Come along and enjoy FREE Afternoon Tea in the Miles Suite at the Oakwood Centre in Woodley on Saturday 13th April 11.00-14.00

Woodley town centre is to host its first music festival in July

SAVE THE DATE – SATURDAY 6th JULY – 16.00-20.00

SUMMERTIME STREET PARTY

CENTRE STAGE WOODLEY TOWN CENTRE

Woodley is your town, so if you would like to be involved, please attend the next TCMI Meeting on Wednesday 17th April 18.00 at the Oakwood Centre. For further information, please contact the Town Centre Manager: towncentremanager@woodley.gov.uk

Thames Valley Police warn of handbag scam thefts at local supermarkets

Residents across the Bracknell and Wokingham districts are being warned to be vigilant so as not to fall victim to distraction thieves who have recently been active in supermarket car parks.

The  offenders working as a pair target females with handbags who pay for their shopping using a Chip & PIN bank or credit card at which point the thieves, who will have followed their victim to the tills, will take note of the PIN as the victim is entering it into the card reader.

The offenders then follow their victim out in to the car park where they will wait until the victim has loaded all her shopping and her handbag into the car before one of them will then approach the victim claiming to have seen someone bash her car with a trolley whilst she was in the store.
Whilst the victim is  distracted by this conversation a second thief opens a car door or the boot and steals the handbag.

In incidents reported so far the victims have been unaware of the theft until they have got home, by which time the offenders have used the bank cards in ATMs to withdraw the maximum amount of cash.

Offender description

The offender who has distracted victims in the Bracknell area is described as been a white adult male, (mid 30s) speaking English but with an eastern European accent; 5’9” – 6’ tall; slim; clean shaven with neat short cut dark hair and dressed in dark casual clothing and enquiries have confirmed he has been working with a second male.
This scam is not just limited to Bracknell and there are others committing the same scam. In the past week a male and female couple were convicted and imprisoned for 2 years by High Wycombe Magistrates for committing the same style thefts across the Thames Valley region.

If you have witnessed such incidents or have any information that will assist investigations please contact Thames Valley Police on 101.

Preventative measures

To prevent yourself been targeted by these distraction thieves and to prevent unauthorised access to your account with your bank/credit cards:

• Firstly, ensure you prevent others from seeing your PIN whenever you use your bank or credit cards by shielding the key pad.
• Never keep any written record of your PIN in your purse, wallet or handbag.
• Consider carrying your purse and bank cards in a pocket rather than in a handbag.
• On returning to your car check who is around, check your car bodywork and tyres as you approach and have a look around it. If you know there is no damage you will not be drawn into this scam.

Think handbag security, if you put it in the car or boot first don’t leave it lying on top of the shopping in view and easy to snatch.

Image: Martin Richard Aust

Great progress in being made on the developments and improvements to Woodford Park lake, with the boardwalk across the lake now complete.

However, there will be some restrictions in place throughout the year, in order to protect the wildlife.

Access to the small island will be restricted through the nesting season (March-August) by way of a barrier/information board explaining this. Access to the island will be opened up again from August/September. Signage will be installed requesting that dogs be kept on a lead on the boardwalk and feeding platform and that children are accompanied by an adult at all times. Additional information will be provided regarding feeding of the ducks and wildfowl.

All Woodley residents should have received their issue of The Herald. An electronic version is now available to download, along with past issues.

To access The Herald please click HERE.

Thames Valley Police is appealing for information following a distraction burglary in Woodley

At around 2pm on Tuesday (19/3) the victim, an 80-year-old man, answered his front door to three offenders in Shackleton Way. The offenders entered the property claiming to be checking seals around the windows.

One of the offenders entered the bedroom and later claimed to have repaired the window seal. The victim was asked to make a donation and entered his PIN number into a machine a number of times, without his bank card, before being told that the payment had been processed.

After the offenders had left, the victim discovered that a bank card had been taken from his coat in the bedroom. On contacting the bank, the victim was advised that a number of cashpoint transactions had been attempted using his card but were unsuccessful.

The first offender is described as a white man, around 50 years-old, approximately 5ft 9ins with stocky build and short dark hair. He was wearing thick dark clothes to keep warm.

The second offender is described as white man, aged between 30 and 40-years-old, around 5ft 9ins, clean shaven with slim build and brown hair. He was wearing dark trousers with a short sleeve top.

The third offender is described as a white man, approximately 50-years-old with stocky build and dark hair. He looked similar in appearance to the first offender and was also wearing thick dark clothes to keep warm.

Case investigator, Tina Neale from the Investigation Hub at Loddon Valley police station, said: “I would like to appeal for anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or can provide further information about the offenders, to come forward.

“You can help to protect your elderly or vulnerable family, friends and neighbours by making them aware of this form of distraction burglary.

“You can reduce the risk of becoming a victim as follows:
• Don’t open the door if you are not sure who is calling.
• Check the identity of the caller by calling the company they are claiming to be from and use the telephone numbers listed in your local directory – don’t use any telephone numbers provided by the caller.
• Don’t let them into your home until you are satisfied they are who they claim to be.
• If you are suspicious call the police on 101.

“Anyone with information should report the details on the Thames Valley Police website quoting reference 43190084257. Alternatively, you can call the non-emergency telephone number, 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

(L-R) Beryl, Vicki and Sandra from Christ Church pictured with Woodley Mayor Sam Rahmouni planting the donated tree

Christ Church in Woodley has donated a service tree to Woodford Park to commemorate its new Basingstoke and Reading circuits. Part of an initiative involving 26 churches, the tree was originally donated to Christ Church as a sapling in August 2015.

The sapling has been nurtured by Beryl Wootton, a member of the Christ Church congregation, for the past four years waiting for an opportune time for it to be planted. Beryl approached Woodley Town Council to offer the tree to plant in Woodford Park to not only commemorate the new church circuits but to also give church members and local residents the opportunity to visit the tree and watch it grow.

“I would like to say thank you to the Council for providing the space for the tree in Woodford Park. Unfortunately, the church garden is too small and it needs the space to grow and flourish,” said Beryl.

Woodley Mayor Sam Rahmouni attended the planting of the tree and thanked the church members in attendance, which included Beryl and church members Vicki and Sandra, for donating the tree to Woodford park.

“I was delighted to attend the planting of this tree and we are very grateful for the donation and look forward to watching it grow,” commented Rahmouni.

The tree has been planted on the Haddon Drive approach to Woodford Park Leisure Centre, opposite the pre-school. A member of the maple tree family, the service tree will be a delight to watch as its flora will change colour through each season.