Hastings New & Updates dated 4th November - 17th November.

Are you considering Christmas shopping online?

Here are a few tips to keep you safe online

1. Trust your instincts – if an offer looks too good to be true it usually is. 

2. Check the website address Don’t be fooled by spoof websites where the address is slightly changed.

3. Ensure the website address begins ‘https’ at the payment stage – this indicates a secure payment.

4. Don’t click on links in emails if you do not know the sender always type in the website address or use a search engine to find a site.

5. Only deal with reputable sellers - only use sites you know or ones that have been recommended to you.

6. Avoid paying by money transfers direct to people you don’t know. Use an online payment option such as PayPal, which helps to protect you.

7. Watch out for pop-ups appearing asking you to confirm your card details before you are on the payment stage. Never enter your PIN number online.

9. Keep security software and firewalls up-to-date. 

10. Keep receipts and check these against your statement – if you spot a transaction you did not authorise speak to your card company immediate

Sergeant Laws had the esteemed opportunity to participate in the Remembrance Day ceremony on Sunday, November 10th, paying homage to the courageous service men and women.

Accompanied by colleagues and active service members, he was granted the distinguished honour of laying a wreath at the war memorial in Alexandra Park, solemnly commemorating all those who fought and gave their lives for our freedom.

On Monday, November 11th, we also gathered with our community at the cenotaph in Alexandra Park to reflect upon and honour those who sacrificed their lives for our freedoms by observing a two-minute silence.

A notorious burglar and habitual shoplifter has been sentenced to 56 weeks custodial sentence.

On 31st October, the male, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to eight offences, including several burglaries at business premises and pubs, theft of charity donations, and persistent shoplifting activities across Hastings, Rother, and Eastbourne. While delivering the sentence, the judge characterised the male as a "one-man crime spree," noting that the gravity of his offences and his evident tendency to re-offend necessitated a 56-week custodial sentence to protect the public.

Inspector Buck stated, "We recognise the detrimental impact that burglary and theft have on our communities. Our teams are diligently working to apprehend those offenders who target innocent people and businesses within our community. This outcome is a significant achievement for the East Sussex division and is well-deserved by the officers who presented a strong case in court."

A male (45) of no fixed address, was remanded in custody for three weeks pending sentencing after attending Brighton Magistrates Court on 8th November. 

He had previously attended court on 28th October for 25 shoplifting offences, was given bail conditions and a directive not to enter the Co-op store in Hasting. He then breached his bail condition a further 5 times. 

He is scheduled to appear before the Hastings Magistrates' Court on December 9th for sentencing.

A series of burglaries has occurred across six beach huts located near Cinque Ports Way, St Leonards. 

We are unable to locate the owners of the beach huts affected, so we are asking for anyone who does own one of the affected properties, to please contact us immediately by calling 101 quoting reference number 47240219723. 

If you witnessed or heard anything on Saturday, November 9th, that could assist with our investigation, please contact us at 101 or via email.

Two men from Kent have been arrested on suspicion of burglary on Bulverhythe Road, St Leonards. 

The arrests followed a report of a break-in at a garage on 6th November. 

Officers were alerted by residents that unknown suspects were at the garage location, and swiftly attended. An area search was conducted where two men matching the description given by residents were located; within 30 minutes of reporting both suspects were in custody.

The men have been released on police bail with conditions prohibiting them from entering Hastings, and an increase in patrols remains in place to offer reassurances to locals as well as to deter any further offending.

Residents in the area are reminded to review their garage security; many people don’t secure their shed or garage in the same way they do their homes - often using an easy-to-break lock or padlock to protect valuable contents such as a car, bike or lawnmower.

Remember too, an opportunistic burglar will try a shed or garage first because they can find the tools they need to break into the main house – report suspicious activities around garages or lock ups to police at the time.

Further advice on keeping your shed and/or garage safe and secure can be found on our website here 

Sussex Roads Policing Unit (RPU) emphasises the critical importance of having valid insurance prior to operating a motor vehicle. 

It is an offence to drive a motor vehicle without a valid certificate of insurance in place that covers you to drive that vehicle on that particular occasion.

Recently, RPU intercepted a vehicle on the Polegate Bypass that was showing uninsured. Talking with the driver, it was revealed that the driver had cancelled their bank account and failed to transfer their insurance policy to the new account. The driver received a Traffic Offence Report (TOR) and the vehicle was seized. 

Driving uninsured can have severe consequences:

Check your insurance is valid, understand the common insurance pitfalls, and learn the consequences of uninsured driving, all available here 

During our routine patrol of Hastings Town Centre on Thursday, we engaged with local shoppers and visitors to discuss the significant impact of knife crime.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many people visiting our #Sceptre events van to explore strategies for addressing this critical issue with young people. We emphasised the importance of discussing the dangers of knife crime, highlighting our role and that of our Neighbourhood Youth Officers who actively visit schools and colleges to engage with students on this topic. Through initiatives like these, we aim to reinforce the message that knife crime has no place in our community.

As we continued our patrols, we spoke with local shop staff about any concerns they might have and how we can best support them in ensuring public safety. We were pleased to hear that our efforts in apprehending shoplifters and burglars have positively impacted the town.

Help us keep Sussex safe

If you saw or heard anything, or have any information about any incident in this message please contact us online, or call 101, quoting the reference number provided.

Alternatively you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online here www.crimestoppers-uk.org 

You can also visit our website at www.sussex.police.uk where you can find our easy to use online forms to report all non-emergencies to us.

On our website you can also find police advice to keep you safe and help you understand the law, and also browse our crime prevention pages for first-hand knowledge, industry best practices and practical crime prevention advice from officers and specialist teams all across the police.

Have you ever had a policing question that doesn't actually require direct police involvement to answer?

Ask the Police is a great online source of information for the most frequently asked policing questions, visit www.askthe.police.uk/ for more information.