Ruddington during March 2019 in comparison with the month before – with Rushcliffe Police recording just NINE offences. Unfortunately, it seems the criminals have now returned with a vengeance – with the force issuing fresh warnings for residents and traders in our village to be on their guard (please see UPDATE below*).
Firstly, officers have been made aware of possible rogue traders in Ruddington over the last couple of days. It’s feared elderly residents could be especially at risk of being conned. Police warn: “They are offering to repair broken roof tiles and once on the roof are then convincing the owner that more expensive work needs doing urgently. We recommend never undertaking any work from cold callers. Always get several quotes and use trusted traders that advertise through local news letters and traders associations. Do not agree to have any work carried out without an invoice and an agreed fixed price beforehand.”
Secondly, following last week’s helicopter pursuit of a car stolen from Ruddington, with two suspects subsequently arrested, Police are appealing for information after two further car key burglaries in the area where vehicles were taken. Officers attended a burglary in Travells Hill, Normanton on Soar, at 4.20am yesterday (Saturday 27 April), where offenders in a Landrover Defender stole a Transit Van. Police report: “Officers arrived quickly and spotted the Landrover on the A60 heading towards Nottingham and pursued the vehicle, which rammed the police car twice, while trying to escape. No one was hurt. The Landrover – which had been stolen overnight from Glenn Way, Shardlow, in Derbyshire – was found abandoned in Flawforth Ave, Ruddington. At around 6am we received a report that a Ford CMax had been stolen half an hour earlier in a burglary at a house in Packman Drive, Ruddington. It is now believed the incidents are linked.”
Thirdly, there have been reports of burglaries on Churchill Drive where criminals have climbed over the back fence into a property on Old Station Drive then utilised the new footpath as their escape route. Resident Wayne Swift – who long campaigned against the construction of this public access because he feared it would be a magnet for criminality and antisocial behaviour – has reported that some of their loot was found dumped there after the raid.
Fourthly, officers have issued a warning to van owners after vehicles were targeted around Rushcliffe, including in Ruddington, last weekend. Ford Transits would again seem to be particularly susceptible, as previously reported on RUDDINGTON.info, with access gained by unknown means and tools stolen from inside. Officers say: “Whilst it isn’t always possible and can be a major inconvenience to remove tools from your van each night, it is suggested that vans are reversed onto driveways up against your property in an attempt to restrict access to rear and side loading doors where possible. Overnight patrols in these areas have been increased as a result of these crimes.”
*UPDATE SAT 4th MAY 2019 – APRIL CRIME STATISTICS REVEALED
Figures just released by Rushcliffe Police show another spike in Ruddington crime last month – with a total of 21 reported offences. This compares with just 9 recorded in March but, thankfully, is rather fewer that the 37 incidents listed in February.
The full April 2019 list is below – with incidents we’ve previously reported on at RUDDINGTON.info hyperlinked:
7th Theft of fuel – Service Station – Loughborough Road
9th Theft of number plates – Charles Street
10th Theft from shop – meat and chocolates – Wilford Road
12th Burglary – pushbikes stolen from shed – Clifton Road
Theft from vehicle – window smashed & items removed – Barleylands
13th Burglary – pushbikes stolen from shed – North Road
Burglary – locks cut off shed – nothing stolen – North Road
17th Burglary – factory premises – TV stolen from office – Pasture Lane
Assault following road rage incident – Kirk Lane
18th Burglary Dwelling – unoccupied house – Woodhouse Gardens
Theft from vehicle – Unknown means – bank cards stolen – Brookside Road
19th Burglary – fishing gear and push bike stolen from shed – Ashworth Avenue
22nd Criminal damage – car scratched – Tongue Way
Criminal damage – door kicked – Tongue Way
24th Burglary – garage entered & tools stolen – Clifton Lane
Burglary – dwelling – car stolen with keys from Ling Crescent – recovered – arrests made
26th Theft of vehicle glass – left at scene – Wheatley Close
27th Theft of vehicle with keys – Packman Drive recovered Leicestershire – enquiries ongoing
29th Criminal damage – train windows smashed – GCRN on Mere Way – arrests made and enquiries ongoing
30th Criminal damage – window smashed – Dunblane Road
18th-30th Burglary – dwelling – door forced – computer & TV stolen – Clifton Road
If you have information about any of these incidents, saw something suspicious, or may have captured CCTV or dash-cam footage that could help, you’re urged to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 – or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
