HARTWELL VILLAGE WATCH SCHEME
Neighbourhood Watch is the best known and most effective example of the community working together to prevent crime, reduce the fear of crime and improve quality of life. Over 155,000 Neighbourhood Watch schemes operate throughout the United Kingdom covering up to ten million people.
In addition to making your own home a safer and more secure place to live, you can also help make your street a safer place for everyone who lives there by joining your local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. Statistics show that houses in active Neighbourhood Watch Schemes have a one in 344 chance of being burgled compared to a national average of one in 45.
For more information and details of your street, contact your local co-ordinator, Judy Webster on: 01604 8628
It is difficult to keep up with the different scams that have been reported from various parts of
the county. The traditional distraction burglaries are still occurring. Men still come posing as
water board officials; a woman has posed as a district nurse, even to the extent of
apparently taking blood pressures, or as a social worker; others are taking advantage of the
Tsunami disaster by posing as collectors for funds or for clothing, etc.
The so-called Nigerian ploy is now being run in the name of Tsunami victims. We are advised
not to respond to unsolicited e-mails or mobile phone text messages and to be sceptical of
those claiming to be surviving victims or of foreign governments asking for cash or
information. Often this is an attempt to get into your bank account and drain it.
The County NHW association is now running pilot schemes of Nominate a Neighbour in which
the vulnerable are encouraged to make arrangements for a neighbour to come to them when
there is an unexpected caller. For further details of the scheme, please contact Judy Webster
on 862809.
In another ploy, con men get your telephone number, possibly even by asking you for it by pretending to be from the telephone company. One knocks at your door and when you open it, the phone rings. The only safe way is to ask the caller to wait, close the door on him (or her) and lock it. Only then should you answer the phone. Or just let it ring! A genuine caller will phone you again later.
Theft of identity is another development. If your wallet or handbag is stolen, immediately phone the credit and debit card companies, report the loss and have the account blocked. This means you keeping records in a separate place to the phone numbers or registering your cards with a card security agency. Ring the DVLA immediately on 0870 240 0009 to cancel your old driving licence (which could be used by the thief to make purchases) and to get a new one. You can also call a credit reference agency such as Equifax 0870 010 2091 so that thieves can't open an account in your name - at your later expense.
Men offering surplus tarmac may now imply that they are from Atkins, contractors handling all County Council work - but they're not! They will still pull the trick of charging grossly beyond the price that you think you have agreed.
Finally, if you have a high performance car, keep it in a locked garage if possible. In any case - take the keys upstairs with you at night!
Mrs Judy Webster
Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator
Tel (01604) 862809