Sussex Alerts Wealden Police

19th April 2024

Arrests and burglaries 

There were a total of 15 arrests made last week. Of those, assault was most common making up 33% of the total, followed by drink/drug driving at 26%. Other offences included breach of bail conditions, theft, and intent to supply class A drugs.

We received 5 reports last week for burglaries: 2 residential and 3 business/community. One of the reported residential burglaries involved a 'distraction', whereby two male suspects approached a property pretending to be gardeners and distracted the victim in order to steal items from within the home.

Door to door fraud is a common tactic used to gain entry to homes, and we anticipate this becoming more common with the weather getting warmer. For more information on this type of fraud, read here Door-to-door and courier fraud | Sussex Police

Man sentenced for robbery in Hailsham

A robber who broke into an elderly man's home in the early hours of the morning has been sentenced.

He was part of a group who broke in to the property in Hailsham, his DNA was found at the scene. He claimed not to have been involved, but when officers arrested him they found cash, weapons and balaclavas linking him to the offence.

Investigator Laura Rolph said: “This was a distressing incident for the victim who was threatened in his own home."

"We are pleased that the suspect was found guilty and has been taken off the streets."

You can read more about the case and sentencing here Man sentenced for robbery in Hailsham | Sussex Police

Let's talk about MOBILE PHONES

'I have a bad habit of scratching my ear with my phone'.

There is no excuse for using your phone while driving, especially not that - though it may be top of the wild excuses our Roads Policing officers have heard.

It’s been illegal to use a handheld phone at the wheel in the UK since 2013. And while the penalties for doing so are tough, could you live with causing a tragic collision because you were distracted by your phone?

Even speaking on a hands-free phone can be just as much of a distraction. Drivers using a hands-free phone still suffer from what is known as 'inattention blindness', in which they may 'see' hazards but do not register them.

Knife sweep carried out 

Officers have recently conducted a knife sweep to search for hidden knives, and other potential weapons across areas of Hailsham after receiving a report of a potential dumped weapon. We are pleased to report that no knives were found during this search.

Sussex is a safe place to live, but we recognise the importance of taking proactive action with our partners and other organisations to keep Sussex safe. Knife crime has tragic consequences for the victim, their loved ones and the local community.

For support and advice on knife crime, or if you are a concern parent/carer of a child who may be worried a child in your care is involved in knife crime, please visit: Our response to violence and knife crime in Sussex | Sussex Police

Livestock worrying 

A reminder to all dog owners if you're out and about this weekend:

🐑 Sheep worrying is an offence. You could be liable for prosecution and heavy financial penalties if your dog is involved in an incident of this type.

🐶 We urge people to keep their dogs under control and certainly on a lead while they are walking in rural areas and around livestock.

🐑 A farmer can legally shoot a dog that is chasing livestock and seek compensation from the person responsible for the animal.

🐶 If you are walking your dog around our rural countrysides, and you know or see that there are lambs, sheep or livestock in the fields, keep your dog on a lead at all times, or find an alternative walking route. There are many walking routes that can be found on websites such as 'Foot Path Map'.

Farmers, or members of the public can contact our dedicated Rural Crime Team if you have concerns, or for more information.

Click, Call, Connect

For non-emergency incidents or crime prevention advice, click www.sussex.police.uk,  (If you report a crime online, we will assess it in the same way as a 101 call).

Call 101 when you don’t require an urgent response. 

In an emergency when life is threatened or there is immediate danger always call 999.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, you can contact us using TypeTalk on 18000 or by sending a text to 65999.