BADvent calender
An advent calendar with a difference has been created by Thames Valley Police to count down the days to Christmas.
An advent calendar with a difference has been created by Thames Valley Police to count down the days to Christmas.
The Badvent Calendar, features a different image every day of someone police in Oxfordshire want to speak to in connection with a crime in the county, or someone who is wanted in connection with a crime.
Det Ch Insp Colin Paine told Heart "We have tried a range of options to locate these people, but now are calling on the public to assist in locating them all.
Some of these offences aren't crimes of the century — but it is only right that the offenders should be brought to justice and held to account for what they have done.
However, a number of these offences are serious and there are victims at the end of each one.
It is a dreadful thing to be a victim of crime, especially at Christmas.
I am hoping that with the help of the public we can prevent these offenders from committing any further offences.
It would be a perfect Christmas present for Thames Valley Police to see all 24 brought to justice.
I would appeal to the offenders to hand themselves in before we come knocking on their doors at four in the morning.
1st:
The first day of Christmas in the Thames Valley Police Badvent Calendar is Boris Venon.
Venon, 26, whose last known address was Walton Street, Oxford, was arrested on 11 March in connection with 20 reported thefts from the Lava & Ignite nightclub in Park End Street, Oxford.
Venon specifically targeted student nights at the club, stealing purses, mobile phones, cameras and other valuables handbags.
He has several aliases, including Salim Telmat, Salim Telmit, Haxiol Mathroubi, Hamid Mathroubi and Salim Telmat Mohammed.
He is a white, southern European man, around 5ft 10ins, with brown eyes and short, black, curly hair. He speaks with a French accent.
Det Con Darren Little said: Venon is known to have contacts in the Blackbird Leys area of Oxford, and I would ask anyone who may have seen him to come forward and speak to us as soon as possible.
The night he was arrested, Venon is suspected to have carried out 20 offences of theft, demonstrating that he is a prolific offender.
The nature of his offences shows that he preys on people out having fun and the last thing we want is for anymore people to have their nights out in Oxford ruined.
2nd:
The second day of Christmas sees an appeal for the public’s help tracing James Williams, who also uses the aliases John Williams, Andy Williams and James Robertson.
Williams, aged 25, first came to the attention of Thames Valley Police in 2004, and more recently in August this year following his release from prison for kidnapping and robbery offences.
In 2008, Williams posed as a well known criminal in the Southern Wales area to lure two reporters to a house under the guise that he was going to give them an interview.
Once at the house, he held the two reporters at knifepoint and made them hand over £1,000 in cash and their mobile phones.
PC Kerri Wilkinson said: “The offence he committed was very serious and there are a number of conditions that he had to comply with when he was released from prison, which he is failing to do.
“Williams was last in contact with the probation service on 4 November.
“Since then, he has failed to attend any of his face-to-face appointments and is not answering his phone or responding to texts or letters and because of this he has subsequently been recalled to prison.
“He has contacts in the Oxford area and we believe he is still in touch with them.
“I would urge anyone who has seen him to come forward as soon as possible and let us know.”
Anyone with information should contact Det Con Little via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
3rd:
On the third day of Christmas Thames Valley Police gave to you…three shoplifters caught on CCTV stealing computer games from Tesco in Abingdon.
These chaps didn’t realise they were being filmed on CCTV when they stole the Xbox and Playstation games worth £320 from the supermarket in Marcham Road on 4 November.
Perhaps they were after an early Christmas present, but because of their actions they wont be getting a visit from Santa — rather an officer from Thames Valley Police.
PC James Cartwright said: “These three lads entered into the store shortly after 11.30am.
“Security staff at the store became suspicious of their behaviour and when they went to check on them, but they left the store.
4th
The fourth day of the Thames Valley Police Badvent Calendar sees the release of an image of a man being sought for a recall to prison.
Shohaib Dawood, 25, of Grays Road, Headington, was sentenced to two years for a burglary in June 2007, and started his sentence in August 2007.
Initially Dawood was released on a Home Detention Curfew in April 2008. He failed to comply with the curfew and was recalled to prison in August 2008.
Eventually, in May 2010, Dawood was located after spending 18 months in Canada and returned to prison. He spent a month there before he was released on licence in June 2010.
After his second release from prison for this burglary, Dawood failed to attend meetings with the probation service on a regular basis, the last contact that was made with him was on 19 October. He was subsequently wanted for recall to prison on 29 October.
PC Kerri Wilkinson said:
“Dawood, who is known also as Mutley, is from the Oxford area, and so has a number of contacts in the city. He also has associates in the Bradford area. I would like to speak to anyone who has seen Dawood or who knows of his whereabouts. Dawood was supposed to comply with a number of easy to manage conditions on his release from prison; part of this was meeting face-to-face regularly with his parole officer and to live at his home address. As he has failed to do this he has now been recalled. It was then found that they had forced open the security cases and stolen the games from inside. Shoplifting impacts on everyone as stores are forced to increase prices to cover the cost to them; therefore it is in everyone’s interest to ensure those who carry out this sort of crime are brought before the courts. Do you recognise these men? Have you seen them recently? If you have then I would urge you to contact us as soon as possible.”
Anyone with information should contact PC Cartwright via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
5th
Thames Valley Police’s latest rogues in the Christmas Badvent Calendar are a couple of gents that decided to go on a shoplifting spree — for make-up!
Day five of the Badvent Calendar sees the release of CCTV footage from the Wilkinson store in Bridge Street, Banbury.
These two men were captured on CCTV entering the store and making a bee-line for the cosmetics department.
CCTV footage then shows the men taking 20 Rimmel mascaras worth £160 and pocketing them, before walking out the store without paying.
PC Peter Butt-Gow said:
“These two men don’t look like they wear make-up very often, so perhaps they didn’t realise that they had to pay for it before they left the shop. I think this CCTV is very clear and anyone who knows them would recognise them from this. Do you know these men? Have you seen them around the Banbury area? Also, has anyone approached you with make-up like this for sale? If you know these men, recognise them from the CCTV, or are able to help us in any way with our investigation, then I would urge you to come forward and speak to us.”
Anyone with information should contact PC Butt-Gow via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
6th
Thames Valley Police’s fifth person behind the door in our Christmas Badvent Calendar is Themboni Masuku.
Masuku, aged 28, formerly of Spruce Gardens, Blackbird Leys, is wanted in connection with an on-going fraud investigation being carried out by Thames Valley Police.
The person Masuku is alleged to have defrauded was a previous tenant at her address, who had filled out an on-line application form for a credit card and mistakenly had the card sent to the wrong address.
Over the period of a month Masuku is alleged to have racked-up £5,000 on the balance of the credit card.
Masuku is known to use several aliases, including Themboni Patience Masuka, Tembeni Jessica Masuku and Jessica Masuku.
PC Rebecca Froud said:
“The victim became aware that something was going on when they chased up various documents and the card with the bank, and was told it had already been dispatched. Upon further investigation, they realised the card had been used extensively and immediately contacted the police. Attempts have been made to trace Masuku, but we are yet to locate her. I would urge Masuku to come forward and speak to us in relation to this matter. I would also ask that anyone who knows of her whereabouts or who has seen her, to come forward and speak to us.”
Anyone with information should contact PC Froud via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
7th
This man captured here on CCTV in connection to a shoplifting incident in Chalgrove is the seventh day of the Thames Valley Police Badvent Calendar.
CCTV shows him entering the Londis store in High Street at 7pm on 9 September.
He proceeds to take items off of the shelf and place them into a bag he had with him, and then leaves the store without making any attempt to pay.
He is described as white, about 55-years-old, approximately 5ft 8ins and with a stocky build. At the time of the offence he was carrying a black record-style bag.
PC Hannah Farrell said:
“I believe this man lives locally to the area, as he has been seen around other shops, usually wearing a number of coats at the same time. He has also been seen wearing a woolly hat with a flashing light on the back of it. Do you know this man? Have you seen him in the Chalgrove area? We are keen to speak to him as soon as possible and I would urge anyone with information about his identity or whereabouts to come forward and speak to us as soon as possible.”
Anyone with information should contact PC Farrell via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously via 0800 555 111.
8th
Day eight of the Thames Valley Police Badvent Calendar sees an appeal to help trace a man wanted in connection with a criminal damage incident.
Altin Dulaj, 35, is alleged to have damaged a property in the Cowley area and vandalised a bicycle left outside the property in July this year.
Dulaj is also believed to be of interest to immigration, having already been served with a deportation order in 2003 and deported to Tirana in Albania in 2007.
Dulaj is 5ft 8ins tall, with short, dark brown hair and he speaks English with a foreign accent.
PC Matthew Hodgetts said: “We believe that Dulaj is in the Oxford area and I would urge for him, or anyone who knows of his whereabouts, to come forward and speak to us as soon as possible.
“The criminal damage incident he was involved in saw him allegedly daubing offensive graffiti on the front of the property in Cowley.
“We know that Dulaj has a number of contacts in the city. Have you seen him around Oxford?”
Anyone with information about Dulaj’s whereabout should contact PC Hodgetts via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
9th
The latest person to feature in Thames Valley Police’s Christmas Badvent is a woman officers would like to speak to in connection with a shoplifting incident in Didcot.
The woman, pictured here on CCTV, entered the Boots store in The Broadway on 2 November at 2.55pm.
Footage shows her walking around the store, before taking a number of items off of the shelf and putting them inside her jacket before leaving the store.
Items stolen from the store were worth approximately £100, and included an ovulation kit and various creams and moisturisers.
The woman is described as white, aged between 35-years-old and 45-years-old, with brown hair that was tied back in a ponytail on the day of the offence.
She was wearing black trousers, a black waist-length coat and was carrying a black and white shoulder bag with a swirl pattern.
PC Matthew Richardson said: “This CCTV is very clear and I would urge anyone who recognises this woman to come forward and speak to us.
“Shoplifting is something that impacts on everyone, as shops inevitably have to pass on the cost of these sorts of crimes to law abiding shoppers who pay for their goods.”
Anyone with information should contact PC Richardson via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
10th
A man who has had a warrant issued for his arrest after failing to attend court is the face for the ninth day of the Thames Valley Police Christmas Badvent Calendar.
Terrence Webster, 46, of Campbell Road, Cowley, is wanted by Oxford Crown Court after he failed to attend court in answer to a summons for failing to comply with a requirement of a suspended sentence order.
The suspended sentence was given to Webster in connection with a drug offence, possession of class B drugs with intent to supply.
PC Richard Booth said: “Webster, who is also known as Terry, had a number of requirements he had to comply with, which he has failed to do.
“Attempts have been made by the court and Thames Valley Police to trace him, but so far no contact has been made which is why we are calling on the public to help us.
“Webster has links to Oxford, specifically the city, and I would ask that anyone who has seen him, or who knows of his whereabouts, to come forward and speak to us as soon as possible. “
Anyone with information should contact PC Booth via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
11th
A woman wanted by the courts in relation to a fraud case, features in day eleven of the Thames Valley Police Badvent Calendar.
Norma Clemente, 48, of Crabtree Road, is wanted by Oxford Crown Court in connection for fraud by false representation charge.
Clemente is alleged to have defrauded the company she worked for out of almost £50,000, after submitting fraudulent expense claims that she paid herself while working as a claims expenses administrator.
PC Graham Weir said: “Clemente is originally from Venezuela and so speaks English with an accent. She has links to Oxford area having lived and worked in the city.
“Have you seen this woman in the Oxford area or seen her around the city?
“I would urge anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to come forward and help us locate her so that she can have her day in court.”
Anyone with information regarding Clemente’s whereabouts should contact PC Weir via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
12th
A man who has a warrant issued for his arrest after failing to attend court is the face for the 12th day of the Thames Valley Police Christmas Badvent Calendar.
Michael Pritchard, aged 41, was due to attend Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (9/12) for breeching his bail conditions to reside at an address in Milton Keynes, after being charged in November with handling stolen goods in Oxfordshire.
Det Sgt Andrew Thompson, of Oxford’s Burglary Team, said: “We believe Pritchard is living in the Oxford area and I appeal to anyone who recognises his picture to get in contact with police immediately.
“He is white, around 5ft 6ins, skinny, with short, ginger hair. He was recently seen in the East Oxford area.
“If you have seen him around the city, or know of his whereabouts, please get in touch.”
Anyone with information should contact Det Sgt Thompson via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
13th
The latest rogue in our Christmas Badvent Calendar has been helping himself to goods without paying for them.
Officers want a word with our thirteenth Badventee in connection to shoplifting incidents at the Coop store in Kennington Road, Kennington, on two separate occasions.
The first incident happened on 4 November shortly after 2pm, when the man shown here in the CCTV footage entered the store and proceeded to fill a basket with meat.
The man then ran out the store without paying and made-off on a silver and blue mountain bike, stealing £128 of meat.
The second incident happened four days later on 8 November, when the man entered the store at 6.20pm. Once again he went to the chilled food section and filled his basket up with meat before running out of the store, stealing £30 of meat.
PC Alex Norris said: “The CCTV footage of this man is very clear and I think anyone who knows him would recognise him. The footage also shows a very distinctive scar on top of the man’s head.
“Given that the man cycled away from the scene, it suggests he lives locally. Do you know this man? Have you seen this man around the Kennington area?
“Perhaps you have had someone matching this description calling at your door offering you some meat for sale in the run-up to Christmas.
“I would urge anyone with information about this man or his whereabouts to come forward and speak with us as soon as possible.”
Anyone with information should contact PC Norris via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously via on 0800 555 111.
14th
This man pictured here was not happy at having lost his money in a gaming machine — so he lost has temper and vandalised it.
This criminal act has landed him as the fourteenth face in the Thames Valley Police Badvent Calendar.
The man pictured here went into the Ladbrokes store in London Road, Headington, on the 26 October.
PC Chris Proto said: “It’s not clear exactly what has happened? Perhaps he lost a bit more money than he wanted.
“The result is that he has taken out whatever frustration he has had on the screen of the gaming machine and smashed it.
“A member of staff at the store has seen this and shouted at the man, at which point he has run from the store.”
He is described as mixed race, in his early forties, approximately 5ft 9ins and with a stocky build. He was wearing a blue hooded top, white T-shirt and a red and white baseball cap.
PC Proto said: “This man hasn’t been seen back in this bookmakers since this incident. Have you seen him in your bookmakers?
“If you have seen this man I would urge you to come forward and speak to us as soon as possible so that we can resolve this matter.”
Anyone with information should contact PC Proto via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police Enquiry Line on 0845 8 505 505. Alternatively, you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.