News | Page 44

A highly organised gang of robbers attempted to ram raid a convenience store to steal money from the cash machine inside. The Merseyside criminals targeted cash machines as they were being restocked between March and September, 2008; while committing a string of burglaries at houses in England and Wales. Welsh detectives worked hand-in-hand with Merseyside police’s Matrix team to help snare the gang.

Angry scenes took place in some constituencies at the spring general election when polling stations were unable to cope with the number of electors, some of whom were turned away. This was despite polls being open from 7am until 10pm. Jenny Watson, chair of the independent watchdog, the Electoral Commission, said that the returning officers "did not properly plan for, or react to, polling day problems. That is unacceptable.

Some local councils have taken on responsibility for parking fines. Traffic wardens have been replaced by civil parking enforcement teams (CEOs) on the beat for more hours than usual, from 7am-10pm seven days a week in Cardiff, Wales. The new teams will be mobile so any trouble spots can be prioritised. Cardiff council took over the enforcement from South Wales Police as part of a wider transport strategy.

A common crime is for a motorist to drive off without paying for petrol. Recently a man has been given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, by magistrates at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court for this offence after he pleaded guilty to making off without payment for £40 worth of fuel and driving while disqualified.

On the first occasion a senior officer or minister has suggested that traditional front line policing will not escape the huge axe in public services, one of the country’s top policemen has warned that bobbies on the beat could fall under cuts. Hugh Orde, the President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, made the stark statement in private notes inadvertently sent to The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Carpark Barriers and Turnstiles offer an integrated barrier security network to reduce the threat of unwelcome visitors on your premises. It would help prevent bizarre incidents like a fan somehow gaining access to the England dressing room after a World Cup game in South Africa. The fan was asking the way to a toilet after the Algeria match and said he was given wrong directions at the Green Point stadium.

Carpark Barriers and Turnstiles and its parent company Tensor plc are celebrating achieving a top industry SAFEContractor Certificate gained for the high standard of health and safety (H&S) practices attained.

The Walt Disney Company, which is the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world, operates more than ten theme and leisure parks around the globe. Their parks are huge enclosed sites and need highly secure entrance turnstiles. Carpark Barriers and Turnstiles, part of the Tensor group, supply full height, half height and glass turnstiles complete with a two year warranty.

Firms are being warned to watch against increasing incidents of company identity fraud. One scam sees clever fraudsters stealing the identity of a legitimate business and using their credit records to obtain goods before disappearing. The thieves can order goods from current or new suppliers to be sent to the new bogus address. Both genuine parties will be unaware of the situation until the supplier chases the legitimate business for payment.

North West police are chasing a gang of three HGV raiders who are on the run after they smashed their way through haulage yard gates, driving £150,000 worth of stolen trucks. Bill Foulkes, operations manager at R J Jones haulage firm, described how the gang smashed their way out of the depot, through steel gates, and headed towards Heswall in the Wirral area. He said: "They must have been quite surprised to find the police on to them so fast.

Turnstiles, made by Tensor, have been installed at Bexleyheath School in Kent, which is a co-educational comprehensive school open to students of all abilities between 11-19 years of age. The school became a Foundation School in September 2009 in partnership with Academies Enterprise Trust and Beths Grammar School. Approximately 2150 students attend the school with over 200 teaching, support and administrative staff.

Unauthorised access by travellers, particularly at night, has been an increasing problem across industrial areas in the South East of England. While security is not an issue during the day, a robust solution is required to secure these sites during the hours of darkness. The practicalities associated with this type of installation rule out many potential physical security solutions. Automatic bollards are the most suitable method of security for this kind of situation as they can be raised and lowered according to the specific needs of each site.