 November 2014
 Operation Big Wing is back
Operation Big Wing - the Metropolitan
Police’s community action day – is back.
Following the success of the October event the next Operation Big
Wing is scheduled for Thursday 20 November, and once again will involve
Havering Council's Community Safety team along with your Safer Neighbourhood
Team from Havering Police and Special Constables.
Across the Borough, officers will give out crime
prevention advice, security code cycles, provide purse chains and timers for
lights and radios distributed so burglars think someone is at home.
Come along to Next at the
Gallows Corner Retail Park from 10am until 2pm where police will be offering
advice on the Immobilse Database which helps protect your mobile phone,
SmartPhone and other electronic equipment.
If you are running an event on that day and want to
invite the police along, contact Harold
Wood Safer Neighbourhood Team.
Pictured: Harold Wood SNT give crime prevention advice to commuters.
|
 Crime down in Harold Wood
The latest
figures for October 2014 show that crime is coming down in Harold Park and
Harold Wood, compared to October 2013.
In two key
areas – drug offences and robbery – there was a 100 per cent reduction this October, compared to last, with no offences being reported.
There has also
been a 68 per cent reduction in burglary with 13 fewer offences reported and a
39 per cent reduction in theft from motor vehicles with seven fewer offences
reported.
This is good news
but there is more we all can do to make sure our homes and vehicles are safe
and secure.
For free crime
prevention advice for your home, business or community group, contact your local
Safer Neighbourhood Team.
|
Banking
protocol saves resident £7,800
Cold-callers,
from a roofing company, contacted an elderly lady and persuaded her to replace
her guttering at a cost of £80. They then persuaded her to replace her roof and
sign a contract for the work worth £7,800.
The
lady, from Harold Wood, visited her branch of Halifax to take out the money but
staff were suspicious and stopped the transaction. They informed the Police who
attended the address with Havering Council Trading Standards and the work was
stopped.
The
banking protocol was the first multi-agency scheme of its kind and is a new way
of working between the Council, local banks, the Metropolitan Police, Age
Concern and the Havering Community and Police Consultative Group.
Council
trading standards officers have trained staff from local banks in how to spot
customers trying to withdraw suspiciously large sums of cash, which could be to
pay a rogue trader.
Bank
workers are encouraged to tactfully make enquiries if they feel a withdrawal is
suspicious.
They should also notify the relevant agencies, such as the Police
and Council’s trading standards team, if they feel a rogue trader could be
involved, delaying the withdrawal.
The
staff had been trained as part of the Banking Protocol work done by Havering
Council Trading Standards.
More
information on the Buy
with Confidence scheme.
Spread a little light
Did you see homes in darkness whilst on your way home
tonight.
Was your home in darkness when you got in?
Burglars like homes with
no lights as it means they’re empty. #ThinkLikeABurglar
Find out how to beat the burglars here.
|
 Smile, you're on camera
Havering Council’s CCTV cameras
across the Borough can now be linked to the ANPR (Automatic Number Plate
Recognition) system used by Havering Police to identify vehicles without
insurance, stolen vehicles or vehicles of interest.
During the last month the ANPR
cameras have been used with considerable success including the seizure of
vehicles which were not insured.
Any driver who is on the road
without insurance and is pulled over can see their car seized, will receive a
Fixed Penalty Notice and have to find another way to continue their journey.
Vehicles can be recovered from a police pound in south London when evidence of
insurance cover is provided and a storage fee, which increases each day, has
been paid.
If the vehicle isn’t reclaimed it
can be disposed of by the police
|
 Join Neighbourhood Watch
Neighbourhood Watch’s main aims are to
prevent crime, reduce the fear of crime, and improve safety.
Neighbourhood Watch acts as the eyes
and ears of the community. It has been shown that Neighbourhood Watch areas are
far less likely to be targeted by criminals.
For more information on how to join or
set up a Neighbourhood Watch Group email Community Safety.
To receive local Neighbourhood Watch
newsletters sign up here.
Find out more
about Neighbourhood Watch here.
|
 Catching criminals
Crimestoppers is a confidential
way of providing information about known or suspected criminal activity.
When you pass anonymous
information to Crimestoppers you're making a real difference in your community.
You can give information
on 0800 555 111 or through the Anonymous Online
Form - both of these routes are completely anonymous and available
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
|
|
 |
 Welcome to On the Beat
Havering Council’s Cabinet Member for Community
Safety, Councillor Osman Dervish, said: “Welcome to the first edition of On the Beat in Harold
Park and Harold Wood.
“This email newsletter is one of a series of joint initiatives
between Havering Council and Havering Police aimed at keeping crime down in our
community.
“In this area the local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT)
is one of the most active in the Borough, working closely with residents, local
organisations and community groups as well as businesses.
“That strong partnership has seen crime fall in this
area year on year as the statistics below show.
“But we can’t be
complacent and all of us have a role to play in keeping criminals out of Harold
Park and Harold Wood – do get in touch with your local SNT officers for free
crime prevention advice and if you have information that can help them do their
job, please let them know. This information can be passed along in confidence
“Havering
is a safe place in which to live and work, and together we can make it even
safer.”
|
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a hugely
important day and the police wanted to ensure that Remembrance Day parades ran
smoothly in Havering.
This year Superintendent Cheryl Burden joined the Harold
Wood Safer Neighbourhood Team and members of Havering’s Special Constabulary at
this event which attracted lots of local residents wishing to remember those
that had given their lives for their country.
Pictured: Superintendent Cheryl Burden with officers
from Havering Special Constabulary and Harold Wood SNT at the Harold Wood Remembrance Sunday Service.
|
Meet the SNT
The Harold Wood Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) is holding a
number of meetings where residents can pop along for a chat.
So if you have something worrying you, or just want to find
out who is policing your local area come along to the SNT Base, Station Road, Harold Wood, RM3 0BP on
one of these dates:
- Wednesday 20 November between 9am and 10 am
- Thursday 11 December between 3pm and 4pm
- Saturday 20 December between 10am and 11am.
 999 on Twitter
Havering Police will be tweeting live 999/101 calls received by @MPSHavering on Thursday 20 November between 7am and 7pm. Follow Havering Police on the day!
|
 How special can you be?
There are more than 70 members of the Special
Constabulary based in Havering and the Metropolitan Police is looking to
recruit more.
Find out what being a Special Constable
means here.
Pictured: Two members of Havering Special Constabulary on cycle patrol.
|
 Nitrous Oxide
Some residents have expressed
concern about possible misuse of Nitrous Oxide (pictured) so this briefly summarises the
legal position.
A number of reports suggest that
the risks attached to inhalation of N2O may include loss of blood pressure,
fainting or potentially a heart attack. Other reported side effects include
euphoria, nausea, vomiting, concentration problems, nerve damage and damage to
the central nervous system.
Users may lose co-ordination or
balance at the time of inhalation and due to this may be considered vulnerable
to harm or other injury.
If you, or someone you know, uses
Nitrous Oxide and wants help contact:
·
Young People: Young Addaction
T:
07717 527246
·
Adults: First Stop T: 01708 747614
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) is NOT
currently a controlled drug, though it is illegal to sell Nitrous Oxide to
persons who are under 18 years of age.
Also where N2O is sold on the
street, the seller is likely to be doing so without consent or licence of the
local authority. In these circumstances it may be appropriate to deal with
offences of trading without consent or license.
Havering Police will be looking
at dealing with anyone found misusing Nitrous Oxide in public using the new
Anti-Social Behaviour laws.
For more information contact
your Safer
Neighbourhood Team.
|
|
