Nov 8, 2012 at 0:11 For the first time, we will be able to vote for a Police Commissioner. The leaflet below explains how it all works...
Police and Crime Commissioners election - information booklet
Democracy, Herne Bay | Keywords: Crime, Kent Police May 5, 2012 at 12:17 Drugs death suspect Craig Wallis has been found dead. Mr Wallis, 37, from Herne Bay, was arrested in connection with the death of Bay man Mark Creed. Mr Creed died of a drugs overdose in a house in Claremont Street on Saturday, March 17.
After being released on bail by police, Mr Wallis checked himself into a mental health ward at Ashford's William Harvey Hospital. But the diabetic walked out without his insulin on Wednesday, April 11. His body was discovered in Sweetwillow Wood behind the hospital last Saturday morning.
Herne Bay | Keywords: Craig Wallis, Crime, Mark Creed, William Harvey Hospital Jan 11, 2012 at 18:36 
Kent Police has issued e-fits of two people they would like to speak to in connection with a distraction burglary in Herne Bay. Detectives are investigating after a small amount of cash was stolen from the home of a 90-year-old man at about 3pm onSunday 4 December 2011.
Detective Constable Leigh Woolnough said:
'At about 3pm the previous afternoon, Saturday 3 December, a young woman knocked on the door of the pensioner’s home, which is in the West Bay area of Herne Bay, and asked if he wanted to buy some raffle tickets for a children’s charity.
Herne Bay | Keywords: Crime, Leigh Woolnough Jan 4, 2012 at 23:39 
Residents of two roads in Greenhill, Herne Bay, have shown their community spirit after vandals went on a paint-spraying rampage. Between 10 and 12 cars parked in Chestnut Drive and Poplar Drive were sprayed with obscenities some time between 10.30pm on Thursday 29 December and 12.30am on Friday 30 December 2011. One car had its nearside front window smashed.
Herne Bay | Keywords: Crime, Greenhill, Justin Walton Sep 17, 2011 at 12:29 Like most people, I get a steady stream of spam emails promising me unexpected wealth from unlikely sources. Most of these are so absurd (and so poorly written) that I'm astonished anyone is ever taken in by them, but they do have some entertainment value in their own right...
Dear Friend,
I am Dr. John C.C Chan a Korean Republc, happily married with children, and i am a Director of Hang Seng Bank Ltd, in charge of the International Remittance department. I have a confidential business you of 25.5 million dollars for you.
Crime Sep 2, 2011 at 21:49 
Across Herne Bay there are arched eyebrows, knowing looks, thoughtful "hmmm's" and I-told-you-so's.
The very thorough fire that gutted the Bun Penny in the small hours of 1st September was no accident.
The Kent Fire experts have decided that "an accelerant" was involved, so Kent Police are treating it as arson, and are asking for witnesses... see below for details.
What next for The Burnt Penny? Clearly it's a shell, but it's unclear whether the shell is solid or unsafe. Is it worth keeping or restoring? It's a prime location, but hadn't (apparently) been very successful as a pub for a while. Any and all suggestions welcome.
Kent Police has confirmed that it is treating a blaze which severely damaged the Bun Penny pub in Central Parade, Herne Bay, as arson. The building was empty at the time and no-one was injured in the blaze. The fire was discovered at about 1am on Thursday 1 September. Detective Inspector Nick Greenan said:
'Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s fire investigation team have now completed their report and we are satisfied the fire was started deliberately using an accelerant.'
Were you in the area on Wednesday night?
'We are appealing for anyone who was in the area on Wednesday night and saw someone going to or leaving the building to contact us immediately. Because an accelerant was used to start the fire it is likely it took hold fairly quickly so the crucial times are between about midnight and 1am.'
Can you help?
If you have information phone Kent Police on 01622 690690 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting crime number EY/14335/11.
Aug 13, 2011 at 8:34 Metal thieves are running rampant through Herne Bay and not even your kitchen equipment is safe, according to one trader. Delicatessen boss Steve Dansey said his fridge has been plundered for parts - not once but twice in recent weeks. He said:
"My fridge was delivered on a Monday. On Tuesday when we went to assemble it we saw all the aluminium brackets had been stolen. It was assembled on Wednesday and by Friday they'd clipped the copper pipes off the back, even though it was running!"
On Tuesday he saw a teenager sifting through items left for a second-hand shop and taking scrap metal away on his bike. Mr Dansey, who runs Butterfly Meadow in the High Street, added:
"He had a black bag on his bike for the scrap. It seemed very Well organised. He wheeled his bike to the end of the road and just Waited to be picked up."
Other shopkeepers say they have spotted thieves stealing metal strips from steps, and in January iron drain grids were stolen for their scrap metal value, leaving holes in the road. Police are working to combat the problem by visiting about 50 breakers yards and scrap metal dealers across the county. Chief Superintendent Steve Corbishley, Kent Police's head of partnership and communities, said:
"Metal theft is a national problem and one of the UK's fastest-growing crimes, and it's having an impact on communities in Kent. We've had church roofs and school buildings targeted, telephone cable and manhole covers stolen by thieves recently. Around 15 million tonnes of metal is recovered nationally each year, with a sale value of £13 billion, which gives an illustration of the scale of this criminality, due to the rising value of commodities like copper. We are visiting scrap metal dealers, and will continue to work on days of action to raise awareness and to target suspects when we have information they are involved in crime."
ed.targett@KRNmedia.co.uk
Herne Bay | Keywords: Crime, Shops, Steve Dansey Jul 22, 2011 at 23:41 A businessman whose wife died in a horrific road accident says he's devastated by the early release of the man responsible. Mike McKenzie was left to raise his three children alone after George Forbes ploughed head-on into his wife Janice's car on the old Thanet Way.
Forbes, who was more than four times over the legal alcohol limit, was jailed for eight years for causing death by dangerous driving in August 2007, but was released on Tuesday, four years early.
Mr McKenzie, who runs furniture company Spacemaster Kent, said he was shocked by the early release. He arrived on the scene moments after the crash. He recalled:
"It was a hugely traumatic evening for us. After my wife Jan didn't turn up in the evening, myself and our three children went to look for her. We arrived at the crash not long after it happened, with my wife's body still in the vehicle. George Forbes had a history of dangerous driving, and now he's being released after just four years to come and live in Whitstable. Myself and my children – Paul, Donna and Scott – are going be forced to cross paths with the man who took their mother and my wife away; a man who has never expressed remorse or apologised."
Mr McKenzie, who was married to his wife for 34 years, said at the time of the court hearing that she hadn't died in vain. He told the Times in 2007 that if her life was lost to keep Forbes off the road, then that was her final sacrifice. Four other cars were involved in the pile-up. A boy aged 7 and an 11-week-old baby girl were also taken to hospital.
Richard Willingham, then Canterbury fire station manager, described being met with a "scene of devastation". He said at the time: "It was a particularly awful and challenging incident."
HB Times 22nd Jul 2011
Crime, George Forbes Jul 21, 2011 at 22:18 
A former Sheriff of Canterbury has been sent to prison today after admitting indecently assaulting a vulnerable youngster and downloading child pornography. Ex-councillor Martin Fisher, 61, later told one police officer:
"Some people like Picasso..I like pictures of children with no clothes on."
The paedophile pleaded guilty at Canterbury Crown Court to five charges, including two sexual assaults on an adult and 11 charges of downloading disgusting images of children - including one depicting sado-masochism on a child. Fisher, from Queen's Road, was told by Judge Adele Williams he had a "deviant sexual interest in children" who had shown no insight about the effect on his victim.
CCC | Keywords: Crime, DC Richard Allen, DCI Paul Fotheringham, Martin Fisher, Public Protection Unit Jun 30, 2011 at 22:48 
A car ended up teetering on a sea wall after speeding off of the road and crashing through stone bollards. Stunned witnesses said the green Peugeot smashed through the bollards in Hampton after careering along Swalecliffe Avenue, ending up balanced on the sea wall on Sunday night. Phil Hopkins, whose house overlooks the road, said three youths walked away from the wreckage unhurt.
Herne Bay | Keywords: Crime, Hampton, Phil Hopkins, Swalecliffe Avenue, Whistable 
