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Wetherby & District Crime Prevention Panel

 

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Alwoodley, Bardsey, Boston Spa, Bramham, Clifford, Collingham, East Keswick, Linton, Moortown, Scarcroft, Shadwell, Thorner, Thorp Arch, Walton, Wetherby

 

The Wetherby & District Crime Panel is a voluntary group of people who work together with West Yorkshire Police in matters relating to crime prevention in the local community.

 

Membership of the Panel is drawn from individuals who live or work in the area together with representatives from Wetherby Town Council and most of the Parish Councils in the area.

 

Funding is provided by local businesses, Parish Councils and other various local sources.

 

Several new members have joined this year, either as Parish Councillors or as representatives for the Parish Councils.  This representative would then report back to their Parish Council and, in turn, keep the panel informed as to what projects could be carried out or any assistance that could be given.

 

The most recent Newsletter is immediately below this intro;

still relevant bits of the previous Newsletter is below that!

 

Find out about CrimeStoppers

The Chairman, Wetherby & District Crime Prevention Panel

c/o West Yorkshire Police,  Wetherby Police Station,  Boston Road, Wetherby,  LS22 5HA

 

Email  :  ifo@btinternet.com

Crime Prevention Newsletter

Synopsis of January 2010

 

Crimestoppers is not the Police.

 

 

 

 

 

Crimestoppers is the only charity directly supporting the police to detect crimes and bring offenders into the justice system.

 

The charity exists to allow people who have knowledge of Criminal Activity to be able to pass that information by ringing 0800 555 111 without ever having to fear the consequences of becoming involved in the enquiry. In other words, callers are never asked any personal information to identify who they are, where they live or any other contact information.

 

When you ring Crimestoppers you will speak to a person not a machine and the service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

You will speak to a call agent who will ask lots of questions to provide the police with the best information about the criminal activity you are reporting and give them a realistic opportunity to investigate it. None of the questions they ask will be to identify who the caller is.

 

So how safe are you when you ring Crimestoppers? Well for a start, the fact you have rung will not appear on itemised phone bills from a land line. Crimestoppers call agents don’t have call line identifier don’t have 1471 facility to identify caller’s phone numbers and never trace calls.

 

Call agents are forbidden from telling the police the gender, apparent ethnicity or apparent age of any caller. If a caller has inadvertently said they live “next door,” or “are related” to the person they give information about, this is automatically kept out of the report sent to the police.

 

There are rewards too!

 

If the information a caller gives leads to somebody being arrested and charged, the caller can claim a cash reward of up to £1,000 and they still stay anonymous.

 

All the caller has to do is ask for a reference number and ring up later on to find out if anybody has been arrested and charged. If they have been, the caller will be asked to choose a bank they wish to collect the cash from then go there on a nominated day, give their reference number and they will be given cash. No signature, no record, simple as that.

 

If you don’t speak good English, then “Languageline” is available so an interpreter can join in with the conversation to ensure you fully understand the questions and what is on offer.

 

Still unsure whether to speak to Crimestoppers! Then ring 0800 555 111 and talk to an agent.

 

Success

 

DC Kevin Mosley the Deputy Regional Coordinator for the Yorkshire/Humber and East Midlands Crimestoppers unit based at Wakefield said,

 

“The public continue to utilise the Crimestoppers facility, and calls are again up in 2009 with over 7300 calls being made by the public of West Yorkshire. This as resulted in over 600 arrests being made by the Police. That equates to every 11 calls results in a person being arrested and charged with criminal offences. What is even more staggering is that those arrests have resulted in over £2 million worth of drugs and property being recovered. It’s clear that the public give good quality information and the Police act on it, we want this work to continue.”

 

Crime Panel Newsletter

Synopsis of early April 2010

 

Have all these items been post coded?  Including barbeque, tables, chairs and expensive large plant pots. If not, then involve the children in this task, many enjoy this kind of activity.

 

Have you moved your ladders outside so that you may carry out annual maintenance and possibly painting?  Have you left your ladders casually lying alongside a wall or fence? Not always within your daily view. The ‘Opportunist Thief’ just loves it when you do this.  Leaving them outside is ok providing you have secured them with a chain and safe padlock. Leaving ladders on view may not affect you, but they may be used to gain access to another property.  Please ensure you do not allow this to happen.

 

Whilst planning your home maintenance please be sure to check your vegetation is not going to cause problems by allowing it to overhang boundaries, drives and footpaths.  Trees and bushes should not be so large that they create ideal hiding places for the ‘Opportunist Thief’.

 

Using adequate outside security lights that come on when visitors approach are always a good indicator that someone is approaching but you must make sure that the bulb is not too bright to cause neighbour disturbance but will protect your property. You should still use your timer switches in at least two rooms, one upstairs and one downstairs, again so that the ‘Opportunist Thief’ will not know if you are home or not.

Crime Panel Newsletter

Synopsis of April 2010

 

'No Cold Calling Zones' &  ‘Doorstep Crime’

 

This is crime arising from doorstep callers, bogus workmen, high pressure salespeople, bogus officials and distraction burglary.

 

It is now well established that distraction burglaries and rogue trading are interlinked - all too often, the seemingly innocent doorstep seller is actually checking things out for a re-visit to carry out a burglary or distraction burglary.

Whilst this type of criminal behaviour can impact on anybody in any place, research shows that older people are particularly vulnerable, especially those living alone.

 

Setting up No Cold Calling Zones is one way of stopping unwanted salespeople. The zones are set up in consultation with West Yorkshire Trading Standards,  Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Police.

 

Interested in having a ‘Cold Calling Zone’ in your area?  Simply use the contact numbers below.  Help eliminate this type of crime.

 

 

'If in Doubt Keep Them Out'

 

Remember to use your door chain or door bar before opening your door.

If you do not have a spy hole, look through a window to see who the caller is. Especially if you are not expecting a caller.

 

Useful Numbers

 

 

 

Crime Panel Newsletter

June 2010

 

   

 

Sneak-in-burglary

Sneak-in-burglary still accounts for more than 1 in 4 of all domestic house burglaries!!!!

A staggering Statistic, and one that can be reduced drastically with a little thought.
This type of entry method increases with the warmer weather, people and houses need ventilation, but a window or door left open and out of your sight is an open opportunity to a criminal.

Sneak-in-Burglaries can only occur when a property has been left insecure. Usually the burglar enters through an unlocked door or window.


All of these crimes can be prevented at no cost to the resident by taking an extra minute to secure doors and windows.


Ground floor rooms are the obvious preference for the thief but if there is a ready climb point to a first floor window, such as a flat roof, railings or drainpipe then that window could also become a target. Don't make it easy for the opportunist thief or burglar!!

 

 

Thank you

Maureen Brewer

Chairman.

 

Crime Panel Newsletter

May 2010

 

 

 

Neighbourhood Watch

 

25 years in West Yorkshire

 

Neighbourhood Watch is a voluntary organisation supported by the Police.

 

West Yorkshire Police first adopted Neighbourhood Watch in 1985 making 2010 the 25th anniversary of the Scheme. In that time, the number of residents involved in NHW has grown considerably. North East Leeds Division alone now has nearly 2000 individual groups working to reduce crime and the opportunities for crime.

 

The whole concept of NHW is good neighbours looking after each other and taking an interest in their local area, this is supported by The Police with regular information updates about crime trends and more importantly, what the members can do to increase security in their homes.

 

Bearing in mind, that one in three of all domestic burglaries are committed through open windows or doors!, then this information can be as simple as reminding people to Lock Doors and Windows at all times.

 

I would encourage all residents to think about Neighbourhood Watch. If there is a group in your street, then why not make enquiries to join.

 

If no group exists why not start one, all assistance for setting up the group and getting literature and street signs will be given by your local Neighbourhood Policing Team.

 

Running a NHW group need only take a few minutes of your time each week, to read the information supplied and pass it on to the group members. The benefits of NHW are closer liaison with local Police, safer communities and peace of mind.

 

For details of your Local Policing Team telephone 0845 60 60 606 or check out the NW page on this website

 

Would you like to read about Local Police Updates?:

 

Use your postcode to read local news from your Neighbourhood Policing Team, and sign up for free email updates, on http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/npt

 

 

Thank you

Maureen Brewer

Chairman.