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Runnymede Officers were out and about on Halloween night, helping to keep things safe and fun.

A 32-year-old man who stole several vehicles and conspired to burgle multiple homes will serve three years and six months in prison. Ahmed Warsame, 32 (DOB: 08/04/1993), of Kingston-upon-Thames, was sentenced at Chichester Crown Court on Friday, 16 October. In March 2025, police attended a burglary in Thames Ditton. CCTV footage showed Warsame enter the property, conduct an untidy search and steal £20,000 of jewellery and cash. Dashcam footage from a neighbour captures him running down the road away from the address towards a white Ford Transit van. The same night, he burgled another home in Kingston-upon-Thames and stole a VW Golf which was abandoned nearby. In May, Warsame targeted a third property in Yateley, Hampshire. Extensive work identified a stolen mission vehicle on false plates near Warsame's address. He was arrested two days later in the same clothing. He completed a hat-trick of crime types when he was found with a fistful of cocaine and ketamine. Both of which were swiftly seized and destroyed. DNA swabs taken from Warsame in custody linked him to the theft of a Range Rover in Thames Ditton and the VW Golf and Ford Transit van which were previously reported stolen. He pled guilty to all charges including conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to steal motor vehicles and possession of class A and class B drugs on Monday, 7 July. Investigating officer PC Daniel Edwards from our Proactive Investigation Team, said: "Warsame targeted properties and vehicles across three counties over an extended period. Thanks to collaboration with other forces and the dedication of multiple teams, we identified him as a key suspect and could link him to several offences. "We take every report of burglary and theft of motor vehicle seriously and will pursue criminals relentlessly until they are put before the courts. "I hope this outcome shows that we are committed to tackling this type of criminality and serves as a reminder to that we will leave no stone unturned in our investigations."

We have been out in force on the roads and in the fields across Surrey for the return of Operation Phoenix – tackling rural crime head-on with our partners at the DVSA, Mole Valley Environmental Health and the Environment Agency. Officers also worked alongside colleagues from Sussex Police and Hampshire Police who joined the operation on Surrey ground. Op Phoenix is our intensive and proactive intelligence-led operation to combat rural crime in Surrey. In the latest round of action, offences targeted included waste-carrying vehicles, vehicles carrying plant and vehicles that could be used to commit rural acquisitive, serious and organised crimes. Over the course of the operation officers:

• Stopped 38 vehicles

• Conducted 11 plant machinery checks

• Made 4 arrests

• Seized 4 vehicles

• Issued fines up to £300 on-the-spot for waste and vehicle offences

• Worked closely with partners to target fly-tipping and plant theft

These results show our continued commitment to keeping Surrey’s countryside safe. We will be out again soon and next, we will have a special focus on targeting poaching, based on what our communities told us matters most. Chief Inspector Christopher Tinney, rural crime lead for Surrey Police said: "Operation Phoenix continues to be a key weapon in our fight against rural criminality within the county. Thanks to feedback from our residents, we were able to target our actions specifically around waste carrying vehicles, as we know the impact that fly tipping can have on our community. Our partner agencies were critical to the success of this operation allowing us to apply a zero-tolerance approach to anyone intending on dumping illegal waste or stealing plant machinery in Surrey."

Join us in welcoming Deputy Chief Constable Mark McEwan to Surrey Police!  

Deputy Chief Constable McEwan said: “I am excited to be joining Surrey Police. The Force has a clear vision and direction set out in Our Plan and I look forward to working with colleagues to deliver it for the people of Surrey.”