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The Banking Protocol is a UK wide partnership between banks, the Post Office, police, and National Trading Standards, designed to protect customers including vulnerable people from fraud when they visit a branch. Under the scheme, branch staff are trained to spot the warning signs that someone may be under pressure, being coached by a criminal, or about to withdraw money for a scam. Last year across Surrey and Sussex over 400 vulnerable people were supported and safeguarded due to this protocol. In Surrey, a victim of romance fraud believed they were in contact with an American soldier serving in Ukraine. Staff at NatWest identified the fraud, blocked a £1,500 transfer and involved police having frozen the customer’s account. This protocol is used in addition to engagement events we do in the local community to help share the latest scam information as well as answer any questions you might have about fraud. 

Demi-Lou Jones, 20 (DOB: 17/12/2005), of Hammersmith; Christy Quilligan, 20 (DOB: 22/10/2005), of Hammersmith; Alan Trevor Quilligan, 23 (DOB: 30/07/2002), of Hillingdon; Alan Charles Quilligan, 46 (DOB: 27/08/1979), of Ealing; and Margaret Quilligan, 18 (DOB: 07/07/2007), of Ealing, were charged on Friday, 27 March at Guildford Crown Court for several theft offences carried out throughout Surrey. Jones was charged for conspiracy to steal from a shop. Christy Quilligan was charged for conspiracy to steal from a shop and possession of a controlled drug. Alan Trevor Quilligan was charged for conspiracy to steal from a shop and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place. Alan Charles Quilligan was charged for conspiracy to steal from a shop. Margaret Quilligan was charged for conspiracy to steal from a shop. All five have been released on conditional bail and will next appear at Guildford Crown Court on 27 April 2025. Sgt Phil Bayman said: "We have been carrying out a lot of work with local stores and working with businesses in the Borough to tackle shoplifting. "If you witness an incident of shoplifting, please tell us as soon as possible. We will take your report seriously and the information could be vital in reducing shoplifting across our Borough."

A 22-year-old man from Godalming has been sentenced to prison after subjecting a woman to repeated abuse and defrauding multiple victims of thousands of pounds. Connor Lockwood (DOB 29/04/2003) continued his campaign of domestic abuse across several years, leaving the survivor terrified and isolated. His attacks included extinguishing a cigarette on the woman, creating a permanent scar, and he later struck her on the head with a broom handle. Reflecting on the abuse, the survivor shared: “The physical harm that Connor caused me will live with me forever. I still struggle with sleep and worry that I always will struggle. I still have flashbacks and nightmares as sometimes I still wake thinking I am back there and that he is attacking me. I am trying really hard to move on from what happened, and I want to do whatever it takes, I just don't want the physical and emotional pain to stay with me forever.” Lockwood's criminal behaviour did not stop with this survivor, and he was also responsible for defrauding people out of thousands of pounds. He used dating apps to get to know his victims and then tricked them into sending him money, on one occasion scamming a victim out of £7500.