12/06/2008 - Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter |
The Poplars Neighbourhood Watch
Newsletter 31
Neighbourhood Watch number:W030/014 Police: 0116 2222 222
Date: 7 June 2008 Crime Stoppers: 0800 555 111
Attempted Intruders in The Poplars
A recent attempt at intrusion was foiled in the Poplars. Would be intruders scaled a fence from the jitty between Mill Lane and The Poplars and, from the back garden, climbed onto the roof of a conservatory with a view to entering the property through open rear bedroom windows where children were in bed. Fortunately the householders were alerted by the intruders’ shadows and when challenged the intruders ran away. The Police have been informed but as yet there has been no response from them. The sheer bravado of this attempt is a worry and all members who feel their security could be compromised in a similar manner should consider what additional measures they could take.
Car Key Burglaries
Over the past few weeks the south area of Leicestershire has seen an increase in the number of car key burglaries. In these car keys are specifically targeted, generally when the occupants are at home late evening or overnight with a view to stealing the car from the drive. In about half of the cases reported the burglars gain entry to the house via an insecure door or window. In other cases car keys placed near a front door have been burgled by the use of implements through the letter box. Residents are reminded to keep their properties secure both during the evening and overnight even when they are at home. I would also urge residents to take their keys upstairs with them when they go to bed or failing that hide them in a location that would not be obvious to overnight thieves.
Anyone with any information regarding these offences please contact DS 1577 Granger on (0116) 222 2222 Ext 3251.
Mobile Phone scam
If you receive a phone call on your mobile from any person, saying that he or she is a company engineer, or telling that they're checking your mobile line, and you have to press #90 or #09
or any other number, end this call immediately without pressing any numbers.
There is a fraud company using a device that once you press #90 or #09 they can access your
'SIM' card and make calls at your expense.
Metal Thefts
Soaring raw materials costs have led to a significant increase in this kind of crime and recently a large amount of lead was stolen from the roof of the Parish Church. Other buildings may also be targeted and the Police request that if anyone sees any suspicious activity taking place they should immediately phone 999 and note any connected car registration numbers if possible.
Fake Neighbourhood Watch Survey
A NHW co-ordinator has reported that he received a telephone call from a person allegedly conducting a survey on behalf of Neighbourhood Watch. Please alert your members that no such survey is being conducted in Leicestershire at this time and that they should never provide any personal information over the phone to any organisation.
In another area of the County a distraction burglary has taken place where the perpetrator claimed to be calling from Neighbourhood Watch, this enabled them to gain entry and distract the residents, they stole property and cash.
Obviously you can’t be too careful and on NHW matters you should only deal with myself or Perry whom, hopefully, you should recognise at least by sight.
POLICE ALERT STOLEN ANGLIAN WATER VAN AND CONTENTS
This message has been passed to us by our colleagues in Northamptonshire.
Please be aware that a marked Anglian Water van was stolen in the north of Northamptonshire recently.
The stolen vehicle is a Vauxhall Vivaro van, registered number FE07 DNF.
Anglian Water clothing and ID belonging to an employee, which was inside the van has also been stolen. Keys were used to drive off the vehicle. The person concerned was aged in his 20's.
This warning is circulated in view of the possibility of distraction burglaries where persons claim to be from water companies.
Obviously the Water Company for our area is Severn Trent and not Anglian but in view of the vehicle and clothing stolen we believe that we should warn you and your members of this theft and the possibility that the property stolen may be used in our area for distraction burglaries. Please warn your members of this incident.
Anyone with any information or who receives a call from persons purporting to be from a water authority especially Anglian Water, should contact the police as soon as possible.
Public Consultation Meeting
I attended a Public Consultation Meeting at Age Concern recently which was addressed by Martyn Ball for the Police, Councillor Mary Sherwin and J.P. Anne Knight as members of the Leicestershire Police Authority. There have been very considerable reductions in crime in the last year partly as a result of increased Neighbourhood Management. Some concern was expressed about the fact that despite this many people do not actually feel safer and it was thought that one way to deal with this was increased publicity for police successes. Another was to encourage a partnership approach in the community through such means as Neighbourhood Watch so that members of the community took more responsibility for helping others. Increased Police numbers were probably not possible at present.
Many of the questions from the floor involved matters such as smokers on pavements outside pubs, parking outside schools at drop-off and pick-up times and road safety generally which is one of the current police priorities.
The Police were hoping to increase the number of Neighbourhood Watch groups in Barwell and Earl Shilton following a successful campaign to do this in Burbage where there is now virtually 100% coverage. This has led to other successful initiatives such as the Smart Water project. Smart Water is a colourless, odourless liquid which can be made specific to an address (think DNA) and can be splashed onto valuables of all sorts. Stolen property can then be tracked back to the addresss from which it was taken. The normal cost of using this is about £50-£60 per house, but in Burbage the take up was so high that economies of scale reduced the cost to about £15. Possibly the same could be done in time in Barwell and Earl Shilton.
Nobody in our group seemed to have any burning issues for me to raise so by and large I remained an observer.
Neighbourhood Watch Co-Ordinator
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