Four men at the centre of a large-scale theft from a major insurance company have been forced to hand back the profits of their crime.
John Michael Taylor, Stephen Paul Spellacy, Peter Harrington and Keith Swift who were part of a gang of 14 people who stole £1.4million from Aviva in York have been ordered to repay almost £500,000.
Visit York, the City’s Tourism Agency, is to be asked to stimulate a 5% pa increase in “tourism earnings”– together with a 2% boost in tourism jobs – in the City, under a plan released by the Council.
Visit York will be given a grant of £272,310 a year under a proposal which will be considered next week.
A service level agreement with the organisation sets out expectations on both sides.
Amongst the targets proposed are a 1% increase each year in visitor satisfaction and a requirement for 90% of members of the organisation to be satisfied with the services provided.
A 5% increase in the numbers attending the Visitor Centre is anticipated.
Business tourism is targeted to increase by 5% with at least 6 major national and/or international conferences to be held in the City each year.
York police are appealing for information following a theft from an art gallery in the city centre.
Two bronze figurines were stolen between 12pm on Saturday 7 April and 10am on Thursday 12 April 2012, while the gallery was open to the public.
The figurines of a man and a woman are made of solid bronze and stand 15 to 20cm in height. The pair is valued at £1,360.
PC Nicola Manning, of York Safer Neighbourhood Team, said:
“I urge anyone who may have information about the theft or knows where the figurines are now, to contact the police or Crimestoppers straight away.”
Anyone who can help the police with their enquiries is asked to contact York police on 101, press option 2 and ask for Nicola Manning.
Or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference number 12120058209
The Police have issued the following advice:
“Most callers at your door will be genuine. However, some are bogus, whose aim is to get inside your home to steal from you.
Bogus callers may pose as water, electricity or gas-board workers, council workers or even police officers so they can steal money or property from your home. You can prevent this type of crime if you take precautions.
To reduce the risk of becoming a victim of this crime, remember the following four steps:
•LOCK all doors – even when you are at home
•STOP before you open the door, ask them who they are
•CHAIN– always use a door chain or spy hole
•NOT sure who they are? Don’t open the door!
ALWAYS ask the caller for their identification, and check it, before letting them in. Use the phone number in the phone book, not the one on their identity card.
Remember
A genuine caller will happily wait outside while you check on them by calling their organisation and or calling a family member or neighbour.
If you feel threatened by a caller, you must ring the police on 999″.
The Environment Agencies latest bulletin 06:37 on 30 Apr 2012 says “The flood alert for the Upper River Ouse remains in force. The current level in York is 2.48 metres or 9 foot 10 inches and is currently rising. Levels are expected to peak in York sometime this afternoon at around 3m. We will continue to monitor the situation closely”.
The web cam can be found at http://www.farsondigitalwatercams.com/live-webcams/north/Ouse/York/# for anyone wishing to monitor river levels from their home.
Love’s Labour Lost 1/5 May Tues/Sat Theatre Royal
Ebor Lecture 2nd May Wed 7:00pm Minster by Mr Will Hutton
Cirque du Ciel’s Shanghi 2/3 May Wed/Thurs Grand Opera House
Dust off your rackets 2nd May Wed 10:30am Rowntree Park http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/dust-off-your-rackets.html
Fun Run 2nd May Wed 6:00pm York Racecourse York St John University is hosting its annual fun run http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/york-st-john-fun-run-or-walk.html
10cc in concert 3rd May Thurs Barbican Not only were 10cc makers of some of the greatest hits of the 70’s, but they are currently one of the most exciting live bands in the country!
Paul Merton 4th May Fri Grand Opera House “Out of my head”
Northern Spirit Singers 5th May Sat 11:00am Minster
Baroque Day 5th May Sat 12:30pm Early Music Centre
Peppa Pig’s Treasure Hunt 5th & 6th May Sat Barbican Following the incredible sell-out success of Peppa Pig’s Party, Peppa is back with a brand new show featuring true to life puppets, perfect singalong songs and a new story that will charm and delight all her fans. Full sail! Ahoy! Arrrrr!
Sing-a-long-a ABBA 5th May Sat Barbican
Jimeoin: Lovely 5th May Sat Grand Opera House
Scarecrow festival 5th/7th May Haxby Methodist Church
Gala Day 6th May Sun 10:00am Little Knavesmire http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/hamilton-panthers-fc-gala.html
Cello Recital 6th May 3:00pm Sun Middlethorpe Hall Cello Recital and Afternoon Tea
Nick Fletcher 7th May 2:00pm Mon Minster
Lunasa 7th May 7:30pm Mon Early Music Centre Lúnasa are internationally acknowledged as being the finest traditional Irish instrumental band of recent times, and one of the hottest Irish acts around today
Steel Magnolias 7/12 May Mon/Sat Grand Opera House
Providence Singers 9th May Wed 2:00pm Minster
Camille O’Sullivan—Feel 9th May Wed Theatre Royal
Bankers, Bogs & Chocs 9th May Wed 10:30am Cycle centre, Wellington Road http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/bankers-bogs-and-chocolates-guided.html
Festival of New Music 9th/13thMay Wed/Sun University
Organ Promenade 11th May Fri 1:15pm Minster (weekly)
Birmingham Royal Ballet 11/12 May Fri/Sat Theatre Royal
Summer Crafts market 12th May Sat Parliament Street A special market in York showcasing the best in crafting from in and around the city
York Guildhall Orchestra 12th May Sat Barbican
Service your bike 12th May Sat Oaken Grove Community Centre COST: £65 Whether you need to strip down your gears or braking system, build and repair wheels or just do a general service, we have a course to cover it all plus much more
From Monks to Masons 12/13th May Sat/Sun Explore York Library Learning Centre http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/from-monks-to-masons.html
Martin Taylor/Alan Barnes 13th May Sun 7:30pm Early Music Centre
Welly workout 14th May Mon 1:00pm West Bank park http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/welly-workout.html
Never too late to learn 12/19th May Various Adult learners week http://www.york.gov.uk/education/Adult_and_community_education/events/
Ragazze Pazze 15th May Tues 11;00am Minster
Henry IV 15/18 May Tues/Fri Theatre Royal
Family History 15 & 25 May Tues/Fri Explore Library http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/first-steps-internet-and-family-history.html
Get On line 15th May Tues Explore Library Library http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/yorks-online-library-ebooks-and-online.html
Nazarene Choir 16th May Wed 11:00am Minster
Horse racing 16th/18th May Wed – Fri Racecourse (Dante Festival)
Brassed Off 16/19 May Wed/Sat Grand Opera House York Stage Musicals
That’s Entertainment 16/19 May Wed/Sat Theatre Royal
City Archives 17th May Thur 7:00pm Explore Library http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/york-800-and-city-archives.html
Be inspired 17/19 May Explore Library http://www.york.gov.uk/education/Adult_and_community_education/events/
Homestart Concert 19th May Sat 7:30pm Minster
Miss York 2012 final 19th May Sat &;45 pm Barbican including X factor Finalist Amelia Lilly and upcoming urban pop sensation The Luminites.
Big City Read Launch 20th May Sun 11:00am Explore Library “Mystery in the Minster” http://www.york.gov.uk/leisure/Libraries/whatson/big_city_read2012/
Brit Floyd 21st May Mon Barbican—Pink Floyd tribute show
Crave & Illusions 21st/23rd May Mon/Wed Theatre Royal
Sally Morgan 23rd May Wed Grand Opera House: Psychic Sally on the road
Wasted by Kate Tempest 24th/26th May Thurs/Sat Theatre Royal
Farmers market 25th May Parliament Street
Scarberia 24th/2nd June Thur/Sat Theatre Royal
Merry Wives 25th/5th May/June Rowntree Park http://www.yorkshakespeareproject.org/main/index.shtml
Stewart Francis 25th May Fri Grand Opera House: Outstanding in his field
Summer Fair 26th May Sat 1:00pm Hob Moor http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/hob-moor-summer-fair.html
Duane Eddy 26th May Sat Grand Opera House
Military Wheels & Wings 26th/27th May Sat/Sun Air Museum Battlegroup North Show
Fine Baking 26th May Sat 9:30am Mansion House http://yortime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/traditional-yorkshire-baking.html
Take over comedy night 29th May Tues Theatre Royal
Simon Amstell: Numb 31st May Thurs Grand Opera House
The Act enables the police and other enforcement bodies, like trading standards, to recover the criminal assets of those people living off the proceeds of crime. The object was to help ensure that ‘crime doesn’t pay’.
On 5 June 2008, the then LibDem led Council approved a report supporting the use of proceeds of crime legislation to help deter and detect criminal activity, particularly that arising from those involved in supply of counterfeit products.
Since that time, Council officers have secured their first convictions for money laundering, have made their first cash seizure (£3500 seized from a person suspected of supplying illicit tobacco) and obtained over £565k from criminal activity in ‘confiscation proceedings’ (of which £132K has bee paid to CYC under the Home Office’s Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme).
All of the ‘confiscation proceedings’ concluded to date have been in relation to the supply of counterfeit products.
Financial investigators (AFIs) undertake this work. They are accredited by the National Police Improvement Agency after receiving specialist training. They are given specific powers to conduct investigations into the origin of an offender’s assets.
The money obtained from criminals will be used to sustain the financial investigation teams. Some will be available for target hardening work and to support initiatives agreed by York’s Safer York Partnership.
There is a risk of flooding in parts of the City today. Visit the Environment Agency web site at this address for more information http://tinyurl.com/flood-warnings-York
City of York Council is teaming up with Heworth Golf Club to offer golf coaching lessons for beginners this May.
The courses will run for four weeks, starting on Saturday 12 May. It will cost £20 per person for all the sessions and this includes an hour of expert tuition from a club professional, as well as equipment hire.
The previous golf sessions have been highly successful, attracting over 100 people who are new to the sport.
Dean Sharp, City of York Council’s Sports Participation Officer says “After the success and popularity of the last lot of coaching at Heworth Golf Club, we decided to offer more opportunities for beginners to get into the sport.”
The game is a great way to exercise and improve your health, as an average Golf course involves walking up to 4 kilometres, whilst pulling and carrying clubs can improve fitness and strength. So why not join the 1.4 million adults* who already play the sport once a month and aim for that birdy!
Places are limited to a maximum of 8 per course and are for over 16’s only. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
For further information or to book a place contact Dean Sharp, City of York Council, dean.sharp@york.gov.uk or call 01904 553377
To quote from their website
“Freecycle? is a scheme that lets you donate your unwanted items to someone who wants them and is able to reuse them. This is a great idea because, as well as helping people out, you’re cutting down on waste. All items donated by freecycling are free, and as this is a local group, it’s dead easy to visit people to collect stuff.
Is York Freecycle my local group?
If you’re in York, then yes. If you live outside York, go to www.freecycle.org to see if there’s a group closer to you!
How do I join York Freecycle?
The York Freecycle group is hosted by Yahoo! Groups at groups.yahoo.com/group/york_freecycle, so to use York Freecycle all you need to do is join our Yahoo! Group. You don’t have to have a Yahoo! account to join our group, although if you do you’ll be able to control how you receive your York Freecycle messages. Here’s how to join the group…
Joining York Freecycle with a Yahoo! Account
If you already have a Yahoo! account, then joining York Freecycle is dead easy. Just visit our group page and click the “Join This Group!” button. If you don’t have a Yahoo! account already, you’ll be given the option to create one.
Joining York Freecycle without a Yahoo! Account
If you don’t have a Yahoo! account, then you can still join York Freecycle. Here’s how to do it:
Send a blank email to york_freecycle-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Check your email inbox for a message from Yahoo! Groups. This might take a short while.
Reply to that message. Make sure you don’t change the email address.
However you join…
When you join the group, you will receive a welcome email explaining how to use the service.
Be aware – as a new member, you will automatically start receiving lots of message emails. You can very easily turn these off or reduce their frequency. Have a look at your introductory email or take a look at our how-to page.
If you get stuck, or have any questions, then you can always email help@yorkrecycling.net.
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