Community, Parish Council & Village
Every summer security is a number one risk as homes are left unoccupied for holidays. In conjunction with Essex Police, Colchester Neighbourhood Watch has offered the following advice:
Reports of burglaries are high this month and the Police urge Continue reading “Summer Security”
Once again, despite receiving some 40 pages of crime summaries during December, none affected West Bergholt, early January, though has seen one incident. It is worth mentioning another local incident that may give cause for concern – a house was burgled not that far away on 18th January, access was gained by smashing a window, posted below is some advice on making your home less attractive to burglars.
At 19:30 on 4th January, unknown suspects removed tools to the value of approximately £1,500 from the victim’s vehicle.
If you have been offered cheap tools, think twice – they might be stolen!
Just one has been issued recently, coupled with the advice mentioned above, on making your home appear less attractive to burglars.
Staying warm in winterKeeping warm over the winter months can help prevent colds, flu or more serious health problems like pneumonia. Find out some simple things you can do to keep warm, stay healthy and make the best use of your heating at home.
If you are over 60, disabled or on a low income, you may be able to get financial help to heat your home. Contact Colchester council for advice.
If you’re receiving certain benefits during very cold weather, you may qualify for a Cold Weather Payment
There are some simple tips to stay warm and safe in your home during the winter.
To keep warm at home during the day try to:
In very cold weather, set the heating to come on earlier, rather than turn the thermostat up. This means you won’t be cold while you wait for your home to heat up.
To keep safe and warm at home during the night you should:
To be put in touch with an Age UK group near you, call Age UK’s freephone advice line on 0800 169 6565.
Insulation makes your home warm and healthy and will also help to keep your heating costs down. You may also be able to get financial help to insulate your home.
It’s a good idea to:
You can help keep warm by:
There are things you can do that will reduce the risk of illness and protect you against the cold.
You can get a free jab if you:
Talk to your GP or pharmacist if you think you might qualify for a free flu jab.
Eating regular meals will help keep your energy levels up during winter. Try to:
Exercise is good for your overall health and it can keep you warm in winter. Even a small amount of exercise can bring health benefits. If possible, try to move around at least once an hour.
Hypothermia is caused by getting too cold. Older people, babies and people with certain health conditions are among those more at risk.
Shivering can be used as a guide to how severe hypothermia is. If a person can stop shivering on their own, the hypothermia is mild. If they can’t stop shivering, it’s moderate to severe. Severe hypothermia needs urgent medical treatment in hospital.
Without that initial attraction most crimes could be avoided, statistics show that:
most crimes are opportunist crimes, yes they may go out intending to commit crime but the victim is not yet chosen. So if there is no attraction then you may not become a victim.
What is the attraction?
The above is just short list I am sure you can think of more. What can you do? STOP, think like a thief, spot the attraction and where possible remove it.
For further crime reduction advice contact your local Crime Prevention Officer using the police non emergency telephone number 101.
Thankfully burglary is rare but unfortunately it does happen. As discussed above, most burglaries happen on the spur of the moment, the criminal sees an open window or open door or the house looks unoccupied. It is relatively easy to avoid becoming a victim if you follow some simple rules.
Tips to avoid becoming a victim
If you are considering an intruder alarm system it is advisable to seek advice from installers who are members of a professional body, such as:
Please note that Essex Police do not recommend any particular product or supplier.
Systems should be fitted to British/European Standards – www.bsi-global.com
Always get at least 3 different approved installers to give you quotes before you decide.
Systems can be monitored at special centres (Alarm Reporting Centres), for a fee. Reputable installers will give you more information on this, including an alternative option to link the alarm to alert mobile telephone numbers selected by you.
Essex Police respond to monitored alarm systems in accordance with guidelines issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) – www.acpo.police.uk Phone 020 7084 8950. Generally, Non- monitored alarm systems are not responded to unless the person reporting the activation says that an intruder has actually been seen to enter or be on the premises.
The speed of police response cannot be guaranteed. It will depend upon the number, location and availability of police units when the call is received and a police assessment of the threat level.
DIY outlets often sell intruder alarm systems. However, bear in mind that these are normally non-monitored systems. False activations can annoy neighbours and result in action by the Environment department at your local council. If you have one of these systems you need a trusted friend, neighbour, or family member who lives close by and can deal with activations in your absence.
Some systems can be linked to your telephone and programmed to alert specific personal telephone numbers (normally up to 6) if activation occurs. Your telephone provider may make an extra rental charge for this facility. You will probably still need a trusted local person to respond in your absence.
Some mail order type companies market a whole range of alarms. You can see examples of these on web sites such as: –
(There are other providers).
Generally speaking, any intruder alarm is probably better than none. However, your choice should always be based on the following considerations: –
The above information is a basic summary of intruder alarm systems.
September (up to 28th) saw absolutely no crime reports for West Bergholt after what was also a quiet August.
Slightly more of these this month with the Chief Constable announcing new community engagement promises, advice on keeping bicycles secure from theft and general advice to avoid opportunist crimes.
Despite budgetary constraints, the Chief Constable for Essex, Stephen Kavanagh, is keen to ensure community engagement in policing priorities and has recently made the following announcement:
Consistent and effective contact between communities and their local policing team is crucial.
Although there are a number of good local police and community meetings there are many that are poorly attended and not as effective as they could be. Therefore, I have decided to refresh our approach.
From October 1, 2014 my District Commanders are making the following commitments to local communities:
- We promise local PCSOs will hold a weekly ‘street meet’ on their patch
- We promise every district will hold five or six Local Community Meetings (every eight weeks)
- We promise Local Community Meetings (LCM) will be chaired by a supervisory officer (sergeant or above)
- We promise every LCM and street meet will be advertised on the Essex Police website in advance
- We promise our website will show agreed local priorities as well as the activity taken to address them.
With shrinking resources I need to make sure my officers can realistically deliver on the important promises we make to local communities. Involving a local Sergeant or Inspector in community meetings will ensure issues are dealt with promptly and that results are fed back to communities.
Local community meetings mean residents and businesses can work with their local policing team to address matters of concern. I encourage people to come and talk to us. Let us know about the issues that are important to you.
The new meeting structure will replace routine police attendance at Neighbourhood Action Panels (NAPs). Communities are encouraged to continue to hold NAPs but to bring any issues of concern to the attention of the relevant local community meeting.
Supporting the local community meetings, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will hold weekly ‘street meets’ on their designated patch. Supermarkets, libraries, shopping centres and other public venues are all locations where these hour-long, informal meetings will be held.
Street meets and LCMs will be advertised in advance in the My Neighbourhood section of our website and via Essex Police Facebook and Twitter channels. Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting they feel is most appropriate to their concern. There is no need to book a space.
Implementation of the new structure will start on October 1, 2014 with an expectation that community meetings and street meets are fully operational across the county by November 1, 2014.
In the UK, a bicycle is stolen on average every minute; with less than 5% of those returned as they’re difficult for the Police to identify the owner. Current research suggests that cyclists are more likely to have their bicycles stolen than motorcyclists their motorcycle or car owners their cars these days! Bicycle theft has doubled in the UK since the mid 1990s, probably due to the increasing popularity of expensive models and innovative ways of selling stolen goods online.
Take action against these unscrupulous thieves and protect your belongings, including your bicycle!
REDUCE THE CHANCES OF YOUR BICYCLE BEING STOLEN, INCREASE THE CHANCES OF IT BEING RECOVERED.
Where to park?Always lock your bicycle wherever you leave it – it only takes seconds to steal an unsecured bike. Make sure it’s locked in a well-lit public area with lots of people passing. Stations and public buildings often have designated areas with bicycle racks – Be sure to plan ahead and check out amenities in the places you need to leave your bicycle – remember to read signs in the area you intend to park being sure not to park illegally.
Using a bicycle lockOnly use a good quality D-lock. A poor quality lock at the lower end of the market can be easily sawn through or bolt cropped in seconds. It certainly pays to invest in the best quality lock you can afford (At least £30 -£40). Always lock your bicycle to something immovable, an object a bicycle cannot be lifted over and cannot be broke, cut or removed i.e. chain link fencing, grilles, gates or trees – check the object is fastened to the ground. For maximum protection use two locks of different types (a D-lock and robust chain and padlock is ideal) Use each lock to catch the wheels, frame and stand – Fill up as much of the space within the D-lock as possible with the bicycle.
At HomeAs many as half of all bicycles are stolen from the owner’s home – Always lock your bike at home even when it is in your garage, flat or halls of residence. Please be vigilant when returning from a ride!! Consider investing in a ground anchor and attach it securely to a wall or concrete floor. Make sure you keep your bicycle out of view of prying eyes as this alone will provide an irresistible incentive to break in to your property.
If you own a decent bicycle then it is probably a good idea to insure it. There are several ways you can do this; Insure your bicycle on your home contents insurance – don’t forget to cover it for thefts away from home. More expensive bicycles may require specific insurance cover against theft and accidental damage.
Registration & Police IdentificationBefore registering your bicycle on Immobilise take a photograph and along with this record the frame number and any key details such as make and model. Mark your frame with your postcode in two separate locations if possible, one of which should be hidden. Collectively this information stored on your Immobilise account will be crucial in recovering your bicycle should it be lost or stolen. It is important to consider that the frame or other identifiable codes could be removed by a thief and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tagging of your bicycle is highly recommended (See diagram left) as its virtually impossible to remove from the bicycle’s frame!
Without that initial attraction most crimes could be avoided, statistics show that most crimes are opportunist crimes; yes the perpetrator may go out intending to commit crime but the victim is not yet chosen. So if there is no attraction then you may not become a victim.
The above is just short list I am sure you can think of more.
For Crime Reduction Advice contact – Stephen Armson-Smith, Colchester District Crime Prevention Officer using the police non emergency telephone number 101 then extension 436126.
