Lincolnshire Police have asked people living in the north of the city to keep valuables locked away following a string of burglaries over the last week.

All the incidents have taken place on the Ermine West and East estates between September 18 and 24.

The first burglary occurred on Deansleigh on September 18, with two more committed on September 20 and 21 at Cornwall House on Laughton Way and Blankney Crescent.

Four incidents were reported to the force on September 22, at addresses on Ingleby Crescent, Pietermaritz Street and two on Welton Gardens.

Further burglaries took place on Sudbrooke Drive the following day and on Waddingworth Grove on September 24.

John Elvin, PCSO for Lincoln North, said: “Various items have been taken from these burglaries and we advise people not to leave anything on view in windows and to make sure that doors are locked.

“If you see anything suspicious please dial 999 or if you know any information regarding these burglaries please ring 101 with the incident number mentioned.”

The incident numbers for each of the burglaries are as follows:

• Deansleigh – incident 84 of September 18
• Laughton Way – incident 235 of September 20
• Blankney Crescent – incident 303 of September 21
• Welton Gardens – incidents 340 and 386 of September 22
• Ingleby Crescent – incident 354 of September 22
• Pietermaritz Street – incident 290 of September 22
• Sudbrooke Drive – incident 493 of September 23
• Waddingworth Grove – incident 77 of September 24

Lincolnshire Police are warning people not to walk through Lincoln city centre alone at night after a man followed a woman to the door of her home before exposing himself through her window.

Officers are investigating a report that a woman was walking down Lincoln High Street on September 24 at around 10.45pm when she noticed she was being followed.

After entering her home on Shakespeare Street, she noticed the man was at her window and appeared to be masturbating.

The suspect is described as a white man around 5ft 2 inches tall, wearing a dark hoody and dark jeans.

Lincoln Community Inspector Pat Coates said: “This incident is under investigation and a number of enquiries are being carried out in relation to it.

“This type of incident is rare and we believe this is a one-off. However, we are keen to hear from anyone else if they might have experienced anything of this nature or seen a man acting suspiciously in the area. The more information we have the fuller a picture we can build.

“The lady involved in this has done exactly the right thing by quickly calling police with her concerns.

“Although we believe this is an isolated incident it is a timely opportunity to remind people, and especially lone women, to be vigilant around personal security.

“If you are a woman try to always travel in pairs during the late evening or try and take a marked and licensed taxi.

“If that’s not possible then try and plan your route ahead, use busy, well-lit streets, and avoid wearing headphones or chatting on your mobile.

“Stay alert and call police as soon as possible if you feel unsafe or want to report anything suspicious to us.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lincolnshire Police on the non-emergency number 101 quoting incident 534 of September 24.

Alternatively, people can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Lincolnshire Police are appealing for information after an orange caterpillar mini digger was stolen overnight from a school in Lincoln.

The theft took place at a time between midnight and 6.15am on September 28 at the Sir Francis Hill Community Primary and Nursery School, on Bristol Drive in the Boultham area of the city.

Police have said that the thieves stole the digger from a building site at the school.

Anyone with information or who saw people acting suspiciously in the area should contact Lincolnshire Police on 101, quoting crime number 15000098554.

Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Police are investigating a scrap at a popular pub in Lincoln’s Cathedral Quarter, which left a man with facial injuries.

Officers received a report at around 6.40pm on Monday, September 28 that a group had been involved in a fight inside the Magna Carta pub on Exchequergate.

The brawl was then reported to have spilled out into the square where one man was injured.

He was taken to hospital with facial injuries.

Lincolnshire Police have issued an appeal for witnesses of the disturbance to come forward.

Anyone with information about the incident or the people involved should call police on 101 quoting incident number 331 of September 28.

Alternatively, people can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a woman had money stolen at a cash machine in Lincoln city centre.

The 59-year-old victim was using the Santander ATM in Exchange Arcade at around 7.20am on Tuesday, September 29 when another woman approached her and asked if she needed any assistance.

The woman then withdrew £300, gave the victim £20, and ran off.

Police are searching for the woman, who is described as white, in her early 20s, with long dark hair, and wearing dark clothing.

Investigating officers would like to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard anything, or who may have seen a woman matching the above description.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 quoting incident 95 of September 29.

Alternatively, people can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A male motorcyclist has been taken to hospital with a serious leg injury after a crash with a lorry on a section of the A607 near Lincoln.

The crash was reported to Lincolnshire Police at 11.36am on Thursday, October 1 and emergency services attended the scene on Grantham Road between Waddington and Harmston.

A man, 59, who was riding the motorcycle, was taken to Lincoln County Hospital with a leg injury. He is not thought to be in a critical condition.

The driver of the lorry sustained no injuries.

Both people involved are thought to have been from the Suffolk area.

The road is closed at the time of writing, with diversions being arranged.

Anyone who witnessed the collision but who has not yet spoken to police should call 101 with incident reference number 142 of October 1.

Six months after Lincoln became the first city in the UK to enforce a ban on the public consumption of so-called legal highs, along with alcohol, figures have revealed 276 occasions where the order was breached.

A review of City of Lincoln Council’s approval of the Public Space Protection Order for the city centre began on Thursday, October 1.

The ban, introduced on April 1 in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour, was the first of its kind in the country and applies to New Psycoactive Substances (more commonly known as legal highs).

A number of other local councils have since followed suit.

The PSPO also includes a restriction on drinking alcohol in public and is enforced by Lincolnshire Police.

In the first six months, there have been 276 incidents of people breaking the ban, and in 247 of these cases the alcohol or legal highs were surrendered on request.

Of the 29 breaches, there have so far been 12 successful prosecutions, with seven pending and a further 10 Fixed Penalty Notices issued. (A case goes to court if the Fixed Penalty Notice is not paid).

In addition, anyone who breaches the PSPO is offered support through AddAction.

Sam Barstow, Service Manager for Public Protection and Anti-Social Behaviour at the city council, said: “We are pleased with the commitment of partners in enforcing and working with the council to effectively implement this order.

“We understand from talking to businesses and people living in the area that the PSPO has had a positive effect.

“When members agreed to the ban it was with the condition that there would be a review of its success after six months. As part of this, we will be consulting directly with businesses and residents in the area over the next few weeks.

“We would also welcome feedback from residents or visitors on how they think the PSPO is working and people are invited to get in touch with us by calling 01522 873378 or emailing ppasb@lincoln.gov.uk.

“We expect the review to take a few weeks, after which we will make a decision on whether any part of the order, including the area it covers, needs to be adjusted.

“The council’s Policy Scrutiny Committee will meet to discuss this review towards the end of November.”

Councillor Fay Smith, the council’s Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services and Public Protection, added: “Anecdotal evidence suggests the PSPO has been very successful in tackling anti-social behaviour and protecting Lincoln’s residents, businesses and visitors.

“Although we are proud to have taken a proactive approach to protect our communities from the emerging problem of NPS, we mustn’t be complacent and it’s important we take stock of the situation now and whether we could be doing more to ensure our city centre is a safe and welcoming place for residents and visitors alike.”

A leading Lincolnshire Police officer has vowed to enforce new legislation which makes it illegal to smoke in a vehicle in the presence of under 18s.

The law, introduced on October 1, applies to every driver in England and Wales, including those aged 17 and those with a provisional driving licence.

It covers any private vehicle that is enclosed wholly or partly by a roof, even if the window, sunroof or doorway is open, or the air conditioning unit is on.

However, the law does not apply to a convertible if the roof is completely down or if the driver is 17-years-old and on their own in the car.

Similarly, it does not apply to electronic cigarettes and all forms of nicotine vaporisers.

Both the driver and smoker can be held accountable for the offence.

Lincolnshire say they will initially be taking an educational approach, but drivers and passengers who break the law could face a penalty fine of £50.

Chief Inspector Phil Vickers, regional operations lead on roads policing, said: “We will embrace the new legislation and enforce it where appropriate, we will also work with our partner agencies to raise awareness of the new law.

“Our focus remains on the Fatal 4 offences which are speeding, drink and drug driving, driving without a seat belt and using mobile phone and our approach to this new offence will primarily be to the educate smokers where we see the offence being committed.”

This week saw the latest smoking ban come into force in England and Wales. This now means that people will no longer be able to smoke in cars with children present, regardless of open windows or sun roofs – however convertibles with the roofs down are exempt.

Scotland and Northern Ireland meanwhile have yet to push anything through, with the former bringing the debate to Scottish Parliament next year and Northern Ireland stating they will see how the new laws workout here before making a decision.

Inevitably the new law will lead to an even greater stigma, and one has to wonder if part of the reasoning is yet another attempt to herd the masses into conformity. A prime example of this being the new legislation on supermarket alcohol sale’s, brought in last year shortly before the world cup. From April 2014 supermarkets were no longer able to sell alcohol below cost price.

However, opinion polls would suggest that a good sized number of the British public are in agreement, with a 2014 YouGov poll stating that 77% believed pushing through the ban was the appropriate action.

Many have questioned how the police can feasibly enforce the new regulations; with the police themselves stating they intend to take a softer approach for the first three months, informing as opposed to reprimanding. There is nonetheless a possibility of a £50 fine which officers can enforce.

Social implications aside, there has been a wealth of research (from profit driven and non-profit alike) that all concludes the same thing – passive smoking damages, particularly children.

Just as an asthma suffer or elderly person will suffer more from the myriad of chemicals and carcinogens, as will a smaller set of lungs and the rapidly developing immune system of a child.

A popular study from 2009 concludes that even with windows open whilst driving, hand out, a car will still have a similar amount of pollutant ‘particle matter’ to a small pub or bar.

From 2013 statistics we can see that locally, both in the city and county, there are a slightly above average number of smokers for England, which begs the question will the new regulations be harder to enforce here than elsewhere?

Of course, all statistics can be ‘made to fit’, even large scale. However, we’ve had decades of progression with science and understanding, time and time again leading, or indeed bringing us to, the conclusion that smoking isn’t good. And in many cases, it’s downright bad.

Lincolnshire Police have joined forces with eight other agencies to launch a comprehensive crackdown on rogue traders in the county.

Officers from the force have worked with experts from Lincolnshire Trading Standards, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the Environment Agency and Immigration Enforcement to target suspected rogue traders based on intelligence previously gathered.

Checkpoints have been set up this week at the Pennells roundabout on the A46 and by Sutton Bridge, next to the border with Norfolk.

Patrolling one of the checkpoints has been Chief Inspector Phil Vickers of the East Midlands Operational Support Unit, who emphasised the collaborative approach to sharing intelligence through this national week of action.

He said: “Rogue traders are causing significant harm to vulnerable people across Lincolnshire.

“We’re not randomly pulling people off the road here – we’re using intelligence-led policing. Sometimes we’re looking at the condition of the vehicle, the fuel that they’re using but we know that rogue traders across Lincolnshire have been involved in modern day slavery offences as well.”

Kirsty Toyne, principal trading standards officer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Rogue traders can be very persuasive and convincing in their approach and it can be very distressing and frightening for an elderly or vulnerable person who is unaware of how to protect themselves.

“Tracking down and catching these rogue traders is an absolute priority for Lincolnshire County Council’s Trading Standards teams.

“Working with our partners, including Lincolnshire Police and HMRC, we are committed to working together to tackle this issue and will take appropriate enforcement action against those involved.”

Anthony Scott from HMRC Hidden Economy Team added: “This joint operation is just one of HMRC’s Hidden Economy Team’s crackdowns on the dishonest minority of people who try to keep outside of the tax system.

“If you are caught you may not only have to pay what you owe but additional penalties and interest on top.”

A 25-year-old local man has been arrested on suspicion of assault following a bloody brawl which spilled out of a Lincoln pub on Monday, September 28.

As previously reported, Lincolnshire Police launched an investigation after a scrap sparked at the Magna Carta pub on Exchequergate at around 6.40pm.

The altercation left a man with facial injuries, which are not thought to have been serious.

Police appealed for witnesses of the fight to come forward quoting incident number 331 of September 28.

The arrested man has since been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Update, 3.30pm October 5: Lincolnshire Police have named the man killed in the crash as Glenn Merrin, 55, from Doncaster.

A man in his 50s has died following a serious crash near to the village of Hemswell, north of Lincoln.

The single vehicle crash happened just before midday on Sunday, October 4 on the A631 Hemswell Lane.

The man, who is said to be from South Yorkshire, was riding a Suzuki motorbike in the direction of Caenby Corner when the collision occurred.

At present, no further details about his identity have been released by police.

Investigating officers would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the collision and has not already spoken to police.

In particular, one car is believed to have stopped just after the incident and the occupant/s may have witnessed something that could assist the enquiry.

Officers would like to speak to the driver or occupants to see if they have any information that may be relevant to the investigation.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Lincolnshire Police Collision Witness Hotline on 01522 558855 or 101 quoting incident 210 of October 4.

A Lincoln man has been jailed for 18 weeks after two Staffordshire Bull Terrier dogs he was in charge of attacked a guide dog.

Leslie Stone, 39, was on St Mary’s Street in Lincoln city centre on May 22 in control of the two dogs when they lashed out at a golden Labrador with its visually impaired owner.

The female assistance dog suffered minor injuries to her eye. She has since recovered and is said to be fit and well to continue with her duties.

The owner of the assistance dog, a 71-year-old woman from Nottinghamshire, was knocked to the ground during the incident.

She was not seriously hurt but was left distressed and shaken up.

Stone, of Monks Road in Lincoln, was jailed for 18 weeks after pleading guilty at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court to being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

The two Staffordshire Bull terriers were also ordered to be kept properly under control or they would have to be destroyed.

A spokeswoman for Lincolnshire Police said: “This case highlights how all pet owners have to be responsible and make sure that their animals are under control and are not going to pose a danger to any other person or animal, especially in a public place.

“We would like to offer a big thank you to the members of the public who helped this lady and her dog and showed her great kindness in the aftermath of the incident.

“She was understandably distressed and having people around to help her, many of whom also provided statements to the police, made all the difference. “

Lincolnshire Police have issued a stern reminder to residents after a laser was shone at an air ambulance over the weekend.

Police received reports that the laser was aimed at the ambulance in the Witham St Hughs area as it returned from an emergency call at around 7.30pm on Sunday, October 4.

The aircraft was unaffected and police said they believe the incident was caused by a “stupid and ill-judged act of a child” rather than something more sinister.

A police spokesperson said: “It is not only extremely dangerous but is also a criminal offence. It can dazzle or distract a pilot and can prove a considerable threat to safety.

“These devices are not toys and we would like to remind people of the seriousness of shining them at an aircraft.”

Parents and guardians are being advised to dispose of any laser devices seen in the possession of children.

Police are continuing to investigate the report under incident number 368 of October 4.

Police say they are growing increasingly concerned for the well-being of a man who lives on the border of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

Victor Goodridge-Suarez of Dunham-on-Trent, 12 miles west of Lincoln, was last seen late on Friday, October 2.

Victor is mixed race, balding with very short hair and of muscular build.

He is believed to be wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and black shoes.

Anyone that has seen Victor, or knows of his whereabouts, should contact Nottinghamshire Police on the non-emergency 101 number, quoting incident number 246 of October 3.

A Lincoln pet shop owner has urged police to track down a man caught on CCTV stealing two tortoises worth hundreds of pounds.

Footage from the Lincoln Reptile & Pet Centre on Newark Road, at around 10.45am on September 11, shows a man in his mid to late 30s casually walk into the store and pick up the two tortoises, before leaving.

He was wearing a black baseball cap, grey top, dark jacket, dark trousers and dark grey trainers.

The owners contacted Lincolnshire Police on the same day, but it was when they shared the footage on their Facebook page on October 5 that several local residents came forward with information.

Hundreds of people shared and commented on the story, with a number of people giving the name of the thief to the owners confidentially.

A regular customer at the store spoke to the man as he left, and is also said to be in a position to identify him.

Lincolnshire Police are continuing to investigate the incident and have been made aware of the name and address of the person believed to be in the video.

Alyss Dickinson, one of the owners of Lincoln Reptile & Pet Centre, said: “It’s really upsetting that someone could actually do something so low and steal two of our tortoises just to sell them on and make some easy money.

“Obviously we’re very concerned for their welfare, especially as a lot of people do not know the difference between tortoises and turtles. Tortoises live on land and turtles in water, so we’re concerned that our tortoises have been put in water by the thieves.

“But I can’t thank people enough for their support – we’ve had such a fantastic response from people coming back to us with the same name of the person who did this. Hopefully, now the police will be able to act.”

Police are investigating the theft and would like to hear from anyone who may have seen a man matching that description or anyone who may have been offered the animal for sale.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 quoting incident 152 of September 11.

Lincolnshire Police are reminding residents to keep their valuables safe following several reports of suspicious behaviour across the city in the last few days.

Thieves stole a number of power tools from a van parked on a driveway on Fontwell Crescent in Moorland overnight on Sunday, October 4.

This followed two thefts from vehicles at the Oasis development on Carholme Road on October 4, and an additional incident on Albion Close the next day.

In the early hours of Monday morning, Lincolnshire Police also received two separate reports of teenagers acting suspiciously around Gregg Hall Crescent and Somersby Close in Bracebridge.

Three men in their early 20s wearing hooded tops were seen approaching vehicles on driveways, trying door handles and garage doors.

Gary Jacobs, PCSO for the Park area of Lincoln, said that other similar incidents had taken place recently involving intruders appearing in gardens, people looking through windows with torches and trying house and car door handles.

He said: “Please report such activity immediately to the police. Secure your doors and windows at all times and look at anti-intruder devices such as PIR sensor lights, anti-climb devices on fences and walls and the securing of gates.

“Hide or remove all valuables from your car including leads and loose change as these items can encourage a thief to break a window to gain entry. Leave lights on in the house to look like the property is occupied.”

Anyone with information on these incidents should contact Lincolnshire Police on 101.

For the Fontwell Crescent theft, witnesses should quote crime number 15000101849. People with information on the suspicious behaviour in Bracebridge should quote incident number 20 of October 5.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Police have launched an investigation after an elderly man inappropriately touched a teenage girl on a bus travelling from Grantham to Lincoln.

The 14-year-old girl got on the bus at Grantham to travel into Lincoln at 9.10am on Friday, October 2.

At some point during the journey an elderly man, aged between 70 and 80, also got on the bus and sat next to her at the back.

He then repeatedly touched the young girl’s leg despite her asking him not to.

The man was wearing a tartan hat, beige chinos and a gold watch.

It is not known exactly when he got on the bus but the victim did notice he was onboard at Barkston.

Officers are investigating the incident and would like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed anything or who recognises the man described.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Lincolnshire Police on 101 quoting incident 105 of October 2.

Alternatively contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A national appeal has been launched to trace missing Polish woman Magdelana Charciarek, who police believe may be in Lincolnshire.

Magdelana, 27, was last seen leaving her family’s home in Cookson Street, Doncaster, at around 1pm on Wednesday, September 30, where she said she was going to the town centre.

She has not been seen since and police, along with her family, are growing increasingly concerned for her safety.

Magdelana is described as white around 5ft 6ins tall, slim build, with blue eyes and long light brown hair.

She was last seen wearing a grey coat with blue skinny jeans, a blue t-shirt, a long red scarf and carrying a black coloured leather handbag. Magdelana also wears glasses.

Superintendent Natalie Shaw, from Doncaster District Police, said: “Since Magdelana was reported missing last week we have been working with her family and have carried out a number of searches in the local area as well as issuing a media appeal.

“At this stage we have not been able to trace any further confirmed sightings of Magdelana and as you can imagine our fears for her safety are growing with each passing hour.

“We don’t believe that Magdelana has access to a bank account or mobile phone and at the time she was last seen is thought to have had around £10 in her possession.

“Magdelana speaks some English and has travelled previously but her disappearance is out of character and it’s vital we trace her whereabouts as her family are extremely concerned.

“There is a strong Polish community in Lincolnshire and I would appeal to members of that community to come forward if they have any information surrounding Magdelana’s disappearance. I would also ask anyone living or working in Lincolnshire to look at the pictures of Magdelana and contact us if you’ve seen anyone matching her description since last Wednesday afternoon.”

If you see Magdelana, or know where she might be, call South Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 1218 of September 30.

Complaints and allegations against police in Lincolnshire have spiked with new watchdog figures revealing a countrywide decrease in public confidence.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) annual police complaints statistics for England and Wales in 2014/15 indicated more and more people are dissatisfied with the conduct of their local police forces.

The number of complaints made against the Lincolnshire Police force in the year 2014/15 was 567, an 11% rise on the previous year’s figure of 510.

Nationally, the number of complaints against police forces across the country has risen from 16,654 in 2001/02 to 37,105 in the year 2014/15.

When it comes to legal allegations made against the Lincolnshire force, the number has risen from 728 to 1,060 in the last year – a 46% rise.

A total of 69,571 allegations against police forces were made across the country. They included malpractice, breaches of codes, discrimination and other neglects of duty.

Shockingly, the report also reveals that 150 sexual assault allegations and 405 serious non-sexual assault claims were lodged against police.

Some 59% of the allegations made against Lincolnshire Police were investigated with 9% ending in withdrawal, 2% in ‘dissapplication’ and 31% ending in ‘local resolution’.

Just 87 (15%) of the allegations investigated by Lincolnshire Police were upheld.

The report also recognised that Lincolnshire Police took less time to record and deal with complaints than the national and most similar force average.

The county force is putting the increase down to improvements in transparency of the complaints system in Lincolnshire.

“Increase is a positive sign”

Superintendent David Wood, from the Force’s Professional Standards Department, said: “Lincolnshire Police welcome the report published today by the IPCC, who have recognised that the current complaints system is over complex and difficult for complainants to understand and access.

“Lincolnshire Police are committed to providing a professional, effective and efficient service to the communities it serves. It is therefore always disappointing when somebody is dissatisfied with the way they have been treated or the service the service they have received.

“We take complaints very seriously and will always listen to, and take time to establish, exactly what the complaint is about and what the complainant would regard as a satisfactory outcome.

“Complaints also provide an opportunity to ascertain whether there is any individual or organisational learning for the force arising from the incident itself or the way it was handled.

“Given the complexities of the complaints system, I believe that the increase is a positive sign for the force.

“It demonstrates that the public are able to access the complaints system through a number of channels: by phone, on line, email, letter and in person, often a simpler process than in some other forces.

“Furthermore, it shows that the public of Lincolnshire expect high standards from their officers, have confidence in the system, and trust that by making us aware of their dissatisfaction, we will look into it and resolve it.

“We have recently been inspected by the HMIC, who praised Lincolnshire Police for the overall standard of complaint investigations completed by the force. They also recognised that the complaints procedures demonstrated our commitment to resolving complaints to the satisfaction of the complainant.

“Although we believe this is a positive report for Lincolnshire we are committed improving how we handle complaints.

“The IPCC report provides an opportunity to consider its figures and commentary with our Police and Crime Commissioner to see if further action is required.”

Dame Anne Owers, Chair of the IPCC, said: “These figures show a complaints system that is both over-complex and inconsistent, and is clearly failing to satisfy a significant number of complainants.

“Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners should look closely at the figures for their own forces to satisfy themselves that complainants are being treated fairly and well.

“However, the underlying problem is the system itself. We welcome the fact that the government proposes to bring in legislation to simplify and streamline a system that at present satisfies neither those who need it nor those who have to operate it.”