October 2015 Crime Incidents

The village saw no reported crimes in September or October so either everything has been super-safe or crime isn’t getting reported.  For a complete crime picture, please visit  http://www.police.uk/ however, please be aware the information on this website is always three months behind.

The police have, nevertheless, been providing advice and information including the news that the Police & Crime Commissioner, Nick  Alston, will be holding a public meeting in Colchester on 3rd December to which you are all invited or, if you would like to speak to him privately, he will be holding a surgery before the meeting.  There is also advice about vehicle and home security posted below.

Information Releases

Nick Alston’s Surgery & Public Meeting

Your Police & Crime Commissioner is responsible for holding the police service in Essex to account on your behalf.  Nick Alston wants to hear about the policing, crime and community safety issues affecting you.  To make sure your voice is heard, come and speak with him at the Colchester Public Meting on 3rd December between 6:30-8:30 pm at:

The Essex Business School,
North Towers,
University of Essex,
Wivenhoe Park,
CM4 3SQ

Surgery

PCC surgeries will directly precede the PCC’s district public meetings. They are a chance for members of the community, particularly those who may not be comfortable speaking in a public forum to raise issues, ideas and concerns with the PCC directly, and in a private setting. All surgeries must be booked in advance and are given by appointment only. Please book early to avoid disappointment.

The COLCHESTER PCC surgeries will take place on Thursday 3rd December 2015, at the Essex Business School, North Towers, Essex University, Wivenhoe Park, CO4 3SQ.  To book an appointment to attend a surgery near you please send an email to [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”] or use the online booking form at www.essex.pcc.police.uk/pcc-surgeries/  Please put the word SURGERY REQUEST in the subject line of your email.  Alternatively you can ring the PCC office to book an appointment on 01245 291 600.

Gaping Home Security Hole

This is based on Neighbourhood Watch Research:

• The average Briton moves home eight times in their lifetime,
• 11% of the UK population moves home every year,
• 92% of domestic burglary in England and Wales is committed through either the front or back door,
• But two thirds of Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network (NHWN) members do not change their locks when they move.

How many people could have a key to your new front door?”
Jim Maddan, chairman, NHWN

Research undertaken by Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network (NHWN) has highlighted a gaping home security hole amongst its members – a problem the nationwide organisation says will be exacerbated amongst the general public.  Working alongside its primary security sponsor, Avocet Hardware, NHWN’s research found that two thirds of the 6,000 respondents do not change their locks when they move home. And of those two thirds, 86.2% don’t even consider it.

Jim Maddan, chairman of NHWN, said:

These figures alone may not seem that surprising, but when you consider that around 11% of the population moves home in the UK every year; and that the average Briton moves eight times in their lifetime; then it begs the question just how many people could have a key to your new front door?

And when you take into account the most recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) crime survey showed that 92% of all domestic burglary in a dwelling in England and Wales was committed through either the front or back door, then it’s obvious that everything possible should be being done to secure them.

The security lapse highlighted by the research not only means that two-thirds of NHWN’s members are putting themselves and their possessions in unnecessary danger when they move, but they are also running the very real risk of having their home insurance negated should a burglar simply unlock their front door and let themselves in.

Clive Lloyd, managing director of Avocet Hardware, said:

Whenever I move home I make sure I change my locks as quickly as possible – the reason being the sheer number of people who’ve had access to my door keys in previous homes.

Whether it’s friends or neighbours we’ve given spare keys to while we’re away on holiday; workmen we’ve left a key out for; or even our grown-up children who still have their own sets of keys; there’s no escaping the fact a lot of people could still have the key to my old front door when I move. Therefore, I assume everyone else is in exactly the same boat and so change my locks as soon as I move.

Close to 40% of those who told NHWN that they do change their locks when they move did so for the same reason as Clive, while a further 25% made the decision based on the fact they felt the locks looked inadequate.

Meanwhile, only 6.9% of people changed locks in order to upgrade to anti-snap locks – an extraordinarily low figure when you consider that over half of those polled had uPVC doors, the standard locks for which led to the development of lock-snapping as a means of forced entry in the first place.

Doors are very much the main entry point for burglars and this research shows that a large percentage of the population isn’t even doing the basics to protect themselves, (continued Jim Maddan).

Our advice is simple – change your locks as soon as you move and rule out at least one horribly easy route into your home.

It is important to note, when changing locks, that you replace a lock on a security tested door with an identical lock so that you do not invalidate the test that the door was subjected to. New lock cylinders need to be of TS007 3-star or SS 312 standard.

Theft from Motor Vehicles

Cars and vans are frequently broken into, a lot of these are from vehicles shown as being insecure vehicles, and these are preventable by just locking them. Below are some tips that may prevent you from becoming a victim:

You might also like to register your property on www.immobilise.com  this is completely free service. Please visit the website for more information.

• DON’T tempt thieves by leaving any items on display.
• DO CLEAN THE SAT NAV RING off the windscreen.
• DO TURN BLUETOOTH OFF anything left in the car – it can be detected when on.
• DO lock your vehicle at all times, even when parked on your driveway or when carrying out any work.
• DO consider fitting additional locks on van doors
• DO PARK REAR DOORS ON VANS up against garage doors or other to prevent access.
• DO NOT just press the button on your fob to lock it – Look at your car to see the lights flash etc to confirm locking; someone may be nearby with a “remote blocker” and stop your car from locking.
• If you don’t have an alarm, consider getting one fitted.
• DO try to park in a secure, well lit area were possible
• If using a public car park – Try to use a “Parkmark” approved car park  www.parkmark.co.uk

The following items are of particular interest to a thief so should never be left in your vehicle:

• Satellite navigation
• MP3 systems
• Mobile phones
• Laptops
• Wallets/ purses/ credit and debit cards
• Cash/ cheque book
• Electrical items
• Jewellery
• Power tools and work equipment
• Vehicle registration documents

Empty your car before someone else does.

Keep your home secure as the darker nights draw in.

Winter officially began on Sunday 27 October when the clocks went back an hour, so now is the perfect time to check your house is not vulnerable to opportunist thieves.  You can find information regarding home security on the Essex Police website – http://www.essex.police.uk/be_safe/burglary.aspx

If you work full time and usually leave and return from work in the dark, then please take on board the advice.  If no lights are on in your home, curtains are not drawn, and no cars on the drive, it’s an obvious sign to an opportunist burglar that no-one is in. At this time of the year more than any other it pays to secure your home.

There are a number of simple things which you could take on board, to help reduce incidents of crime.

• Purchase a 24 hour segment timer for under £5. The timer can be used with a lamp, radio or TV to give the impression that someone’s home. Remember to use an energy efficient light bulb. Set them to come on from 16:00
• Register your valuables on immobilise.com – This is a free service and takes just a few minutes and if your valuables are stolen, will allow you to tell the police and your insurer to assist in recovering your property and catch the thief.
• Keep valuables out of sight.
• Look your doors and windows, if you have a UPVC door make sure you have double locked it.
• Draw curtains and blinds at night
• Shut and lock your side gates
• Ensure bins and ladders are chained securely so they can’t be used for access.

For further crime reduction advice contact the Crime Prevention Tactical Adviser on 101.

If you hear or see anything suspicious please call Essex Police on 101 or 999 is you believe a crime is being committed.