News
‘NightWatcher’ stakes out prey before aacks
A FORMER soldier with special- ist surveillance skills is suspected of being behind a series of terrify- ing and violent burglaries, which has earned him the nickname “NightWatcher”. One of his seven targets was in
Maidstone a year ago and he is be- lieved to have already stolen £1m worth of property. A major police operation is now
under way to apprehend the pow- erfully-builtman,who used a sawn- off shotgun in each of the seven raids across the south east. The detective heading the hunt
told BBC’sRadio 4 that the assailant appears to have military training and advanced surveillance skills where he can watch his victims for days, if notweeks, before launching his attack. Operation Prometheus is being
led by Surrey Police, but Detective Inspector Dee Fielding, leading the investigation, said officers at Kent Police first linked the raids. She said: “It was Kent Police that had put out the original information
to other forces and realised there had been similar offences across the country. Each is being individually investigated by the forces.” Whatmight give himaway is the
fact he is away from home for pro- tracted periods and has an income that does not match his circum- stances. DI Fielding added: “He has
worked quickly and appears to have a knowledge of who is in the home at the time of each attack, the location of safes, and the layout of the property.
“We have evidence that he was
watching several of the houses prior to the burglaries, sometimes for weeks at a time.” He is described as white with a
stocky build and around 6ft tall. He has a southern accent. He has also struck in Sevenoaks,
Sussex, Surrey and Berkshire. Peoplewho think theymay know
the man can call 101, mentioning Operation Prometheus, email Op-
Prometheus@surrey.pnn.police.uk or contact Crimestoppers, anony- mously, on 0800 555 111.
downsmail.co.uk
Family’s home ransacked by
armed robbers Continued from page 1.
every surface. Since the attack,Mrs Ali has had every inch of the house washed and cleaned, including the carpets, but she has not ventured out since, not even to see her beloved grandchildren. Mr Ali said: “I have lived in this
house for 30 years.Our neighbours and the people in Marden have been so nice and kind to us over the years. Some of these people I have known so long that I amnowserv- ing their grandchildren in the restaurant. We have been over- whelmed bymessages of support. “But the whole thing has left us
absolutely devastated and in terri- ble shock.” Mr Ali has warned other resi-
dents to be wary of opening doors to
strangers.Detective Sergeant Ian McCarthy said: “Thiswas a terrify- ing ordeal for this family and thankfully no one suffered any in- juries.We need the public’s help.” Call Kent Police’s appeals num-
ber on 01622 604100, quoting refer- ence YY/002018/18. Alternatively, contact Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
downsmail.co.uk
Callous disposal of shot birds ‘disgusts’ villagers
VILLAGERSwere left upset after a number of dead geese and ducks were dumped in a car park. The grimdiscoverywasmade in
Headcorn on the evening of Janu- ary 7. Nine Canada geese and six mallard ducks were left in black bin bags in the car park behind the village’s Sainsbury’s store. By the time parish council clerk
Caroline Carmichael got to the scene, the situation had got even worse. “It was pretty disgusting,” she
said. “They had been shot and then dumped in the bags – and I think a fox had got at themaswell. “It was really upseting – I cried
all day. It was the complete disre- gard for the animals that upsetme themost.” The parish council sprung into
action to get the dead birds re- moved. Initially itwas quoted £100 per animal, and then £900 for them all, before a local expert offered to do the work for just £20 – with the parish council adding a £30 dona-
Canada
geese, like the ones pic- tured here, are pro- tected by law and hunting can only take place with a licence
tion to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Canada geese are protected by
law and to shoot them requires a government licence from Natural England. To kill one without per- mission is a contravention of the Wildlife & Countryside Act, says the RSPB. Mrs Carmichael added: “Shoots
do happen, of course. But you ex- pect the birds to be disposed of cor- rectly. “The car park is hidden away and we do have issues there with
fly-tipping,which is justmaking it someone else’s issue to take their rubbish away. “But this was just so disrespect-
ful.When Iwas told about it, Iwas expecting to maybe find one duck, but the scale of itwas so upsetting.” A spokesman for the RSPCA
said: "We fully share people's con- cerns at finding these dead birds. “Wewill always look into, and if
necessary investigate, any com- plaints made to us about animal welfare. Anyone with information should call us on 0300 1234 999.”
News
School chicks PUPILS at Headcorn Primary School are looking after seven chick- ens, hatched fromfertilised eggs. The hens – called Princess Laya,
Yolko Ono, Mishelle, Peggy, Egg- wina, Henrietta and Chicuita – are in the care of a group called The Chicken Crew. Head teacher Sandra Symonds
said: “Because we watched them hatch and grow, they are very tame, friendly and easy to handle.” Crew members feed, water and
clean out the hen house. Special Branch Tree Care recently donated a quantity of loose chippings for the chicken run.
Bridge date A BRIDGE afternoon will be held at St Michael’s Church, in Chart Sutton, on Thursday, February 15, at 2pm. For tickets, £7.50, callChris and Sue on 01622 842629 or Heather Knowler on 01622 749012.
Donkey quest VICAR Fiona Haskett has issued an appeal to find a donkey to help her church celebrate PalmSunday. Rev Haskett, of Headcorn’s St
Peter&St Paul, can be contacted on on 01622 891804 or email her at
Fiona.haskett@btopenworld.com.
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