Essex Police - Braintree District

21/08/2026

This e-scooter – which has a top speed of 45mph! – was seized in Braintree High Street earlier by Braintree neighbourhood policing officers.

The male rider was stopped by officers and searched. During the search, they recovered a small bag containing co***ne.

Unfortunately for him, the e-scooter was also seized by our officers for being ridden without insurance – because it is illegal for privately-owned e-scooters to be ridden on public roads, pathways or other public spaces.

A 21-year-old Rayne man will now be reported for prosecution for possession for co***ne and for riding an e-scooter without insurance.

We know that you are concerned about illegal e-scooters which can cause serious harm – to pedestrians, other road-users and to the riders themselves.

Our officers will continue to take enforcement action where offences are identified and, where appropriate, we will seize illegally-used e-scooters to help keep you safe.

21/08/2026

Fraud Alert 👇

Beware of fake text messages targeting drivers by pretending to be from RingGo. These messages usually claim that you have an "outstanding parking payment" or an "unpaid parking session."

The text message is fake, sent by fraudsters that want to steal your login credentials, personal and financial information.

✅ Report suspicious text messages by forwarding them to 7726.

If you receive a text, look out for these warning signs:
The Sender: RingGo will never text you from a generic or personal email address (like a Gmail or Yahoo account).
Suspicious Links: Look closely at the web link. Fake links will not point to their official website.
Tricky Requests: The text might ask you to reply with a letter like "Y" or tell you to copy a link into your internet browser (Safari or Chrome) to activate it. RingGo will never ask you to do this.

If you are ever unsure about a payment, you can safely check your official account at any time:
Open your official RingGo app or go directly to myRingGo website.
Log into your account and check your Receipts / History.
If your parking session shows up as paid there, your account is completely secure.

18/08/2026

Join Tammy, the Fraud and Scam Prevention Officer, on Thursday 27 August, from 9:30am to 11am, outside the East of England Co-op, Great Bardfield, Braintree CM7 4RQ.

Whether you're looking for advice on protecting yourself from fraud and scams or would simply like to pick up some useful crime prevention items, Tammy will be on hand to help. Free fraud prevention packs, purse bells, card defenders and Faraday pouches for cars and passports will be available, courtesy of Braintree District Council.

Taking a few simple steps can make a real difference in helping to protect yourself from fraud. If you're nearby, please do stop by for a chat and collect your free safety items while available.

17/08/2026

A drug dealer who hid 15 wraps of co***ne inside a roll-on deodorant has been jailed for three years after being caught by proactive neighbourhood policing officers in Braintree.

Officers stopped a suspicious vehicle in Godlings Way, uncovered the drugs in a bag of shopping, recovered £180 cash and a phone linked to drug dealing, then secured the driver’s conviction for possession of co***ne with intent to supply.

The 26-year-old driver from Chelmsford, and his passenger, were stopped and initially detained for a search.

Investigating officer PC Aris Sahin explains: “Mihai and his passenger were obviously uneasy with our presence and so we had grounds to detain them and search the car to see if our suspicions were correct. Which they were."

While there was no evidence to suggest that a drug deal had occurred between Mihai and his passenger, PC Sahin warns: "If we intervene in a drugs deal which has already taken place, then the ‘customer’ could be arrested too. Ask yourself if it’s worth the risk for a few lines of co***ne to get a criminal record and ruin your future work prospects.”

Mihai admitted the charge when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on 10 August 2026.

For more on this story and to find out more about stop and search, head to our website and search Co***ne Deodorant.

17/08/2026

A prolific sexual offender is now behind bars thanks to the diligence, hard-work, and professionalism of specialist sexual abuse investigators.

In May, 21 year-old Nathan Behrens admitted eight child sexual offences which took place between 2022 and 2025 and involved a child as young as four.

Specialist officers carefully, sensitively, and meticulously built a case against him.

On Friday (14 August), Behrens was jailed for 16 years with a further eight years on extended licence.

Detective Constable Kai Ishaq said: “I want to pay tribute to the victims and their families in this case for the courage they have shown and thank them for trusting us to secure justice for them.”

Read more about the case on our website, the link's in the comments.

16/08/2026

Officers investigating a collision on the A120 are appealing for help to trace the driver of a black VW Polo which left the scene.

We were called shortly before 7pm on Saturday 15 August following reports of a two-vehicle collision at Galleys Corner.

Thankfully, no serious injuries were reported.

The black VW Polo involved left the area before officers arrived.

The vehicle has front-end damage and is missing its front registration plate, making it particularly distinctive.

It was last seen continuing along the A120 towards Dunmow.

We are keen to hear from anyone who saw the vehicle before or after the collision, or who may have dashcam footage from the area around the time of the incident.

This includes anyone travelling on the A120 or through Galleys Corner shortly before or after 7pm.

If you have any information which could assist our enquiries, please get in touch.

You can let us know by submitting a report on our website or by using our online Live Chat service which is available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week.

It can be found at the bottom right of our homepage at www.essex.police.uk.

Visit https://esxpol.uk/zxNOF to find out more about our website reporting services.

Alternatively, you can call us on 101.

Please cite incident 1247 of 15 August.

15/08/2026

While carrying out our local patrols, officers from your Braintree Neighbourhood Policing Team will be stopping at:

📍 Cineworld, Charter Way, Braintree, CM77 8YH
🗓️ Sunday 16 August, 12pm to 3pm

📍 Belchamp Walter Village Hall, North Road, CO10 7AS
🗓️ Sunday 23 August, 11am to 12pm

✅ Raise concerns about crime or antisocial behaviour
✅ Ask questions about local policing
✅ Get practical advice to help keep you and your property safe

To find out about future Let's talk events where you live, head to our website and put your postcode into the 'Find your area' search bar or visit the link below👇
On rare occasions where plans change, updates will be shared on our page.

14/08/2026

Delivery scams are on the rise.
That text about a missed delivery or unpaid postage might not be what it seems.
Criminals often impersonate trusted delivery companies and direct victims to fake websites to steal personal and financial information.

✅ Always check messages carefully
✅ Don't click links in unexpected texts
✅ Contact the delivery company through official channels if you're unsure
✅ Never enter personal or banking details on a site you don't trust

11/08/2026

We want to speak to John Boswell in connection with an ongoing investigation into two burglaries.

It was reported the burglaries happened in Terling on Monday 13 July.

The 27-year-old is described as white, 5ft 9ins tall, with blue eyes and is believed to have brown hair and a beard.

He has connections to Braintree and Chelmsford.

If you have seen him or know where he is then please call us on 101 and quote 42/112660/26 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

11/08/2026

A 34-year-old man has been arrested in Witham on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs in the area.

Officers from Braintree Neighbourhood Policing Team and our Operational Support Group executed a warrant in the Allectus Way area of the town this morning, 11 August.

They recovered a quantity of suspected Class A drugs and 444 cartons of ci******es, with an estimated street value of between £75,000 and £100,000.

The man has now been bailed while our inquiries continue.

Officers are liaising with HM Revenue and Customs to determine whether the ci******es have been imported legally.