Test Valley residents warned after recent theft series

Officers are warning local Test Valley residents to be on their guard after a series of high value watch thefts in the area.

This comes after two reports were received in the past week that investigating officers believe to be linked.

We received a report that on 19 May, at around 3pm, a man was approached by a woman with a clipboard outside Stoneham Golf Course, after asking him to sign her petition she embraced him.

The victims Rolex watch was stolen from his wrist during the interaction.

We then received a further report that at approximately 10.20am on 25 May, outside Wellow Golf Club on Rye Lane, the victim was approached by a woman who asked him to sign a piece of paper.

Afterward, she grabbed his wrist to thank him. He later noticed his Rolex watch was missing from his wrist.

The suspects are described as:

• A woman around 40-years-old, approximately 5ft 2ins tall, with dark hair. She spoke with an Eastern European accent.
• A woman around 20-years-old, approximately 5ft 3ins tall, with dark shoulder length hair. She spoke with an Eastern European accent.

There were also similar incidents reported in Eastleigh, Yateley, Basingstoke, and Hook.

If you have any information on these incidents, please phone 101 with reference 44210202702 for Wellow Golf Course, or 44210194931 for Stoneham Golf Course.

We wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of some crime prevention advice:

• Keep your mobile phone and valuables, including jewellery, out of sight. If you’re using your phone it’s more likely to be snatched from your hand as you’re not paying attention to your surroundings, so look around you.
• You are less likely to be targeted if you look confident. Move with purpose and try to be aware of your surroundings.
• Be aware of those who might be trying to distract you so somebody else can steal your belongings.
• If you are walking, plan your route and think about what to take with you, especially if you’re going somewhere you haven’t been before. Keep to busy, well-lit streets, walkways and paths which are more likely to be covered by CCTV.