2007 MESSAGES Issued 14/11/07 Norfolk Police have received information concerning the possibility of a Rave taking place over the weekend 16/17/18 November. The exact location is not known but a number of such events had been planned, on a number of dates earlier this month, but were called off at the last minute. The intelligence suggests that this could take place in an area of Norwich or, potentially, anywhere in Norfolk. However, for the South Norfolk Home Watch Co-ordinators please circulate this information to your members and, if you have any current knowledge or information or, if you hear anything concerning this potential rave before this coming week-end, please contact Norfolk Police on 0845 456 4567 or your local Police Station. Thank you for your assistance. Issued 4/10/07 Between 11.30am and 2pm on 3 Oct a house in Rockland St Mary was entered and a quantity of cash was stolen. This money had been left in an unlocked part of the house. The offender(s) left the premises via conservatory doors. Please advise your members that it is not wise to leave sums of money on display especially in premises that are not locked. This type of thing makes life very easy for the thieves. Issued 7/8/07 Over the last few days, there have been attempted burglaries to dwellings in Brockdish, Bressingham, Cringleford and Wymondham. On a number of occasions the householder was at home at the time and interrupted the offenders who appeared interested in stealing cash and jewellery. Please avoid keeping valuable jewellery in boxes on dressing tables or in view in the house. Far better to keep such items, not used on a daily basis, in a secure box in a roof space. Also, these burglaries serve as a reminder not to keep large sums of cash in the home. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Home Watch Administrator for South Norfolk. My name is Derek Clarke and I am based at Diss Police Station. This is my second day in post so please bear with me as I get to grips with the various information systems. Issued 20/6/07 DISTRACTION BURGLARIES/COLD CALLERS Once again I must ask you to make your neighbours aware of the importance of not entertaining cold callers. Several incidents have been reported to the police over the last 24 hours. 3 reports of bogus water board officials asking to check the water pressure 1 in Norwich 2 in the west of the county .The occupants were distracted and a quantity of cash has been stolen. Taverham 2 males called at an address claiming to have been sent by the landlord to service the heating.They did not gain entry to the property and checks have revealed that they were not genuine. Other incidents a man called at a house asking the lady if she could change a £20 note,he walked into the living room with the lady .After he had left it was discovered that the ladies purse containing cash and her house keys had been stolen. This is one crime we can all stop by you not letting them into your property. Please always report incidents and anything suspicious immediately to Norfolk Police on 0845 456 4567 and where possible with discriptions of person/s and index numbers of vehicles please.Alternatively you can call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 Issued 12/6/07 In the absence of an administrator for South Norfolk this is a message via the Broadland Home/Commercial Watch Administrator. General Warning - We are seeing an increase in person/s that trade door to door offering gardening services and offering to buy scrap metal. Theft of this item is very much on the increase. There have been leaflets distributed in other areas offering to buy scrap metal and asking for the leaflet to be displayed IF you have nothing to sell. Once again I would advise you not to entertain Cold Callers - please be vigilant and security conscious. I would hope you would advise your neighbours accordingly. Trading Standards are always keen to have information about this type of leaflet - please call them on 0845 404 0506. The Police would be grateful of any sightings of a white Ford Escort van registration no K887 YOH with if possible descriptions of the driver and any passengers. When calling state this is in answer to a Ringmaster message. This is also the season when a lot of events are taking place throughout the county and we see an influx in visitors coming to Norfolk to these events just take extra time to look around your property do not leave items laying around your garden or property pay particular care in securing items especially trailers, horseboxes, horse tack, ride on lawn mowers, tools etc. Please check your security and always report anything suspicious immediately to Norfolk Police on0845 456 4567 and where possible please note descriptions of person/s and registrations of vehicles. Alternatively you can always call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Issued 26/3/07 Over the weekend there was a rash of thefts from vehicles and theft of diesel fuel particulary in New Costessey, Cringleford, Easton, Colton, Wymondham Dunston and Bunwell. Many of the thefts took place on building sites or commercial premises but others took place during the day on residential driveways. Also in Aslacton a cycle was left unlocked by the side of the house and stolen. We must all be more aware of the risks of theft of our property and beat the thief. A report has been received about a telephone cold caller from a company called St John Security selling home security systems including CCTV. If this company says they are working in partnership with Norfolk Constabulary it is not true and report them to Trading Standards. My recommendation is to politely tell all cold callers whether by telephone or on the front doorstep "No thanks" and put the handset down and shut the door. Issued 19/3/07 Thieves in Haddiscoe managed to gain entry to a number of vehicles left unlocked at a business premises including a cement lorry, sugar beat lorries and a caravan, all with keys inside which were stolen. Most importantly a bogus caller was operating in Bungay and Diss over the last few days where a male targetted elderly persons and asked them to fill buckets of water as the water supply was about to be turned off. While the occupant was filling the buckets the thief who is described as aged 35, 5' 8", medium build with light brown short hair and a speech impediment and with a short brown jacket and grey jeans, stole large sums of cash. Please remind everyone about locking vehicles and removing keys and the dangers of letting anyone into your premises you do not know. Issued 13/3/07 Thieves are in your area targetting satellite navigation systems particularly from commercial vehicles and stealing fuel from vehicles and containers both residential and commercial. The most recent theft of fuel occurred in The Turnpike Bunwell where thieves stole diesel fuel from 6 lorries and in Hopper Way Diss burglars forced a container on a building site and damaged vehicles parked on site. Also in Hoppers Way thieves stole a bag during the day from an unlocked Portakabin. In Carleton Rode thieves stole a cycle from a garage which was believed to have been locked by the owner but no forced entry seen. It is certain that thieves are beginning to target garages, sheds and barns; make sure your property is thief proof. Issued 12/2/07 In Princess Way Earsham thieves unscrewed the hinges off a shed and stole sporting euipment. Always use security screws which cannot be unscrewed when using T hinges on shed, barn and garage doors. In Loddon Road Ditchingham a thief forced the lock of a shed but stole nothing from inside, however , the thief made their escape by stealing a cycle left unlocked in the garden. There have been quite a few thefts from vehicles in Diss where windows were smashed and the thieves stole cash, personal documents and a satellite navigation system cable. For everyone who has received a Yellow Pages; if it was delivered by leaving it on your doorstep with no apparent effort to hide it or to check that you were at home to receive it Yellow Pages is waiting to hear from you on 0800 671 444. Issued 25/1/07 This is for all residents in South Norfolk (sorry not for Bowthorpe). Nigel Bailey is appointed as the Neighbourhood Safety Co-ordinator based atSouth Norfolk Council Long Stratton. He is responsible for co-ordinating anti-social behaviour complaints and will be working with the police to resolve such issues. If you are subjected to anti-social behaviour report it to the police first then tell Nigel Bailey. You can contact Nigel on 01508 533670 or 01508 533619 or by email at nbailey@s-norfolk.gov.uk - If you have access to the internet go to the website www.south-norfolk.gov.uk. Then click on crime and community and then anti-social behaviour. This will give you access to the report forms and further information. Issued 22/01/07 Over the weekend there were a number of burglaries. In Rockland St Mary a burglar found an insecure shed and stole a cycle. Also, in Woodrow Lane Great Moulton a thief forced a shed lock and stole a hedge trimmer and chainsaw. In Low Road Thurlton a burglar managed to enter a home via a window and even though the home was alarmed the burglar entered the wine cellar which wasn't alarmed and stole a quantity of wine. In Low Road Tasburgh a burglar smashed a bedroom window and with the power off and therefore the alarm disabled stole the keys to the safe. In Stoke Holy Cross thieves used a blue/grey Land Rover Discovery to try and ram the front of a public house and although they damaged the garden fencing and furniture they failed to gain entry to the premises. Similarly in Yarmouth Road Hales thieves used a grey/blue Land Rover to ram an entry to a business premises and stole a quantity of motorcycle equipment and clothing. Thieves continue to steal from vehicles with recent incidents in Loddon and Long Stratton. Issued 01/07 South Norfolk Home Watch - NEWSLETTER 2006 Introduction The year has had its good and bad moments. Starting with the bad; the National Neighbourhood Watch Association had to be put on the back burner because of lack of funding but with hopes of a resurrection next year. Also, the Norfolk Home Watch Association Chair, Secretary and Treasurer resigned, but more news later on that subject. The good news is that Home Watch in Norfolk continues with more new schemes every month and to date there are almost 80,000 members across the county. One improvement to my working environment has been the installing of Broadband to my message computer, enabling me to send and receive emails faster and access security information faster from the internet. The Ringmaster message system has been reliable throughout the year and the police have made my office area much more comfortable, making my job even more enjoyable – and they even gave me a small pay rise!! All this is great, but the important message is that the police recognise the importance of Home Watch members and that you should be supported in your efforts to support the police. Home Watch is here to stay and will be even more important over the coming years with the introduction of Safer Neighbourhood Teams. This new approach to policing will have already been explained in more depth at recent meetings but to those who haven’t heard, there will be presentations arranged over the coming months to each Town and Parish, but in short Home Watch schemes will play a vital part as partners with the police in Neighbourhood Teams consisting of police officers and police support officers dedicated to local areas with local residents identifying and helping to resolve local problems. If you have access to the internet you can find a monthly update on Safer Neighbourhood Teams on the website www.norfolk.police.uk. On the down side I am fast approaching my time for retirement and will be reluctantly handing over to my successor in 2007. However, I will remain a member of Home Watch in my village, follow the successful progress of Home Watch across the county and until retirement I will endeavour to improve the service in South Norfolk. It has been obvious from crime reports over the year that the main concerns from residents of South Norfolk have been the numerous cases of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. The police are aware and cracking down on unacceptable behaviour which causes so much distress. However the following statistics are something to be happier about: For the period April – December 2006 (as at end of November - time of printing) Burglary Dwelling: Actual 129 (and reducing after recent arrests) Target to date 124 Vehicle crime: Actual 279 Target to date 309 Although the above is to be applauded, burglary to ‘other than dwelling’ which includes shops, businesses, churches, schools and sheds, garages and outbuildings etc. is not shown in targets but is 2/3 of all burglary offences and is why I sometimes seem to be keeping on about making sure these premises are secure. Most burglaries occur during the day but 1/3 are committed between midnight and 6am. The most common method to gain entry is by forcing a rear door or window but sadly, as last year, there are still too many crimes where the premises were insecure with doors and window left open. There continues to be concern over the frequent occurrences of bogus caller offences and rogue traders targeting the most vulnerable and we must continue to keep a wary eye out for those that are perpetrating these crimes and those that are most affected. This year we have had people purporting to be police officers, council officers and water company officials and children tricking the elderly. The most ‘popular’ article to be stolen is jewellery followed by cash, credit cards and of course your identity. Also, thieves have taken audio/video and computer equipment from sheds and from garages stolen articles include machinery plant, power and hand tools, garden machinery, motorcycles and pedal cycles. Although vehicle crime is within the target set it is disappointing to see every day that someone has left valuables inside on view or left a vehicle unlocked or both, sometimes overnight and sometimes in a dark unlit secluded parking area. The most recent popular article to be taken from vehicles is the satellite navigation system. These are becoming more and more common and thieves are aware that even if you remove the system a ‘ring’ mark is left on the windscreen by the rubber suction pad and that is their clue to break into the car in the hope that the system has been left in the glove compartment. Lastly, it is very disappointing to see so many people showing total disregard for the security of pedal cycles. Leaving cycles unlocked, sometimes leaning against shop fronts, home sheds and garages and lying in the garden is manna to thieves. In October Diss police Station had over 24 cycles in their store without security markings and very few reports of stolen cycles. I will continue to keep you informed as best I can but there will always be occasions when I cannot tell everything and I’m very happy if you wish to contact me if you know something of which I should be aware or if you would like more in-depth information about a particular incident. The bottom line is that the police are still arresting criminals and working on catching those still at large and as a member of Home Watch you are still very much less likely to be a victim of crime. Contacting the Police You should commit the following two numbers to memory: For emergency calls and you require urgent police assistance call 999 For all non-emergency calls including calls made some time after an event, or when you are unsure about an incident that had occurred or if you wish to call a particular officer or police station call 0845 456 4567. Everyone is responsible to report a crime - do not expect the Co-ordinator to do it but tell your Co-ordinator afterwards so they can keep others aware. The police are always keen to hear from the public and only they will know how important your call is after you have made it so don’t be worried that your call might be wasting their time. Your small piece of information might just be the last piece of the puzzle they have been waiting for. On the other hand, the recipient of your call might not be having a good day and if you feel you have not been given the response and urgency you were expecting please write to the Chief Constable and COMPLAIN. That is the only way people with the power to make changes are made aware of problems. The Norfolk Home Watch Co-ordinator of the Year 2006 There had been a change of officers of the Norfolk Home Watch association around June /July and therefore there wasn’t enough time to arrange a Co-ordinator of the Year 2006. The good news is that a new Chair, Secretary and Treasurer have been elected and all bodes well for the future. There will be a better time ahead for us all with benefits for all Home Watch members. You may not be aware that there is a County Association and the Committee is made up from representatives from each of the 7 Districts. South Norfolk sadly doesn’t have an active District Association but if you want one and are interested in helping to form one let me know. However, representatives from South Norfolk Home Watch do attend the meetings to ensure South Norfolk has a voice. The County Association is a registered charity and its aim is to support Home Watch across the county with funding and helping to improve training and working practices for all members. Property Marking Throughout the year I remind everyone about the benefits of property marking using a simple UV pen marking kit. Property security marking really does deter the thief but as jewellery and small valuables are the most likely items to be stolen from a home how can you mark these items and not affect their value? The ‘simplest’ way to record valuables and jewellery is to take digital photographs of the items and store the photographs on a CD to be held by a trusted friend or neighbour. If you hold the CD at home and you are burgled you don’t want to give the thief a record of all your valuables that were not stolen on their last visit to your home!! The good news is there are ways of marking jewellery, antiques and other valuables and it is done through a respected professional company called Selectamark. It is possible to buy systems such as ‘Microdot’ with your specific reference code (about £30 for 1000 dots) or by using a DNA system where you brush on a ‘liquid’ containing a DNA reference code with a paint brush (about £75 for marking 50 items). I commend you to contact Selectamark for full information about their systems at Selectamark Security Systems plc, 1 Locks Court, 429 Crofton Road, Locksbottom, Kent BR6 8NL – 01689 860757 or email sales@selectamark.co.uk. Their website is www.selectamark.co.uk In all cases where you security mark your property you must advertise the fact; otherwise thieves will not be deterred. Don’t listen to those that say “if you advertise that you have valuables it will encourage thieves to break-in”. The majority of thieves believe that everyone not sleeping in a cardboard box is assumed to have items of value and will assess whether to break-in by the amount of security on the building, the security awareness of the owner of the property and the opportunity available. As reported in a previous message there is a National Register where you can register your property and if it is lost or stolen and later recovered by the police it can be quickly returned to you. Visit their website for more information: www.immobilise.com or email them at info@immobilise.com I am always reporting the large numbers of pedal cycles stolen, but Selectamark have recently updated their Bikeregister website www.bikeregister.com and I commend every cycle owner to not only security mark their cycle and keep it locked when left unattended, but also to consider using the Bikeregister. SCAMs People who carry out scams are Scheming, Crafty, Aggressive and Malicious. It is almost impossible to keep up with the latest scam because as soon as one scam is found and negated the criminal invents another. They come to you in the form of a letter, telephone call, email and the cold caller. If you think an offer is too good to be true or this is just too good to miss, think again, never commit yourself without first talking it over with friends, family or an independent expert. It seems that most scam ‘once - in – a lifetime’ offers or notices of a ‘competition’ win comes from Canada or Africa but don’t rule out anywhere else! Some companies particularly one called PDF which purports to be a delivery company will send you a card saying you have a parcel requiring you to call and arrange delivery. The telephone number will start with a 09 which means you will pay on a premium line. You will hear an answer machine and you will receive a bill but no parcel. The latest and probably the most serious scam is identity theft and many lives have been totally ruined by a criminal getting their hands on a small but vital piece of personal information. Recently a thief in Wymondham emptied a wheelie bin in the hope of retrieving information which might enable them to steal an identity. The following are steps you can take to go a long way in protecting yourself against identity theft: Don’t give personal details, especially financial details, over the phone or on email unless you are certain you know to whom you are contacting. Always destroy unwanted mail by using a shredder – they are normally less than £25 but could save you thousands. Always cover the PIN numbers with your other hand when using a cash machine and never use the machine if someone is standing too close to you. Never accept help from a member of the public if there appears to be a problem with the machine. Call the bank or the police if you are suspicious of the machine; never get into a discussion with someone who seems suspicious- these criminals can be particularly nasty. For more information about scams if you have access to the internet look at the Office for Fair Trading web-site at www.oft.gov.uk or call them on 0845 7224499. Anti-Social Behaviour As anti-social behaviour and criminal damage remain a big concern to most people I must say something on the matter. There are some incidents that most people will accept as high jinks and youthful exuberance and we can all remember when maybe in our youth our actions were not always helpful or acceptable to our elders. However, the difference between a few decades ago and today is the obvious lack of self discipline of some youngsters, not all, and lack of guidance from some adults who should know better. Keeping a diary of events on anti-social behaviour incidents and reporting criminal damage and anti-social behaviour to the police and the Anti-social Behaviour Co-ordinator may be the way to stop some people from moving from minor incidents to full blown crime. Don’t expect the police to come out to every nuisance report but all reports are recorded and help give police a full picture of the extent of the incidents so that they can use their limited resources to best effect. Contact the South Norfolk Council on 01508 533670 for copies of the ‘Diary of Events’ and advice. Helpful Partners PACT – Partners Against crime Taskforce. PACT is a charity and an organisation that works with the police to help the public make their homes more secure. I recommend that everyone should contact the police on 0845 456 4567 and ask for The Crime Reduction Department at Vantage House Norwich to arrange a free security survey of their home. The police will also arrange a free security survey of commercial premises. If after the survey the police recommend that you have new or replacement locks fitted to doors and windows or door chains or door spy viewers fitted you may be eligible to have the items supplied and fitted free by PACT. If you are living in your own home or renting a home not owned by a housing partnership and you are over 60 OR disabled OR in receipt of benefit you should contact PACT to discuss the items mentioned on the police survey. Contact them on 01953 424727. Care and Repair - South Norfolk Care and Repair is a service for people who are over 60 or disabled and is aimed at helping home owners and private tenants (not housing partnerships) with essential repairs and adaptations to their homes. Care and Repair officers provide advice, practical and sometimes financial help or simply put you in touch with other support services. Practical help may involve assessing and listing necessary repairs, dealing with builders on your behalf to obtain estimates and checking work when completed. If you have a low income and/or are in receipt of Guaranteed Pension Credit, Income Support, Council Tax Benefit or Housing Benefit, then financial assistance may be available to you via a grant and loan scheme to help part or fully fund the work required. To contact Care and Repair at South Norfolk Council Offices call them on 01508 533705 or send an email to hrenewal@s-norfolk.gov.uk Ends Issued 2/1/2007 I hope you had a cheerful and crime free holiday but over the period a car was vandalised in Gentleman's Walk Langley, two shop windows in Diss were smashed, a shop window in Long Stratton was smashed and a shop in Long Stratton was burgled; offenders entering via the front door. A shed in Uplands Way Diss was forced open and a cycle was taken. A wind turbine and two solar panels were stolen from a property in Bressingham and in Rectory Lane Hedenham a black and white horse about 10 hands high was stolen. In High Green Brooke a burglar gained entry to a home via an insecure fanlight window and stole various items after ransacking the house and also stole a vehicle parked outside the home. In Norton Subcourse a householder discovered his insecure garage had been entered and alcohol had been stolen. The householder is believed to have seen the offenders shortly after the crime and has been able to identify at least one of them. Any information about these crimes should be passed to the police via 0845 456 4567.