New Milton Advertiser 2nd Oct 2020

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Car dealer offers reward after raid

Water out after main bursts TAPS ran dry at many properties after a water main burst, flooding Christchurch High Street. The alarm was raised around 10am on Wednesday, with reports the rupture had taken place near the Foun- tain roundabout. A repair team from Bournemouth Water man- aged to restore supplies by around 12.15pm.

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A NEW Milton car dealer is of- fering a “substantial” reward to help catch four raiders who caused more than £6,000 worth of damage stealing catalytic converters at his business. Richard Symons, who runs R. Symons Ltd, told the A&T: “It is totally infuriating that for the sake of taking something worth £50-100 each, these men have cost me thousands. “Not only that but also the impact it has had in terms of having to deal with it all. It is just really frustrating and there seems to have been a spate of these types of thefts in the local area recently.” The thieves struck at the electric car specialist, based on the Queensway industrial es- tate off Stem Lane, in the early hours of 23rd September. They broke a wire perimeter fence to gain access to the rear yard of the dealership where they tried to cut the catalytic converters from three vehicles – success- fully removing two. Catalytic converter thefts have soared in recent years as the value of precious metals used in them has increased, including rhodium and palladi- um. Mr Symons said: “Ironically the cars we sell are electric so do not have catalytic convert- ers. “The vehicles they stole them from were a pick-up truck and a Toyota Prius which are appar- ently targeted by thieves deal- ing in this market. “They also tried and failed to remove a converter from Thieves made off with catalytic converters causing £6k damage BY ANTONELLA LAZZERI STUDENTS at Brockenhurst College have been told that lessons will continue as nor- mal after one confirmed case of coronavirus in the “college community”. The college has over 2,700 full- time pupils studying a range of A-level and vocational courses, who travel in from the New For- est, Bournemouth, Poole, the Waterside, Wiltshire, and the Isle of Wight. It also provides courses and training for around 8,000 adult learners each year. An email sent to students on Monday revealed that one per- son at the college had tested positive for the illness. A spokesperson said: “We have been made aware that we have a single case where a member of our college com- munity tested positive for Cov- id-19. “The college has a clear and robust Covid action policy, which was put into action im- mediately. “We are working on the ad- vice of Public Health England to ensure all appropriate proto- cols are followed. “Only a very small number

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The thieves were caught on the firm’s CCTV cameras

another vehicle. They proba- bly sold the converters for a few hundred pounds each. But so far, the cost of repairing the vehicles, having a new fence in- stalled and taking other mea- sures has cost me well over £6,000. “It has also had a knock-on effect to the business – for a start the pick-up truck is out of action, so I now have to use staff to collect and deliver vehi- cles.” He discovered the thefts af- ter finding the fence damaged when he arrived at work, and a broken jigsaw blade on the floor of the yard. Mr Symons said: “We inspect- ed all the vehicles and realised three had been damaged. I do not keep cars out there that I sell, and am now trying to cram all the vehicles I have on the premises into the warehouse.” He has posted CCTV images of the raiders on social media

and offered a reward. In the im- ages four men wearing hoodies and masks over their faces can be seen walking around the yard and tampering with vehi- cles. Mr Symons said: “We have

reported it to the police but so far they have not come down to see me or asked for the CCTV images. “I am hoping by posting them someone might recognise some of the clothing.”

College Covid case as Forest infections triple

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*JICREG: June 2019

A ‘small number of individuals’ at Brockenhurst College are isolating

of individuals have been iden- tified as needing to self-isolate for 14 days. The college remains open to all others, with our nor- mal Covid-secure measures in place.” The latest figures show that the number of new coronavirus cases has more than tripled in the New Forest, but no further deaths. As of Tuesday, positive Cov- id-19 cases in the area increased by 35 to a total of 606, the Office of National Statistics revealed.

Last week’s increase was 10. The district’s death toll re- mains 133. Last week saw the first recorded New Forest Cov - id-19 death – which occurred at a hospital – registered in eight weeks. There were also no deaths reported in the BCP area this past week, but the rise in infec- tions has more than doubled on the previous week to 117. The number of positive cases is 1,187, and last week’s rise was 51.

Jail for man who raided pharmacy

A BURGLAR who was caught red-handed raiding Boots in Lymington by police who were investigating another theft at a shop nearby has been jailed for three months. Lee Pound (45), of no fixed abode, was arrested inside the

chemist on Sunday night af- ter officers heard the sound of banging and breaking glass. He was sentenced at South- ampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday after it was told that Pound and another man had entered the premises just be-

fore midnight, smashing a win- dow to gain entry. They had pil- low cases with them in which to put the products. Pound then targeted a glass display cabinet containing per- fume but was apprehended at the scene.

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