Wokingham Borough Connect
 The results are in
Over the summer residents were invited to respond to our community safety survey, and we have been analysing the results and making comparisons with last year.
Some of the key highlights showed that your top three concerns were burglary, drug dealing/taking and vehicle crime. A growing concern is online crime such as scams, cyber-attacks and hacking of accounts and we are doing in-depth analysis of this.
Our future plans include ‘Keeping Safe’ campaign in February 2025, more details on events for this will follow in the new year.
We also asked about anti-social behaviour (ASB) and your top three concerns were speeding vehicles, fly-tipping, and groups of people hanging around perceived to be being noisy or intimidating. There is more information on this, plus how to report it, on our website.
There was also an opportunity to comment on some suggested priorities for tackling domestic abuse, and those responses will inform our new draft domestic abuse strategy that will shortly be going through a consultation process.
We are grateful to those who responded to the survey as the results will help us and our partners with tackling crime and disorder and help to inform the next Community Safety Partnership strategy.
Wokingham remains a safe borough with some of the lowest levels of recorded crime compared to other areas across the Thames Valley. That said, we are not complacent, and we will continue to tackle crime, and the causes of crime, by focusing resources on local priorities.
 Walk and talk to improve safety
We're working with local police to run a series of ‘Walk and Talk’ events, initially covering the town centres of Wokingham, Woodley and Twyford and other locations as requested.
We are also looking at routes to and from railway stations as people travel to work or visit locations for social or leisure purposes.
We are keen to involve women and girls who are willing to share their concerns about locations or routes where they feel vulnerable or unsafe.
If you are interested in taking part please contact us via VAWG@wokingham.gov.uk.
While the focus for this initiative is on the safety of women and girls we do want to hear from men and boys too whose feedback will help us identify hot spot locations and suggest where improvements can be made to create a safer environment.
 Free electric blanket testing
Each year about 1,000 fires are caused by faulty electric blankets, with more than 250 injured in these fires.
So we’ve teamed up with Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service to help residents test their electric blankets ahead of the winter.
This will run at Wokingham Fire Station (Easthampstead Road, RG40 2EH) from 9.30am to 3.30pm on Thursday 31 October.
Our Public Protection Partnership team will be there to test electric blankets and small portable heaters. No booking required, just drop in. There may be a wait on the day
 Photo credit: Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue
Mayor's award for volunteer hero
Kris Manning who volunteers with Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue has won a Mayor's Honour Award, which recognise everyday heroes who work, live, study or provide services in Wokingham Borough.
Kris has volunteered for Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue for 38 years and is a search manager, medic, drone pilot and trainer. He has attended 253 callouts and volunteered for over 8,300 hours.
At the Bracknell half marathon in 2018, he was part of the team using CPR and a defibrilator to save a runner's life after she collapsed on the finishing line.
Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue are a team of highly trained volunteers that use specialist skills and equipment to help Thames Valley Police search for search for high risk vulnerable missing people.
Visit the Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue website to find out more about the work the organisation do and see how you can volunteer to help vulnerable people.
Do you know someone who deserves recognition for their work in the community? Nominations for the next round of Mayor's Honour Awards are now open.
Find out how to nominate your community hero.
 Going back to school, college or university?
Students and those going back to university are being warned about the top fraud types affecting young people, as new data from Action Fraud reveals almost 69,000 reports were received from people aged between 11 and 29, losing a total of £143.7 million in 2023.
What are the top fraud types to look out for as a student?
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Investment fraud: average loss £6,205. Criminals will target students looking to make quick wins with available cash through cryptocurrency or schemes with a promise of high return investment.
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Fake job fraud: average loss £2,936. Students looking for job opportunities can be targeted by fraudulent adverts aimed at stealing personal information or money. Students might be asked for an upfront payment for a fake consultation or extra help finding a job, but the fraudster does not deliver.
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Rental fraud: average loss £1,720. Rental fraudsters often target students looking for university accommodation. Fraudsters ask students to pay fees in advance without seeing a property first, and as a result they lose money as well as somewhere to live.
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Online shopping fraud: average loss £472. Often fraudsters will create fake websites or replicate legitimate online stores to trick customers into providing their personal and financial information for a purchase that isn’t real. This can lead to those details being used for criminal activity.
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Ticket fraud: average loss £310. Fraudsters will use opportunities, like highly in-demand events, to target students by selling fake tickets. Students looking for cheap deals for freshers’ events can also be targets.
Further information can be found at Money Mules – If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
When faced with a potential fraudulent situation, you are urged to Take Five to stop, challenge and protect. Fraudsters will always prioritise isolating you from sources of support so stay connected and seek advice from professionals and peers to help keep you and your finances safe.
If you have been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report to Action Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040.
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