Neighbourhood Watch News Archive

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Police Non-emergency number – it’s changing!

By the time you read this, the Thames Valley Police area (along with many others) will be about to – or will have implemented the NEW non-emergency number – 101 – which will be adopted by every police force in England by early 2012.  101 will eventually replace the current 0845 8 505 505 in our area but it is expected that the two numbers will run alongside each other for several months.  This change is a Home Office initiative, and was carefully trialled in 2006 before the roll-out programme began, and is intended to make the police more accessible to the public throughout England and Wales.

More information about this change can be found at:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/police/101-police-non-emergency/

Make a note of this NEW number – or use a marker pen to change any existing fridge magnets!

Theft of and from motor vehicles, including number plate theft.

This type of crime continues to be a problem in our area, and now extends to theft of wheels and catalytic converters – for their scrap metal value.  It is quite surprising just how many car owners leave their vehicles unlocked on their front drive, in the mistaken belief that their precious vehicle will be safe there!  Far from it – the thieves are now checking car doors to find those that are unlocked.  Never – ever – leave your car unlocked whilst away from it, and never leave anything of value – or of apparent value in your car.  If you see anyone loitering close to a parked vehicle, keep an eye open for any activity that looks suspicious.  Make a note of any description of the person(s) involved.  It won’t do any harm to ring the non-emergency number, but if it is obvious that a crime is about to be committed, dial 999

Regarding wheels and number plates, the use of security wheel nuts and tamper-resistant number plate screws will make their removal more difficult for the thieves.

End of British Summer Time

Although the description ‘summer time’ may have sounded rather bleak this year, October 29^th will have seen the return to good old Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), the harbinger of Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas!  Make sure that you have reset all your timer lights, etc. to reflect the earlier hours of darkness, and why not carry out your own ‘Winter Security Audit’ of your property.  If you are in a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, get together with other members to review any security issues in your road: for example, are all the street lights working properly?  Do any trees need to be cut back to improve illumination?

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For further information about Neighbourhood Watch, contact:
David Gresswell – Area Co-ordinator, Flackwell Heath
(Tel: 525019   e-mail: flackwell-nhwatch@talktalk.net)

Police General & Non-emergency number: NEW UK number 101
Crimestoppers (Anonymous): 0800 555 111
Trading Standards (Consumer Direct): 0845 4 04 05 06

Burglary

Flackwell Heath has seen an increase in the number of burglaries during the ‘summer’ months, as have many surrounding areas.  Quite commonly, access to a property is gained via an insecure rear door or window, but on occasions the break-in is quite blatant, with a glass window being smashed.  In general, ‘a tidy search’ is carried out, so that it is not immediately apparent that you have been burgled!  The items being taken are small, high value disposable items such as laptops, mobile phones, games consoles, jewellery and cash.  Keys are also a ‘popular’ target with the objective of stealing a car, or making a repeat visit to the property.  How about checking your own security?  And what about property marking?  Only a very small proportion of recovered property is ever reunited with the rightful owner, as it cannot be identified.  There are various marking options available, choice being determined by the nature and value of the item being marked.   Anything that you can do to make life difficult for the opportunist burglar will be of benefit.  The cost and inconvenience of having to replace stolen goods or have new locks fitted can be significant, and is not always covered by insurance.

Phone scams

Residents continue to receive calls from people claiming to represent BT or Microsoft, or the like.  The BT scam attempts to persuade the recipient to pay money to ‘renew their line contract’, threatening to cut them off if money is not paid.  This they ‘demonstrate’ – in fact, all they do is use the Mute button on their phone and the recipient’s line appears to have gone dead.  The ‘Microsoft’ scam claims that the recipient’s computer has a major problem which the caller can resolve.  Their objective is to download malware onto the computer for various nefarious purposes.  Should you receive such a call, just put the phone down!  Many modern phones have small screens which will display the incoming call details, provided that your phone package includes the ‘Calling Line Identity (CLI)’ service.  This enables you to check the number BEFORE answering the call.  If it is a number you don’t recognise then you can choose to ignore it.

NEW Neighbourhood Watch Schemes

In addition to the new scheme in Green Dragon Lane which complements the existing scheme in Northern Woods, there is now a further scheme for the village centre end of Heath End Road, and plans are afoot for a scheme in Bracken Way.  Attempts to start schemes in some other roads in the village have been thwarted by the lack of anyone coming forward to act as co-ordinator.  This is a not uncommon problem facing voluntary organisations these days – the lack of volunteers to help run the voluntary organisation!  However, Neighbourhood Watch continues as the largest, voluntary crime-reduction activity in England.

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For further information about Neighbourhood Watch, contact:
David Gresswell – Area Co-ordinator, Flackwell Heath
(Tel: 525019   e-mail: flackwell-nhwatch@talktalk.net)

Police General & Non-emergency number: 0845 8 505 505
Crimestoppers (Anonymous): 0800 555 111
Trading Standards (Consumer Direct): 0845 4 04 05 06

Identity theft – a salutary lesson!

It is not unknown for the devious fraudster to use someone else’s address when completing paperwork for a product or service that has already been provided, and for which an ‘invoice for payment’ will be required.  A local resident contacted me recently, saying that they were receiving correspondence at their address for someone who had never lived there!  Despite several letters being returned to the sender marked ‘Not known at this address’, a claim for owed money was hand-delivered, presumably by an agent of the debt-collection company!  Apart from reporting this activity to the police – in case it was part of a wider problem - I suggested that the resident also contacted Trading Standards (see below), who gave them the telephone number of the Information Commission Office (ICO) – 01625-545745.  The ICO were very helpful and advised the resident to write a letter to the offending company, sending it by registered post, requesting that their address be removed from the company’s database.  Apparently, failure to update this database would be in breach of the Data Protection Act.  The resident was also advised to check their credit record with one of the reputable organisations, such as Equifax or Experian, to ensure that the fraudulent use of their address had not had an adverse effect on their credit record.  Follow this advice if you find yourself in a similar situation!

Burglary and Theft From Motor Vehicles (TFMV)

This type of crime continues to feature in our village, when the opportunist thief will spot an open window or door, or see something of potential value in a parked vehicle.  Now that summer has arrived (?) there is an increased likelihood of windows or doors being left insecure whilst we enjoy the relaxation of our gardens with BBQ’s, etc.  Don’t create opportunities by forgetting to secure windows, doors and side gates when you leave the house, not just when you go on holiday, but when you ‘pop out’ to do some shopping.  Likewise, don’t leave anything of value – visible or otherwise - in your car, and don’t forget to lock it – even when parked on your own drive!

Neighbourhood Watch and the NAG on the Web

For those of you who enjoy a bit of ‘surfing’, check out the Flackwell Heath Village Web-site at www.flackwellheath.net.  From the NHWatch page under the ‘Community’ tab, you can follow the link to the new National NHWatch web-site and access back numbers of the various items published in ‘The Grapevine’.  In addition, the Newsletter published regularly by the Wycombe Community Safety Partnership can be found here.

Information relating to the activities of the Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) can also be accessed from the Community tab on the ‘Home’ page of the village web-site, and the Newsletter published by the Hazlemere Neighbourhood Policing Team (HNPT) can be found here.

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For further information about Neighbourhood Watch, contact:
David Gresswell – Area Co-ordinator, Flackwell Heath
(Tel: 525019   e-mail: flackwell-nhwatch@talktalk.net)

Police General & Non-emergency number: 0845 8 505 505
Crimestoppers (Anonymous): 0800 555 111
Trading Standards (Consumer Direct): 0845 4 04 05 06

The cuts start to bite – continued!

At the AGM for Wycombe District NHWatch Association held on May 18th, Chief Inspector Colin Seaton explained how the financial constraints being applied to the police are likely to affect Neighbourhood Watch.  There will be changes to the Watch Administration and this will almost certainly result in a reduced level of service for a number of months.  However, the police are very anxious to extend the coverage of Community Messaging to the 75% of households who do not currently benefit from the Ringmaster system.  At a recent meeting with CI Seaton and the recently appointed TVPolice Communications professional – Claire Gourlay – all the various forms of media including the ‘social media’ such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. were discussed as potential additional forms of communication.  If YOU have any thought on this, please let me know!  In the meantime, visit:

                                    http://www.twitter.com/tvp_wycombe

However, it must not be forgotten that many Neighbourhood Watch members are not avid users of ‘modern technology’ and are therefore unlikely to subscribe to Facebook, Twitter, etc., yet it is this section of the community the Neighbourhood Watch schemes attempt to support.  Watch this space!

Don’t hesitate – ring the police!

During the last few weeks, I have been made aware of a number of situations when residents saw ‘something’ they thought looked ‘suspicious’, and I was asked ‘What should I do?’  There is one simple answer – if you see something that looks out of the ordinary, and you think it could be ‘suspicious’, pick up the phone and dial the police non-emergency number:

0845 8 505 505

Not only will your information be of value to the police database, but if there is a police vehicle in the vicinity, it can be immediately tasked to attend the scene.  This certainly happened in my case, when I reported a ‘cold caller’ operating in a ‘No Doorstep Selling Zone’ offering a possible ‘Government Grant’ for home insulation.  Two PCSO’s were on my doorstep within a matter of minutes.  Now I can’t guarantee that this will happen every time, but one thing is for certain, if the police don’t know about it, they certainly can’t do anything about it.

Should you witness a crime in progress – or about to be committed – don’t hesitate: DIAL 999

CCTV IN THE DSTRICT

I recently had an opportunity to visit the CCTV Control Centre in High Wycombe, and was very impressed by the improvements that have been made to the system with the advent of high resolution, digital cameras and displays.  Wycombe now has over 220 cameras across the patch which includes Beaconsfield, Marlow and Princes Risborough.  Some people look upon CCTV as ‘Big Brother’ and feel they are being ‘watched’ all the time, but far from it.  Yes, they may be ‘on camera’ and displayed on one of the 14 multi-screen displays with digital recorders, but the operators can only monitor individuals if they suspect criminal activity or if there is welfare concern. The operators have to comply with the Data Protection Act as well as the Human Rights Acts and their activity is audited on a regular basis. True, cameras may be specifically located to ‘observe’ vulnerable areas such as car parks, etc. but they are primarily used to ensure public safety and to assist police and security officers on the ground. The ‘full functions’ cameras can monitor a crime in progress, or potential criminal activity and the police can be alerted to catch the offender(s) in the act.  Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) is also used to assist the staff in the search for wanted or stolen motor vehicles. There is no doubt that CCTV is a valuable asset for us all in the crime reduction arena as well as making areas safer and more welcoming.

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For further information about Neighbourhood Watch, contact:
David Gresswell – Area Co-ordinator, Flackwell Heath
(Tel: 525019   e-mail: flackwell-nhwatch@talktalk.net)

Police General & Non-emergency number: 0845 8 505 505
Crimestoppers (Anonymous): 0800 555 111
Trading Standards (Consumer Direct): 0845 4 04 05 06

The cuts start to bite

At the AGM for Wycombe District NHWatch Association held on May 18th, Chief Inspector Colin Seaton explained how the financial constraints being applied to the police will affect Neighbourhood Watch.  It seems likely that there will be changes to the Watch Administration and this could result in a reduced level of service for a number of months.  It is therefore even more important for us all to work together under these circumstances and to encourage our neighbours to actively participate in Neighbourhood Watch.  (More information in the July issue).  Recent recruitment undertaken by our Neighbourhood Police Team has targeted Chapman Lane and Green Dragon Lane, and it is hoped to set up several new schemes.

Cold Callers

According to Trading Standards, the introduction of ‘No Doorstep Selling Zones’ across Buckinghamshire has resulted in a significant decline in the number of cold callers, and in distraction burglaries often associated with this activity.  Nevertheless, we are all encouraged to be on our guard against the unscrupulous rogues who ignore our signs and who will try to separate us from our hard-earned cash.  Sadly, they often prey on the vulnerable elderly, and there are reports of large sums of money being handed over to pay for unnecessary roofing or driveway work, generally at highly inflated prices.  If you have elderly relatives, especially those on their own, watch out for any signs that they might be being ‘conned’.

Property Marking – return of stolen goods. 

Only a tiny proportion of stolen goods are ever reunited with their rightful owner, as the police are unable to prove ownership.  It is essential that items of value are identifiable, either by recording a description with serial numbers and ideally a photograph, or by appropriate ‘property marking’.  There are several methods of property marking, ranging from the simple use of a UV marker pen (of limited durability), through durable, resistant markings (CRE Products) to microdot systems (Alphadot) and chemically ‘coded’ liquid markers (SelectaDNA)  You will see signs relating to the latter system erected around areas where it is in use – a further deterrent to the would-be thief.

Click here to View, Print, Download this document in PDF format

For further information about Neighbourhood Watch, contact:
David Gresswell – Area Co-ordinator, Flackwell Heath
(Tel: 525019   e-mail: flackwell-nhwatch@talktalk.net)

Police General & Non-emergency number: 0845 8 505 505
Crimestoppers (Anonymous): 0800 555 111
Trading Standards (Consumer Direct): 0845 4 04 05 06

We’re all going on a summer holiday!

As summer approaches, we all start to look forward to the holiday we have been planning, but we must ensure that we leave our property secure.  Many of us have neighbours who will keep an eye on our homes whilst we are away, and this is what Neighbourhood Watch encourages – setting up groups of neighbours who are prepared to look out for each other and share information on security.  House and contents insurance is essential in the event that we do suffer a loss so make sure yours is up-to-date!  Many insurers will offer a discount to members of a registered Neighbourhood Watch scheme. 

How secure are our borders?

No, I’m not talking about our national borders, but the boundaries to our own properties.  With the current incidence of burglary, anything that we can do to make life more difficult for the opportunist burglar will help.  Security ‘experts’ often refer to the ‘Onion Concept’ when talking about security, and describe our various levels of security as being like the layers of an onion.  The outer layer is our village – is it more or less prone to crime?  The next layer is the part of the village we live in; the next the road.  Do we live in a cul-de-sac or on a main road?  The latter are often more at risk as there is an easier escape route.  Then, our own property boundaries.  Are our hedges and fences in good order?  Do they present an obstacle to intruders?  Do our vulnerable hedges use deterrent plantings of pyracantha, holly, hawthorn and the like?  We can no longer put broken glass or barbed wire on our walls and fences, but we can use hard plastic spiked Prikkastrip – although a ‘Warning’ notice must be displayed!  Then, our house and outbuildings.  Are all the doors and windows fitted with adequate locks, security stays, etc.  The majority of insurance companies require either Yale-type or 5-lever mortice deadlocks to be fitted to external doors.  Finally, our property.  Are items of value security marked and are portable items such as bikes, motor mowers, power tools, etc. kept under lock and key?  Check your own onion! 

Number plate theft

Theft of vehicle number plates is still an issue, as this is a way in which criminals can ‘clone’ a taxed and insured vehicle for the purposes of committing a crime, even if that ‘crime’ is just avoiding the congestion charge in London!  The typical number plate is secured to the vehicle by two easily-removed screws or is simply stuck on, and can be removed in a moment.  In collaboration with the Wycombe Community Safety Partnership, Halfords, the well-known car accessory retailer, recently ran events at Tesco and ASDA to fit security/tamper-proof number plate screws.  If you were unable to participate in this promotion, you can still obtain suitable security screws from Screwfix.  Hopefully, car manufacturers will be looking at more secure ways of attaching number plates for the future.  One option is to make them in such a way that they shatter when being removed!

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Burglary

The last couple of months have seen an increase in the number of local burglaries, and this should be a reminder to us all to check our own security.  The majority of burglaries are ‘opportunistic’ – the villain sees an opportunity such as an open gate, insecure window, item in a car – and strikes.  Make sure you don’t become another crime statistic by taking some simple precautions to reduce the risk. 

Action Fraud (http://www.actionfraud.org.uk)

To combat the increasing incidence of fraud initiated by telephone, e-mail or mail, a new national fraud reporting centre has been set up.  Their top-10 tips to combat fraud are:

1. Do not give any personal information (name, address, bank details, email or phone number) to organizations or people before verifying their credentials.
2. Many frauds start with an email. Remember that banks and financial institutions will not send you an email asking you to click on a link and confirm your bank details. Do not trust such emails, even if they look genuine. You can always call your bank using the phone number on a genuine piece of correspondence, website (typed directly into the address bar) or the phone book to check if you’re not sure.
3. Destroy and preferably shred receipts with your card details on and post with your name and address on. Identity fraudsters don’t need much information in order to be able to clone your identity.
4. Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed. Ensure your browser is set to the highest level of security notification and monitoring.
5. Sign-up to Verified by Visa or MasterCard Secure Code whenever you are given the option while shopping online. This involves you registering a password with your card company and adds an additional layer of security to online transactions with signed-up retailers.
6. If you receive bills, invoices or receipts for things you haven’t bought, or financial institutions you don’t normally deal with contact you about outstanding debts, take action. Your identity may have been stolen.
7. You should regularly get a copy of your credit file and check it for entries you don’t recognise. Callcredit, Equifax and Experian can all provide your credit file.
8. Be extremely wary of post, phone calls or emails offering you business deals out of the blue. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always question it.
9. If you have been a victim of fraud, be aware of fraud recovery fraud. This is when fraudsters pretend to be a lawyer or a law enforcement officer and tell you they can help you recover the money you’ve already lost.
10. If you need advice about fraud, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 to discuss your situation with one of their specialist fraud advisers. To report a fraud, you can either use their online fraud reporting form or make your report by calling 0300 123 2040.

TV Police ‘Your Neighbourhood’ information  (http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/)

This link will allow you to enter your Post Code in the ‘Postcode Search’ box on the right of the page. Once entered, click on ‘SHOW’, and you will be taken to the page which will give details of your local Neighbourhood Team, your local priorities, issues being tackled by the Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) - made up of local residents and partner organisations, together with links to Neighbourhood updates, upcoming Neighbourhood meetings and Crime Statistics. The Neighbourhood updates are produced on a monthly basis by your local Neighbourhood officers and give an overview of recent events, and Police related matters they have been involved with.

From the link you will also be able to access other areas of the Thames Valley Police website.

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COLD CALLING

This is a common practice when someone knocks on your front door and tries to part you from your hard earned money for something you neither need nor want!  These cold callers – or ‘Nottingham Knockers’ as they are widely known, target in particular the elderly who may be living on their own, so this is a singularly undesirable activity.  Bucks County Council Trading Standards are very much aware of this practice and have implemented the ‘No Doorstep Selling Zone’ scheme, whereby individual residents can display a sign by their front door indicating that they do NOT want any cold callers.  A group of neighbours who are in a Watch scheme, can also erect street signs designating

GOING ‘PHISHING’

Have you ever received an unexpected call from someone claiming to represent your bank, credit card company, Microsoft or the like?  Be warned, these calls are more often than not ‘phishing’ – an attempt to obtain privileged and private information about you, or to persuade you to ‘download a security patch’ onto your computer which could well turn out to be a ‘Trojan’.  Should you receive such a call, treat it with great caution, and if in doubt, terminate the call and hang up.  If you think that the call may be genuine, get the callers name and details of their call, and then phone the organisation back on a number that YOU know is genuine eg. from a bank/card statement, etc.  They will not be offended by such a security-conscious action.

PHONEY BT CALL – excuse the pun!

Should you receive a call from a phone provider – such as BT – claiming that you are in arrears with your telephone bill – even if you are not a BT subscriber - and threatening to cut you off if you don’t pay immediately by credit or debit card, just hang up!  The caller may even appear to be able to cut you off at the time, but all he/she does is press the ‘Mute’ button on their phone – you are then unable to make any outgoing calls until the incoming call has been disconnected.  Report any such call to Trading Standards using the number below.  For more information on this, and many other scams, visit the following web-site:

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/kent/scams%20phonemail.htm

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The ‘BIG SOCIETY’

Neighbourhood Watch is the largest single UK voluntary organisation whose main objectives are to help reduce crime and the fear of crime, and is thus ideally placed to participate in the Government’s ‘Big Society’.  The financial constraints that are going to affect us all during the next few years will no doubt have an impact on policing, which will make Neighbourhood Watch even more valuable.  In the Wycombe Local Policing Area (LPA), there has been a substantial growth in Neighbourhood Watch during the last five years, with a further 225 schemes being started and more than 300 new scheme co-ordinators being recruited.  This growth has been achieved by volunteer residents, aided by their Area Co-ordinators and with the tireless support of Geoff Pegg, the Chairman of WDNHWA.  There are now 660 registered schemes with over 1,200 co-ordinators.  Talk to anyone in an active Neighbourhood Watch scheme, and they will confirm the benefits – both practical and social – of belonging to a scheme.  You may even get a reduction in your household insurance!  Why not start a scheme in your road if one doesn’t already exist?

ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

At the meeting of the Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) on January 13th, anti-social behaviour – vandalism, graffiti, litter, etc. - in an area around a footpath just west of the village centre was discussed at length.  Whilst local residents support the closure of the footpath, the legal situation regarding footpath closure is extremely tortuous, and could itself have a detrimental effect on the area.  The NAG has been tasked to ascertain the legal status of the footpath concerned, with a view to finding an alternative, more workable solution that meets residents’ needs.

THEFT OF METAL

With the demand for scrap metal still being high, theft of metal items is still significant.  Quite often, thefts are carried out during daylight hours by teams of men, often with two vehicles.  The first vehicle prowls around the neighbourhood looking for likely and vulnerable items.  The second vehicle is then called in to do the ‘snatch’.  Only recently, a copper hot water cylinder was taken without permission from outside a neighbour’s house, and a road drain cover was removed creating a safety hazard.  [A call to Bucks CC ‘Highways on Call’ (Tel: 0845 230 2882) quickly got the latter marked with safety cones.]  If you see a ‘suspicious’ vehicle prowling around your road, don’t just ignore it.  Try and get the registration number and a description and report it, using the police non-emergency number.  If there is a patrol car in the area it can be tasked to investigate. 

WYCOMBE COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP

This partnership brings together a wide range of agencies who have an interest in making the Wycombe area a safer place to place.  A useful booklet detailing the agencies involved and their main activities can be obtained from WDC, the police or Neighbourhood Watch.

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DON’T IGNORE IT – REPORT IT!

How many times have you heard it said – ‘There’s no point reporting it to the police – they never do anything about it’?  Well one thing is for sure – if the police don’t know about it, they can’t do anything about it.  We are all aware that police resources are stretched, particularly in the large Thames Valley policing area, and things won’t get any better in the current financial climate.  But given the right information in a timely manner, the police will respond if at all possible. However, they do rely on us – the local community – to provide the information to help them fight crime on our behalf.  Phone them on 08545 8 505 505 to pass on any information or use the anonymous Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111

ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Anti-social behaviour (ASB), and especially that accompanied by criminal damage, is one of the main problems affecting our local community – and YOU told us this.  That is why the Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) has it as Top Priority on the current agenda.  Working with the police and other community support services, the NAG is targeting those areas where ASB is a problem.  To help in this aim, Wycombe District Council – ASB Office, have produced an ‘ASB Incident Diary Log’ where those affected by ASB can record Day/Date/Time, What happened, What you did, How it affected you.  This information is of great value in helping to tackle this problem.

If you are being affected by anti-social behaviour, you can obtain an Incident Diary Log from me; from FREEPOST HY120, Wycombe District Council, Community Safety 48, High Wycombe, HP11 1BB or download one by following the link:

http://www.wycombe.gov.uk/council-services/community-and-living/community-safety/anti-social-behaviour/incident-log-sheets.aspx

There is also an Information Sheet available to help you complete the Log.

TOP 10 SECURITY TIPS

Residents who are already members of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme will have recognised last month’s ‘Top 10’ as originating in a ‘Ringmaster’ message from the Wycombe Community Safety Partnership in October.  The information was also distributed via Community Messaging, but for everyone’s benefit, it was worth reiterating the points.  ‘Ringmaster’ Messaging is one of the key benefits of belonging to a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.  If you would like to take advantage of this information, why not join any existing scheme in your part of the road – or start a scheme of your own?

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR

May I wish you all a safe and happy Christmas, and all the best for 2011.  The next issue of Neighbourhood Watch News will appear in the first Grapevine for 2011, in February.

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TOP 10 SECURITY TIPS

Residents who are already members of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme will have received via their Scheme Co-ordinator, a ‘Ringmaster’ message from the Wycombe Community Safety Partnership, listing the Top 10 security points to be considered this Autumn.  This information has also been distributed via Community Watch.  For everyone’s benefit, it is worth reiterating these tips:

• Use timer switches to turn lights and radio on at dusk to make your house ‘look’ occupied.
• Install a courtesy light(s) by your front door so you can see callers at night, and PIR-controlled lights to illuminate vulnerable areas, such as the side/rear of your home.
• Ensure that all external doors are fitted with locks of appropriate quality – a 5-lever mortice lock should ideally supplement standard rim locks (Yale-type) if your door does not have integrated locks.  Ensure that doors are locked at night and the key removed.
• Install a door chain or bar which allows you to open your front door sufficiently wide to see who is calling, but which prevents the door being pushed open.  This is particularly important if you live on your own.
• Identify your valuable property using one of the proprietary security marking systems – take a photograph of unique items of value.  The majority of stolen goods recovered by the police are never returned to the rightful owner, as they cannot be identified!
• Don’t leave items of value in a position that allows them to be easily seen from the public thoroughfare.  Don’t put the packaging from new, high value items such as TV’s or computers out on display waiting for the bin men.
• Ensure that your garden perimeters are secure.  Use trellis on top of fencing to make climbing over more difficult – and noisy!  Grow ‘defensive’ shrubs such as Pyracantha, Berberis, Holly and the like.
• Don’t leave keys on display near your front door.  Thieves are known to ‘fish’ for keys through the letterbox, and then come back to burgle your home or steal your car.
• Start or join a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.  Many potential thieves will avoid roads where such schemes exist as they know that residents are more security-aware and look out for each other.
• A burglar alarm is a very effective deterrent.  If you decide to install an alarm, get quotes from several companies registered with NSI or SSAIB but be aware that there can be expensive ‘maintenance’ contracts.  Security systems are no longer linked directly to the police, only to a security company.

CHARITY BAGS

If you want to donate used clothes, etc. to a worthy cause, make sure that you read the ‘small print’ on the various charity bags that get dropped through the letterbox.  Many so-called ‘Charities’ are operated from outside the UK, and do not have to comply with UK law regarding distribution of money raised, and their collection may not even be legal.  Choose if possible, one of the reputable UK charities such as Oxfam, Save the Children, NSPCC, British Heart Foundation, etc.  If in doubt, ‘Google’ the name and see what comes up.

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SECURITY LIGHTS

At the end of this month, the clocks go BACK one hour as we revert to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), so the evenings will get dark that much earlier.  Now is the time to review your security lighting, both inside and outside your home.  Inside, remember to re-set any timers controlling lights to reflect the earlier dusk.  Outside, check that any PIR-controlled flood-lights are functioning correctly, but remember, any outside flood-light should be angled so as to only illuminate your property – not the whole road!  Your neighbours will not welcome their houses being floodlit by every passing pedestrian, car, cat or dog triggering your lights – especially in the middle of the night!

OPERATION GRIM REAPER

Thames Valley Police will be implementing Operation Grim Reaper again this year, to target any anti-social behaviour over the Halloween and Bonfire Night period. The operation will run from late October to early November.  Trading Standards will conduct spot checks at relevant premises to ensure that fireworks are not being sold to underage persons.  The Fire & Rescue Service will be visiting local schools to promote firework safety awareness, and local shops to ensure fireworks are being stored correctly. Members of the Neighbourhood Policing Team will also be visiting local shops and off-licences to ask for their co-operation, and to be extra vigilant during the period and not sell eggs, flour, alcohol or fireworks to those individuals suspected of potentially misusing them. Various posters will also be available from Thames Valley Police promoting these issues as well as several Halloween posters relating to ‘Trick or Treat’.  Remember, if your children are old enough to be allowed out without adult accompaniment, they are TOO old to be ‘Trick or Treating’.  Any anti-social behaviour should be reported – see the relevant phone numbers below.

‘PHISHING’ E-MAILS

By now, everyone must be aware of the situation relating to HMRC and under- or over-paid tax!  It has been reported that ‘phishing’ e-mails started to appear within hours of the original announcement by HMRC.  Such e-mails suggest that the recipient is entitled to a tax rebate but require the provision of bank details in order to receive the refund.  Should you receive such an e-mail, ignore it and delete it straight away.  HMRC will never contact you by e-mail, only by letter.  Similar ‘phishing’ e-mails have also been reporting offering refunds of Council Tax.  Again, ignore and delete such e-mails – they will NOT be genuine, even if they look it.

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NEW SCHEME FOR PHILIP DRIVE

As the result of an initiative from a resident, a successful ‘Start-up’ meeting was held recently and a new scheme for the middle section of Philip Drive has been created.  The meeting was well attended and in my non-availability, was supported by Geoff Pegg, Chairman of Wycombe District Neighbourhood Watch Association.  A wide range of home and personal safety information was available, including the latest ‘No Doorstep Calling’ stickers which are being well received around the village.  If you are not a member of either of the two schemes in this road, and would like further information, contact me.

NEWS FROM THE NAG

At the Neighbourhood Action Group meeting on July 15^th, the priority issues for 2010/11 based upon public response to questionnaires are:-

1. Antisocial Behaviour including Criminal Damage
2. Speeding including Road Safety issues.

The Chairman of the NAG drew the lucky reply to the questionnaire, and the £50 prize offered by Chepping Wycombe PC was won by a gentleman in Tylers Green

COMPUTER PROBLEM - PHONE CALL SCAM

Several residents of our village have reported receiving phone calls from a person claiming to represent Microsoft or a similar organisation, alleging that the resident’s computer operating system has acquired a particularly nasty problem.  The caller asks the resident to switch their computer on – if it is not already on – and says that they will help the resident resolve the ‘problem’

Should you receive such a call, do NOT take any action.  The caller will ask you to download a ‘patch’ to reputedly sort out the issue for you, whereas in fact, you will be downloading any one of a number of ‘Trojans’, capable of stealing personal data, logging keystrokes, etc.

FINALLY, A PIECE OF COMMUNITY NEWS

If your youngsters are looking for things to do during the summer holidays, there are a number of events being organised by Bucks CC for the 13 – 19 year olds.  If you ‘Google’ ‘Bucks Summer Events 10’ this will lead you to:

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/assets/content/bcc/docs/youth/summer_brochure_2010.pdf

Enjoy your summer.

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ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVOUR OR THEFT?

Does the removal of your ‘wheelie’ from in front of your house prior to ‘collection day’ constitute anti-social behaviour; is it theft or is it just a prank?  It certainly causes the householder a lot of unnecessary hassle – reporting it to the police; to Wycombe District Council; getting a replacement; managing without a wheelie whilst the ‘wheels’ grind slowly into action.  Make sure that your wheelie can be identified by marking it with your house number – and postcode to be doubly sure.  It has been known for wheelies to be used for various nefarious purposes, from acting as a ‘stepladder’ to access a vulnerable window or flat roof, to being used as a carrier for stolen property!  If you hear a wheelie being moved in the wee small hours don’t assume that it is ‘normal’ – get up and have a look.  If it appears dodgy, ring the police on 0845 8 505 505

NO DOORSTEP SELLING – NEW HOUSE STICKER AVAILABLE

Bucks County Council Trading Standards Department have revised the design of the NDSZ house stickers, to make them larger and more visible, and to reflect the 2008 Unfair Trading Regulations.  Anyone can place one of these stickers adjacent to their front door if they do NOT wish to receive ‘cold-callers’.

Contact me if you would like a new sticker.

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CREDIT CARD SCAM APPEARS AGAIN

This information has come via the NHWatch network in the village.

‘You receive a phone call from ‘someone’ claiming to be from the ‘security department’ for your credit card.  They give you a lot of identifying information about you and your card, but then – and this is the IMPORTANT bit – they ask you for the 3-digit CVC number on the back of the card, allegedly to confirm that the card is in your possession.  With this number, they can now make telephone and internet purchases, and you won’t know about it until you see your next statement.’ 

Details of this sort of scam have been well documented on various web-sites, such as:

www.snopes.com      and      www.hoax-slayer.com

Often, a simple ‘Google’ of a few key words will lead you towards relevant information.

The most important rule is – ‘Never, ever give out personal or security-related information to someone who calls you on the phone.’  If you do need to phone your bank or card company, ALWAYS use a phone number that you know is reliable, NEVER one given to you over the phone by an unknown caller.  Banks or Credit-card companies, etc. will NEVER call you and ask for sensitive information over the phone or by e-mail, so if you receive such a request, treat it with the deepest suspicion. 

MOBILE PHONE PURCHASE SCAM

The following scam has been reported in Flackwell Heath and Marlow. 

‘Whilst away on holiday, a mobile phone is delivered in the victims name to their house, but intercepted by the ‘scammers’ who then disappear. The victims only find out what has happened when they receive notification from the phone company that direct debits have been set up in their name.  The personal information is correct, although the bank details are wrong.  When the victim contacts the phone company, they promptly inactivate the SIM card. However, that evening the victim gets an e-mail, purporting to be from the bank but with appalling grammar and spelling, asking him to provide the correct bank details so they can update their records.’ 

This is an example of how the scammers can use personal information obtained from insecurely discarded documents such as invoices, credit card slips, etc. to make illicit transactions. 

There are various other scams associated with mobile phones, such as ‘cheap insurance’, bogus top-up charges, phoney (excuse the pun) cash-back offers, etc.  If in doubt, check it out using Google or one of the web-sites listed above.

COLD-CALLING

If you are contacted by phone, e-mail or at the door with an ‘offer’ that seems too good to be true, then it probably is ‘too good to be true’.  As they say ‘up North’, ‘You never get owt for nowt’!  Should you feel inclined to follow up such an offer, don’t let anyone into your home unless you have someone with you, and don’t let yourself be ‘brow-beaten’ into accepting something that turns out to be much more expensive than the original ‘offer’.  If in doubt, call Trading Standards.

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THEFT OF CHARITY COLLECTION BAGS

We all receive charity collection bags through our letter boxes and many of us will give generously to the various genuine registered charities. However, the system is open to abuse with commercial companies posing as ‘charities’, and the collection of genuine charity bags by companies other than the charity for which they are intended. Most genuine collection vans are clearly identified and/or the driver carries ID. Make no mistake – the illegal collection of charity bags is theft, and as such is a reportable crime. One of our residents recently spotted the collection of a St John’s Ambulance bag by ‘unmarked white van’ but she was able to give the police the van registration number and a description of the driver. This information is of value to the police and if you should witness a similar event, their advice is: ‘…get a registration number and if the vehicle is still there, or has just left, call the Non-emergency number ASAP giving the reg. number and approx direction of travel and they may even be able to get a patrol car out as the van will likely as not still be in the area collecting more bags.’

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SUMMERTIME and the pickings are easy……

By the time you read this, the clocks will have gone forward one hour and we will be enjoying British Summertime.  Let’s hope that it’s a bit more summery than the ‘BBQ Summer’ of 2009.  Don’t forget to re-set any security timers to reflect this change.

The onset of warmer weather and lighter evenings traditionally signals an increase in sneak-in thefts, when the opportunist burglar will take advantage of an open door or window.  Police forces around the country are launching campaigns to encourage householders to keep doors locked and windows secured, even when the house is occupied.  One innovative police authority will be using ‘Bluetooth’ technology to send summer campaign messages and ‘alerts’ to mobile phones in the vicinity.  People are more relaxed about security when they are at home, but while they are in the back garden or asleep, their property is particularly vulnerable. It is essential that easy points of access like front doors remain locked, particularly whilst you are relaxing or gardening at the rear of the house. At night, all ground floor doors and windows should be locked and other vulnerable points considered.

GARDEN SECURITY

As Spring and Summer approach, we all look forward to enjoying time in our gardens, even if it does mean occasionally mowing the lawn!  However, we would be very annoyed if someone stole garden tools and equipment or valuable garden furniture, ceramics, or even ornamental fish.  Taking a few simple precautions can make life harder for the opportunist thief, and help keep our property safe.

• Check your boundaries.  Are hedges and fences a deterrent – plant thorny shrubs such as Pyracantha, Berberis, Holly or Hawthorn.  Trellis along the top of boundary fences makes them less easy to climb over, and can be attractive.  Alternatively, fit ‘Prikkastrip’ to the top edge of any high fence – this is the ‘legal’ equivalent of ‘broken glass’!  
• Fit a good padlock to side gates and to any garden shed where you keep equipment.
• Consider fitting an alarm to your shed door – these are a good deterrent.
• Keep garden tools locked away.  Not only are they valuable, but they can also be used to force an entry to your home.
• Use a durable security marking system (eg. CREMark) to identify any valuable equipment or garden furniture/ornaments.  This may not stop them being stolen, but it may make it easier to get then back.
• Netting your garden pond will make it less easy for fish to be removed – it’s not just herons that make them disappear!
• Finally, when you are away from home on holiday, try to make sure that your house doesn’t ‘look’ empty, and ask a neighbour to keep an eye on things.

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NEIGHBOURHOOD ACTION GROUP (NAG) – YOUR input wanted

NAG’s are a government initiative intended to help local communities deal with local issues relating to crime.  Each NAG comprises representatives of local groups typically including resident associations, the police, your parish and district councillors and other organisations such as Neighbourhood Watch, schools, retailers, etc..

During the past two years, your NAG (Hazlemere & Chepping Wycombe) has addressed issues relating to speeding, parking and anti-social behaviour, and more recently burglary.  From time-to-time, reports of the NAG’s activities and achievements have been made available via The Grapevine, Ringmaster messages and the police web-site.   

It is now time to review what YOU think the NAG should be working on – should we continue with more of the same, or do YOU think that the situation relating to crime in our parish is now different?  To this end, the next Parish Council Newsletter will include an article about the NAG, and a FREEPOST questionnaire so that YOU can let us know about the things that currently concern you.  This is your opportunity to influence the activities of your NAG - we will be very pleased to hear from you.  Every completed questionnaire returned will be eligible for entry into a free draw for a cash prize of £50

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AREA MEETING – Summary Notes

There was a good turn out to this meeting held in early December last year, and I was pleased to see a number of co-ordinators and others from Flackwell Heath.  Dominic Grieve QC, MP opened the meeting by speaking about the role of the community in reducing crime and creating a climate where anti-social behaviour is unacceptable.  This theme was reinforced by Insp. Ray Wilks (Marlow) who emphasised the importance of the local community in acting as ‘the eyes and ears’ of the neighbourhood policing team by reporting suspicious activity, anti-social behaviour and the like. Councillor Mike Appleyard outlined some of the activities of the local councils in terms of crime reduction, and noted the installation of Temporary Speed Indicating Devices (TSID’s) including the one in Blind Lane.  Finally, Gerry Doyle, responsible for civil parking enforcement for Wycombe DC, gave a brief overview of parking enforcement in the area.  Geoff Pegg, Chairman of Wycombe District Neighbourhood Watch Association, described the role of NHWatch in crime reduction and highlighted the successes during the last year.  After a lively discussion, there was an opportunity to enjoy ‘a cup of tea and a biscuit’ whilst visiting the various displays that had been organised, or chatting to the speakers.  All in all, a successful meeting.

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS

If ‘Father Christmas’ delivered some desirable gifts to you over the holiday period, don’t forget that these are also desirable to the opportunist burglar.  It is never too early to mark such property to increase the chances of return to you should it be stolen and later recovered.  There is a wide range of security marking products available:

UV Marker pens – this is probably the cheapest form of security marking.  A marker pen is used to put your house number and post code in an unobtrusive location on the item – on the back or underside of electrical/electronic items; on the INSIDE of a mobile phone case, etc.  Keep a note of where you put the marking, and remember such marking is not everlasting.

Alphadot – a proprietary microdot system which uses a self-adhesive microdot containing a unique code registered to you.  This can be applied to smaller, higher value items such as jewellery, porcelain and the like.

CREmark – this marking system employs a heavy duty marker pen in conjunction with a resistant, protective lacquer, and is more suited to heavy-duty items such as power tools, bicycles, garden ornaments, etc.

SelectaDNA – this is a sophisticated, chemically coded liquid containing uniquely coded microdots, and can be applied to a wide range of items.  Your ‘code’ is registered with the manufacturer and access to the register is available to the police.

Finally, take advantage of security systems already available.  Make a note of the IMEI number of your mobile phone – this can be found on a label inside the battery compartment, or by entering  *#06# on your phone  (Asterisk-Hash-Zero-Six-Hash)  In the event that your mobile phone is stolen, give your provider the IMEI number to deactivate the device.   Alternatively, register the details of your mobile or other portable device (free) on www.immobilise.com 

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REMINDER – Area Meeting, Dec 11th at 7 pm

I hope that you have marked your diary or calendar with this date for the meeting to be held at Wye Valley School – everyone is welcome.  Speakers will include Dominic Grieve MP, Supt. Paul Emmings, Insp. Ray Wilks, Cllr. Mike Appleyard and others.  There will be table displays on Crime Prevention and other relevant issues

Jingls Bells…..

As Christmas approaches and shops get busier, the risk of having your purse ‘dipped’ from your shopping bag increases.  A simple yet effective device to alert you to any attempt to steal your purse, are ‘Purse Dipping Bells’.  These simply clip to your purse and attract your attention if the purse is disturbed.  They are available through NHWatch for the princely sum of £1.00

Christmas security

Christmas gifts are the seasonal target of thieves, whether whilst out shopping, in your car or around the Christmas Tree at home.  Don’t leave purchases on display in your car – lock them away safely in the boot.  If you do display gifts around the tree, make sure that they are not visible from the public highway or adjacent paths during the day, and draw the curtains at night.  Check and review your security arrangements again to ensure that you don’t create openings for the opportunist burglar by leaving any windows or doors unsecured.  Check that your house contents insurance covers you for the value of gifts over the Christmas period.  If you are gong away over the holiday period, leave lights and a radio on a timer, and get a neighbour to draw your curtains and collect any mail.  If you are not already a member of a neighbourhood watch scheme, make joining – or starting – a scheme a New Year resolution.   

SatNav security

Theft of SatNav’s from unattended cars is a common occurrence, but just think about it.  Most SatNav’s include a ‘Home’ location, so not only has the thief got your SatNav, but he knows that you are NOT at home, and he has the means of navigating TO your home.  I suggest that you edit the details of your ‘Home’ location so that it does NOT reveal your home address.  Use a local feature such as a car park or store, so that you can still navigate back to your home location.  You know where your house is – don’t give the thief directions to get there! 

Current Scams

The ‘Car-Jacking’ scam (a note stuck on your car’s rear window in a busy car park) and the ‘Parcel Delivery Service (PDS)’ scam (requiring you to phone a premium rate line) have both surfaced again.  The best advice with the former trick is to ignore the note until you are safely out of the car park.  With the PDS scam, simply ignore it.

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Beat Surgeries at Budgen’s

You may have noticed that the Police and Neighbourhood Watch have held the last two ‘Beat Surgeries’ outside Budgen’s on a Saturday morning, rather than at Christ Church.  This change is part of the local police commander’s strategy to make his officers more accessible to the public.  Certainly, we had more residents coming up to talk about specific topics; to look at the information and security products available or just to chat.  Please let us know what YOU think about this change of venue and approach.

A Date for your Diary

On Friday, December 11th, an significant Meeting for the local NHWatch areas will be held at the Wye Valley School commencing at 7.00 pm.  Speakers will include Dominic Grieve MP, Supt. Paul Emmings, Insp. Ray Wilks, Cllr. Mike Appleyard and others.  There will be table displays on Crime Prevention and other relevant issues - look out for more information nearer the date.  Do try and come along.

Card Cloning

There has been a spate of card cloning of late, and several residents report their cards being used fraudulently in the Far East.  As in the past, garages seem to feature prominently in the ‘cloning arena’.  How they do it is open to speculation, but it has been suggested that the card machines have been tampered with in some way to send your card details to another computer, and that a ‘hidden’ camera records your entry of the PIN number.  With your card and PIN numbers, the rest is easy……!!  The key thing is to protect your PIN.  Ensure that no-one or any thing is ‘looking over your shoulder’ or ‘down from above’ when you enter your PIN.  Use your free hand to conceal what you are entering!

Property Marking

The latest Parish Newsletter includes an article on Community Safety with a specific reference to property marking using the product ‘SelectaDNA’  A limited number of packs are being made available to residents at a discounted price of £22, each sufficient to mark up to 50 items.  With the current incidence of burglary that we have been experiencing, this is a valuable tool in the armoury of deterrence, and can be used to securely mark and identify a wide range of products.  Remember, only 5% of stolen goods are ever reunited with their rightful owners due to lack of positive identification. 

Winter is here

By the time you read this, the clocks will have gone back an hour, and the evenings will get dark that much earlier.  Make sure that you have reset any timers that you use to operate security devices such as lamps, radio, etc. so they come on and go off at appropriate times.  Some modern electronic timers now have a facility for selecting ‘Summer/Winter’ or ‘Daylight Saving’ time, which makes this change very simple.