NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH AND THE NEW
COMMUNITY MESSAGING SERVICE
Most residents will know that Llangrove is covered by the police-approved parish NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH scheme. We are lucky to live in a village that is relatively problem-free: the trouble is that this can lead to complacency, but we need to keep our eyes open for anything that makes us suspicious or uneasy. It could be a tarmac gang – they are around at the moment – or an unfamiliar vehicle cruising around or parked in an unusual place, or a caller that you are unsure about.
If you are unhappy about anything, report it to the police on their new number
0300 333 3000
as soon as you can. You will not be wasting anybody’s time. A police officer summed it up: ‘Think of a jigsaw puzzle with one piece missing. Your bit of information may be that piece’.
That information could be all or part of a vehicle number, description, number of people, age group – OK, you know all this stuff and do not need to be reminded, but you might be surprised at the number of people who used to ring up the NW coordinator and say ‘There was this car, sort of silver colour, about two weeks ago…’ Next to useless: too little, too late. Prompt, direct contact via 0300 333 3000 is the most helpful action.
Did you know that membership of an approved scheme may entitle you to a reduction in premium on your home and contents insurance?
The new HEREFORDSHIRE COMMUNITY MESSAGING SERVICE is linked to Neighbourhood Watch, is free, and is available to everybody. Its purpose is to circulate local police messages such as witness appeals and information on criminal activities and trends – for example, sheep rustling, which has happened recently in our area. Register through www.herefordshire-community-messaging.org, and receive your updates via email, SMS text or voice message.
The new number again: 0300 333 3000 for all non-emergencies.
Tim Pridgeon
Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator
COMMUNITY POLICE
Our Community Police contacts:
PC Wendy Powell, mobile no 07811 131525, or email wendy.powell@westmercia.pnn.police.uk
Our Community Support Officers are CSO Lisa Austin or CSO Paul Leighton, mobile no 0797 0602441
SMARTWATER is the ultimate theft deterrent which uses state-of-the-art forensic technology to protect homes and businesses from criminal victimisation.
Each SmartWater system contains a unique DNA-style forensic code which is simply dabbed into the nooks and crannies of your valuables. Each SmartWater code is stored on a secure database together with the owner's details making them uniquely identifiable.
It comes in the form of an invisible liquid which can be dabbed on electrical goods, jewellery, computers, clocks, purses, wallets – in fact, all valuables. It is almost impossible to remove and carries a ‘fingerprint’ which links it precisely with your property when it fluoresces green under ultra-violet light. The conviction rate for thieves found with marked property is 100%. This is known in the criminal community, to the extent that a SmartWater window sign alone is a very strong deterrent. Some insurance companies give a discount on home and contents policies where SmartWater has been used. A domestic kit costs over £40 on the open market but can be bought via Neighbourhood Watch for £25.
Get in touch via llgrove_links@tiscali.co.uk if you want someone to contact you.
PHONE SCAM ADVICE FROM BT
If you or members of your community have concerns regarding phone scams, BT are offering the following advice.
The majority of phones these days do have CALLER DISPLAY. If your phone does have caller display ensure that it is activated - this is just a quick call to your service provider, i.e. BT who will turn on the caller display for no extra cost. Caller display phones can be purchased from as little as £10 from any good electrical retailer.
Caller Display will enable you to see where your phone calls are coming from. The following rules appy:-
1. Withheld - the number is being dialled from the UK but the caller has chosen not to let recipients view it. The majority of businesses in the UK tend to have their number displayed as Withheld - It would be adviseable to find out who is calling you and then decide if you wish to continue the conversation!
2. International, Unavailable, Out of Area or a telephone icon - this means the call is coming from abroad and unless you have relations or friends who live abroad this is likely to be a Scam call. BT advise that you either ignore these calls or pick up and then immediately put down - they will eventually get the message that you do NOT want to talk to them. We have found that when people engage in conversation with these individuals they have a tendancy to keep re-calling in an attempt to try and sell them a variety of scam services.
You may experience a silence on the other end of the line, this is usually due to the fact that the companies have the ability to dial several numbers at the same time from one phone; once the first person has picked up the phone it cuts the other numbers off and you are left with a silent/dead line.
BT and other providers are very aware of the calls and are involved in investigating these sorts of calls with an aim to curbing and stopping them, however it seems that as one 'scheme' stops another is started. If you are receiving these call report them to your service provider so they are aware of the scale of the problem.