Female gang of criminals target shops (From Echo)
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Female gang of criminals target shops
11:00am Friday 11th January 2013 in Local News
Female gang of criminals target shops
A GANG of women thieves has been targeting shops...distracting the staff before stealing goods.
The Eastern European trio have struck at stores in Rochford but it is feared they could soon move on to nearby towns.
Businesses are hoping to alert others about the crooks - who are particularly distinctive one of them has a shock of red hair and gleaming gold incisor teeth.
Their latest strike was at Carter Glass, in Ashingdon Road, where two of them began chatting to a salesman.
The third then crept into a conservatory that was on display, stealing a mobile phone from the desk inside.
Owner Guy Carter, 43, wants to warn others about the thieves to prevent others from falling victim to them.
He said: “I went whizzing down to Rochford station in the car to see if they’d gone that way, and then back down Ashingdon Hill, but I couldn’t find them anywhere.
“I just want to warn other people.”
During his search he spoke to at least four other businesses who had noticed the women in the past two months.
Mr Carter said he was disappointed because he feels police may have been able to catch them if they had sent officers out immediately after it happened, at about 2pm on Tuesday January 8.
But they were yet to take a statement yesterday afternoon.
Shelly Bruce, owner of nearby Sheer Indulgence beauticians, said the women had come into their store right before they targeted Carter Glass.
They tried to book an immediate nail appointment, but appeared to be scanning the shelves for things to steal.
She said: “We are concerned if it’s going to be something that keeps happening. It’s a worry that you’ve got people that almost feel like they are sussing out what you’ve got. When you go home and lock the door at night you wonder whether it’s safe.”
Panaaj Patel, owner of nearby Kailash newagents, said: “We just throw them out. I don’t know how long it’s been going on for, they pop in whenever they feel like it. “
They take biscuits or sweets, it’s the same people. They distract you.”
The same motives appear to keep cropping up at different locations.
In February 2012 the Echo reported how an Eastern European gang had been distracting staff at shops in Hockley before stealing their phones.
The same thing happened in Canvey and Hadleigh in December 2011.
Insp Jeff Appleby, of Rayleigh police, said: “We are keen to get any information we can in terms of anyone responsible for any thefts.”
Anyone with information should call PC John Skingsley of Rayleigh police on 101.
Comments(17)
Ian P
says...
12:03pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Rochford Rob
says...
1:42pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Good for you Mrs P. It's a shame other business owners are probably reluctant to follow suit on account of being called 'WACIST' by some PC toss pot.
ccd
says...
1:59pm Fri 11 Jan 13
SpiffSpaffington1984
says...
2:14pm Fri 11 Jan 13
emcee
says...
4:01pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Well, it will not be too long before local communities start taking the law into their own hands and vigilantism will rear it's ugly head. Mark my words, it will definately happen if things do not improve very soon.
So, pull your finger out Essex Police because at the moment you are acting in a way that perceives you as "not fit for purpose".
Alan Jacobs
says...
4:19pm Fri 11 Jan 13
SpiffSpaffington1984
says...
6:48pm Fri 11 Jan 13
InTheKnowOk
says...
6:58pm Fri 11 Jan 13
backstabbedworker
says...
8:43pm Fri 11 Jan 13
DogsMessInLeigh
says...
9:36pm Fri 11 Jan 13
SpiffSpaffington1984 wrote:spot on again spiffspaff.
Sorry but if you let these people in your shop in 2013 you deserve to get robbed, look at how they dress, they dont even try to blend in, they make it perfectly clear who they are, everybody knows who they are and what they do. They dont exactly look like the kinda people who work in a highly-specialised fields when not out thieving do they? They are human scum, generation after generation bred and taken around europe with no other purpose than to beg & steal, they will never live a normal life, they dont want or need to, they should be arrested & deported on sight, they have no reason to be in the UK
if i see these lot going in any shops near me i always keep an eye out, sadly many don't have the sixth sense that we both seem to share.
and what sort of salesman didn't smell a rat..? and think hold on what they doing in a glass/window shop in a small parade of Rochford shops....not like the Newsagent next door who was on the ball...these lot are totally out of place.
wonder if local police patrols stop and search these lot regular..or do they even notice them.
Rochford Rob
says...
10:11am Sat 12 Jan 13
Great, crime is going through roof. The official 'stats' will say otherwise. Well, they would wouldn't they?
Mean time, let's close all the prisons so even if pushed we can say 'sorry, there's no room'
Third world country, down the pan, past the u-bend and on its way into the sewer.
Carnabackable
says...
4:10pm Sat 12 Jan 13
0wens man
says...
11:44pm Sat 12 Jan 13
A Dad
says...
3:11pm Sun 13 Jan 13
We need some vigilante justice!
Essex Medja
says...
5:44pm Sun 13 Jan 13
A Dad wrote:By vigilante justice I take it that you mean mob rule. I do hope you are not a Paediatrician by profession or you may be hoist by your own petard!!
They come over here to steal because they know when they're caught (which they often are) they will simply be released with a caution and straight back out thieving again.
We need some vigilante justice!
perini
says...
4:42pm Tue 15 Jan 13
Carnabackable wrote:Exactly - I wrote to Amess suggesting that our Border Control should take a look at how Australia deals with immigration and enclosed the e-mail/letter written by the Australian Prime Minister outlining that immigrants need to fit in with their way of life; not the other way round. He is still waiting for a response from our Home Secretary. If enough people write to our 'elected' they may do something!
Australia has the right approach - no entry unless you've at least 5 thousand in your bank, a profession useful to their economy, and those with any convictions scrutinised and checked, before they are allowed to leave the airport, where as in the UK, welcome to all, do what you like, take what you like, and we will pay you money, look after your medical needs, house you, teach you, and should you break the law, give you free legal advice, we will pay from the tax purse, life's grand here in the UK...
Ricayboy says...
11:20am Fri 11 Jan 13