Suffolk Constabulary is warning pet owners to take extra care after seeing a number of dog thefts this year. 

Sergeant Brian Calver said: "Organised crime groups are actively targeting addresses, with working breeds tending to be those that are favoured by criminals.  

"The loss of any pet can be devastating to owners, with the added trauma of not knowing what sort of conditions the dog is being subjected to. We would advise dog owners to review security of any outdoor kennels.” 

There have been 12 confirmed cases where dogs have been stolen within the county this year, and Sgt Calver said all bar one of the incidents involved the theft of dogs that would be classed as working gun breeds. 

Security measures to prevent thefts include good quality locks and lighting, while consideration should be given to CCTV and sensors as these offer an early alert to the presence of intruders.  

Gardens should be well secured with fencing or hedges, while gates should be kept locked.  

Owners are advised not to leave dogs out in open gardens and yards when they are not at home and, if possible, they should be brought into the house overnight.  

Ensure your dog is chipped and, if neutered, mark the dog’s tag as such as this makes them less attractive to thieves that may want to steal them for breeding. When out walking, if you let your dog off the lead, don’t allow it to leave your sight. 

Sgt Calver also advised dog owners to ensure they were not giving away personal details online. 

He said: "Consider your security on social media and avoid giving away details that may highlight your address and the fact you have a dog which could be attractive to thieves.  

"We would encourage you to be vigilant of suspicious persons seen around addresses, or any cold callers. Please report such activity, with descriptions of the individuals and their vehicles, as well as sharing those concerns on local watch groups.” 

Sgt Calver also urged owners of other pets to be wary of thieves, saying birds had been stolen too. 

Anybody with any information regarding the theft of dogs or other pets is encouraged to contact Suffolk police via:

Website: http://www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/existing-report-update

Crimestoppers – Contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Phone – call 101

Please note in the event of an emergency you should always call 999. 

General crime prevention advice can be found by visiting www.suffolk.police.uk/advice/crime-prevention-z

Over 2,000 motorists were caught speeding in Suffolk during a recent two-week enforcement campaign.

 The initiative - which took place between Monday 25 May and Sunday 7 June - was co-ordinated by the National Police Chiefs’ Council and saw an increased amount of checks and enforcement across the county, whilst promoting the message #SlowDownSaveLives.

Officers spoke with drivers during the campaign, aiming to highlight the dangers of speeding and informing them of the risks and consequences that driving above the limit can have.

During this year’s campaign a total of 2,100 motorists were caught speeding, 1,721 of which were caught by fixed/mobile cameras, while the remainder were caught by police officers on patrol.

Of those caught speeding 1,472 were cars, nine were motorcycles, 595 were vans and 24 were lorries.

Chief Inspector Kris Barnard, Head of the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Roads & Armed Policing Team, said: "It is encouraging that as we have seen traffic flow steadily increase with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, a large majority of drivers have stuck to the speed limits.

"We work closely with our partners all-year round to target those that chose to drive too fast as speeding is one of the ‘fatal four' offences which makes you more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a collision - alongside drink driving, driving whilst using a mobile phone and not wearing a seatbelt.

"Speed limits are in place for a reason – the limit is set at the maximum safe speed to travel on a particular stretch of road. Drivers shouldn’t use these limits as targets; there are always other factors to consider including other road users, levels of traffic and weather conditions. The faster you are travelling, the less time you have to react to the unexpected and stop safely.”

Suffolk's Police & Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore added: "Over the past couple of months most of us were staying at home in line with Government guidance and this naturally meant there were fewer vehicles on our roads, which had a positive impact on road safety during this critical time.

"As the lockdown eases we need to keep up the good work and continue to drive responsibly.  For the the irresponsible individuals who continue to drive at excessive speeds I’d like to warn them that our roads policing team continues to enforce speeding and if you are caught you will be prosecuted.

"Enforcement of the speed limits, which are there to help improve road safety, benefits all road-users.  I know I speak on behalf of my Roadsafe partners when I say, please stick to the limits and keep yourself and others safe.”

Infographic of the full results via https://www.suffolk.police.uk/news/latest-news/22-05-2020/slowdownsavelives-speeding-campaign-results

Officers are appealing for witnesses or information after a serious road traffic collision involving a van and a cyclist in Helmingham.

Police were called yesterday, Monday 22 June, at just before 1:10pm to reports of a collision involving a woman cyclist and a Ford Transit van on the B1077, approximately a mile south of Helmingham village.

Emergency services attended the scene, and the cyclist, a woman in her 40s was taken by Air Ambulance to Addenbrooks hospital having sustained serious head injuries as a result of the collision. She remains in hospital at this time and her condition is described as critical.

The van involved was a white Ford Transit van with a distinctive orange light on the roof which was travelling southbound towards Ashbocking/Ipswich.

Police arrested the two occupants of the van at the scene on suspicion causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The man and woman have been taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre where they will be questioned by officers.

The road was closed for several hours to allow an investigation into the circumstances of the incidents to get underway and has now re-opened.

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone who was driving in that area today, either immediately before or after the collision, and who has a dashcam fitted in their vehicle to contact the Roads and Armed Policing Team quoting CAD 199 of 22 June via

Dash-cam report form - http://www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/report-something/9-dashboard-camera-report-form

Email – Paul.Jackson@suffolk.pnn.police.uk          

Phone – Call 101

Crimestoppers – Contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Please note in the event of an emergency you should always call 999

Police are appealing for help to trace a man who has absconded from Hollesley Bay prison.

Saun Moorehouse, aged 32, was reported as missing by prison officers to police yesterday, Sunday 21 June at 6am.

He is serving a six year, five month sentence for conspiracy to commit robbery.

He is described as six foot tall, is of thin build, has brown eyes and blonde hair. He has an Irish accent and has a scar on his left hand.

Anyone who sees him should not approach him, but should contact Suffolk police, quoting CAD 87 of 21 June 2020.

Photo via - https://www.suffolk.police.uk/news/wanted-persons/saun-moorehouse

Help us keep our communities safe.

22 Jun 20

Police are appealing for information after a container and shed on Earl Soham Road were broken into.

Entry to the container used for storage was gained by cutting the padlocks.  Items were moved around inside.  A shed at the location was entered and a BBQ, a gas bottle and a fertiliser spreader were stolen.  The crime occurred sometime between 5pm Friday 5^th June and 9am Saturday 6^th June.

Can you help?

If you have any information about this burglary please contact Suffolk police, quoting crime reference 37/31178/20 via

Website – http://www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/existing-report-update

Crimestoppers – Contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form: www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Phone – Call 101

Please note in the event of an emergency you should always call 999.

Suffolk people are being asked to continue their great efforts, which are successfully reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Stick With It Suffolk is a campaign launching on Monday 18 May 2020, highlighting what we must all continue doing, to keep each other safe and to defeat the virus.

Recent data* shows that around 1 in 600 people in Suffolk have tested positive for COVID-19, which compares favourably to Norfolk, Essex and the national average.

However, we are not out of the woods yet. The number is continuing to rise, although more slowly, which is why it is crucial that people keep following the instructions. These are:

·        Keep staying at home 

·        Keep working from home where you can

·        Keep 2 metres apart if you go out

·        Keep exercising safely

·        Keep washing your hands with soap and water

·        Keep self-isolating if you or anyone in your household has symptoms

·        Keep travelling by car, bike or walking

·        Keep staying safe at work

·        Keep shielding yourself if you’re vulnerable

·        Keep supporting local businesses

·        Keep looking out for each other

Stick With It Suffolk is being rolled out across the county by the Suffolk Resilience Forum, which include Suffolk’s NHS, Emergency and Public Services. These local authorities and organisations are working together around the clock to keep Suffolk as safe as possible.

This is how Suffolk will successfully respond to the government’s Stay Alert, Control The Virus, Save Lives message.

People are asked to share their stories and how they are managing to stick with it, using the hashtag #StickWithItSuffolk on social media.

Stuart Keeble, Suffolk Director of Public Health, said:

“On behalf of all the members of the Suffolk Resilience Forum, I’d like to say thank you to the people of Suffolk for the sacrifices they are making by following these instructions.

“But now, more than ever, it is important that we stick with it - the number of cases can very easily increase if we take our eye off the ball. This would be a backward step, with strict lockdown measures coming back into force.

“With young children of my own, I understand how difficult it is when they can’t see their family and friends, they would love to see their grandparents but I know this increases the risk to my family and Suffolk residents. We are making progress, and we will continue to do so if we Stick With It Suffolk.”

Dr Mark Shenton, Chair of the Ipswich and East Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group, said:

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our communities for their continued support in helping our health and care system to manage this public health emergency.

“These are unprecedented times and the measures we have all taken so far are really making a difference. This is why it is so important to continue following government guidelines and keeping the two metre distance from each other.

“I am so proud of how our services are responding to this crisis and extremely heartened by the continued support that so many people are giving us by following these rules.

“Please continue to stay alert, continue to help control this virus and help us all save lives.”