 December 2014
Enjoying a crime-free Christmas
A great Christmas can be ruined if criminals get involved but
some simple steps can keep the burglars away.
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At home
- Use a timer switch to operate lights and a radio when you’re
not at home – Havering residents can collect a free timer from the Police Shop,
opposite Poundland in Laurie Walk, the Liberty centre, while stocks last
- Keep tools and ladders locked away so burglars can’t use
them
- Close and lock doors and windows, even if popping out for “just
a few minutes”
- Keep presents out of sight – make sure they can’t be seen
through a window
- When the presents are opened keep the packaging out of
sight, especially for expensive or electrical items, - tear the boxes up and
put out the recycling bags only on the day they will be collected
- Never leave the key in your car ignition when parked outside
your home
- Keep your car keys well away from letterboxes so thieves can't hook them out while you're asleep
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When shopping
- Have a chain fitted to protect your purse or keys from
pickpockets - Havering residents can have free security chains fitted at the Police
Shop, opposite Poundland in Laurie Walk, the Liberty centre, while stocks last
- Park your car in a secure, well-lit space and make sure it is
locked when you leave it
- Put shopping in the boot, make sure it is well hidden and then
lock the boot
- If expecting deliveries arrange for a trusted neighbour to take in your parcels so they are not left in the open.
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When partying
- Always make sure you have enough money to get you home
safely
- Only use approved licensed cabs as their drivers have been
checked
- Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged before you
leave home or the office
- Plan your night out let someone
know where you are going and when you are likely to be returning home
- Never accept a drink from someone
you don’t know or trust
- Keep your drink with you at all
times. If it tastes different or you suspect it has been tampered with seek
help from a responsible individual such as a door supervisor or member of staff
- Look after each other – Watch out
for your friends
- Don’t walk home alone. Keep to
well lit streets – don’t take shortcuts
- Never accept lifts from strangers
- Carry photo ID - you’ll need it
if you look under 21
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Use
a timer for Christmas lights
If
you have Christmas lights on the outside of your house, use a timer to turn
them on and off.
Acting
Sergeant Matt Sutton, of Havening South Cluster NPT, said: “If the lights are
off when it gets dark about 4pm burglars may think the house is empty and the
owner is still at work. If the lights are still on at 3am it suggests the house
is empty making it attractive to burglars.
“Using
a timer to switch the lights on when it first gets dark and switches them off when
you go to bed is an ideal way of making the house look occupied.”
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New bike for Christmas?
If you get a new bike for Christmas then cycle down to the
Lloyds Bank end of Romford
Market on Saturday 24 January between 10am and 3pm to get it security coded
and added to the bike register.
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 Get a Watch ticking in your road
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.
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 Spread a little light
Did you see homes in darkness while 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.
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 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.
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 Keeping safe together
Havering Council’s Cabinet Member for Community
Safety, Councillor Osman Dervish, said: “May I begin by wishing you and your family a safe and enjoyable Christmas.
"2014 has been a good year for Havering with a drop in key crimes in the
Borough including burglary and car crime.
"Often such crimes peak during the festive season so this email
newsletter includes some easy to follow tips to make it less likely you will become
a victim of crime this Christmas.
"We are already planning campaigns for 2015 where Havering Council
and Havering Police will be working together to make our Borough an even safer place
in which to live and work.
"Please remember that we can all help by dialling 999 or 101 if we see anything
suspicious – Havering Police would far rather respond to a call and find out no
crime was taking place than you not call and a crime occur.
"Thank you for all your support during 2014 and we look forward to
working with you to drive crime even lower during 2015."
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Havering Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent
Jason Gwilliam, said: “During the last 18 months changes made under the Mayor
of London’s Police and Crime Plan means the Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) in
Havering have been focusing on tackling local crime and anti-social behaviour,
with officers in the right places at the right times to deal with the issues
that matter to local people.
“As
a result of the Mayor’s plan in Havering there are now 107 neighbourhood
officer posts compared to 36 in 2011, so we have been able to set up larger
SNTs which move around the Borough to tackle the problems local people tell us
they want prioritised.
“We
have also altered shift patterns so more officers are on duty at weekends and
at night-time, when they are needed most.
“These
changes have seen the number of reported crimes fall, for example anti-social
behaviour reports have gone down by 2,325 across the Borough.
“At
the end of a year it is traditional to review what has been done and we can be
justifiably proud of the reductions in crime we have achieved and as we look forward
to 2015 we know that working together will help us achieve further reductions.”
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Lights stay on in Havering
Having well-lit streets deters burglars and makes
law-abiding residents feel safer, as well as helping reduce the risk of road accidents.
Havering Council is keeping street lights on throughout the
night, while helping the environment and saving money by installing LED lights.
At a time when three out of four councils across the country
are switching street lights off overnight, Havering has decided to keep the
lights on by converting 6,400 street lights to energy-efficient LED lights by November
this year, with a further 10,600 existing lights to be replaced by March 2016.
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Keeping safe on the roads
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Roads and Transport
Policing Command (RTPC) is running Operation Safeway in the run-up to Christmas,
which will see officers stationed at key junctions across London to help
educate all road users and enforce traffic laws where necessary.
With the festive season well underway people often get
caught up in the rush of Christmas shopping and socialising, and neglect to
think about their own and other road user's safety when travelling on London's
roads.
Operation Safeway will run alongside the national anti-drink and drug
driving campaign, which involves officers from across the MPS driving
enforcement by carrying out round the clock breath tests and targeting drivers
who are over the limit the morning after a night of heavy drinking.
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Is this your iPad?
Police in Havering are trying to trace
the owner of an iPad after it was seized as they searched an address in
Dagenham.
Detectives are appealing for anyone who recognises the silver/white iPad to come
forward.
If you can help identify the owners,
please contactl Detective Constable Barry Carter on 01708 779209, or Crimestoppers
on 0800 555 111.
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 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.
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