Neighbourhood-Watch-GtTothamSth

We had a Maldon section NHW meeting on 26th November. Here is the Crime Reduction officer’s Report. Please note the very important Bogus caller alert,

Update from last report
· Purse dipping. This has been quiet recently, though one incident has been reported from a customer in Focus. However, please don’t be complacent as Xmas is coming.

· Complacency. Residents are still being complacent with leaving their vehicles unlocked and not just old bangers. Over half the cars suffering thefts were insecure. The Insurance companies generally won’t pay out if basic security measures have not been taken. Also, a lot of garages are left insecure.

· Identity theft. This has become a national problem with the mislaying of disks. Please keep an eye on your accounts for unusual transactions. And do not give out any personal or account details if someone contacts you unexpectedly.

· Spare Wheels on the outside of some vehicles are being nicked, not that some vehicles are no longer supplied with a spare:- This has dropped.

New
· Bogus Callers has taken a very nasty turn. Please be aware of this, but not unduly alarmed.Two waves of incidents have happened. One on 30th October, and one 26th November. 30th October, at about 4.00pm to 5.00pm. there was a distraction burglary in Orchard Close, 3 people purporting to be from the “Water board”. Two were in their 20 –30s, one was older and tubby. On that day there were a number of similar incidents, 2.00pm Mountnessing , others at 4.00pm, 4.40pm. Heybridge at 5.00pm, there was a burglary in Maldon Road, Witham, and a house in Spital Road Maldon. In none of these was a vehicle seen. The strategy was to keep the person busy. In all £5-6,000 and jewellery was taken.

26th November. 9.30 pm approx. Persons went to an address in Orchard Close, the story being their dog was missing in the back garden. The resident refused them entry, but the callers kicked the back door in and gained entry. Between 8.30pm and 10.10pm there were similar incidents in Wickford, Woodham Ferrers, an attempt at Bicknacre and one at Worley.

The strategies used:- The lost dog story
“I’m from the police”
“I’m from the Neighbourhood Watch”

The police are asking residents who have any suspicions about people to contact them immediately. Better a false alarm than another crime of this nature.

As Neighbourhood Watch coordinators, we want to warn people, not to alarm them such that they are terrified. Housing Association houses’ security is being reviewed. But a lot of elderly residents own their own homes. Please, if you have elderly neighbours, please ask them to make sure that their doors are secure with more than a Yale Lock, and that they actually use them. (Perhaps their family can help them in this respect). Also, if they have fall alarms, encourage them to use them in this sort of situation.

· Sat Navs are being stolen from cars,

· In the last 10 days there have been some cheeky copper piping thefts. Eg a Van driver parked his van for 20 minutes, and in that time his tube was opened and the copper removed.

· Lead roofing from churches is going missing in East Anglia, though not locally yet. Please keep an eye on your Church.

· There have been several daytime burglaries in Ulting, Langford, Tolleshunt D’Arcy, including the theft of a unique watch.

· It’s coming up to Christmas. Don’t leave presents in the car, and don’t leave presents on display under the Christmas tree. Don’t be complacent re purse dipping. We have two Victorian Evenings coming up. You shouldn’t need to take large amounts of cash with you, and please be careful, though do enjoy the celebrations.

I have been asked by the Panel to draw residents’ attention to the dog fouling issue.


A resident in Harvey Road has made a complaint about persistent dog fouling outside his house. I am contacting our Neighbourhood Watch for two reasons.

1. To remind residents, quite apart from being very unpleasant for someone who steps in it, that it is illegal to allow your dog to foul any public walk or pleasure ground.

http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/dogfouling01.htm

This can result in a £50 fixed penalty notice, or £1,000 in court.

2. Can I canvass opinion as to whether this is a problem elsewhere in Great Totham, and if it’s getting worse, and ask for suggestions as to how best to deal with it.

Great Totham Neighbourhood Action Panel report 14 11 07

It must be stressed that each NAP meeting is open to all residents of the whole Great Totham Neighbourhood, not just the village in which that meeting is based. The next meeting will be in Tolleshunt Major Committee Rooms on Thursday 24th Jan 2008 7.00pm. We urge all residents to ensure that either they support the NAP in person, or at least, make their concerns known so that we can ensure that the Policing Priorities are representative of the whole area.

Last meeting the issues were:-

1. Speeding on the B1022 in Great Totham South
2. Parking on the corner outside the shop in Great Totham South
3. People not using seatbelts ie not belting their children in, Tollesbury.

These have been dealt with in the following ways:-

Pc Goodchild, and Traffic have caught a number of people speeding through the village. Where the speed was just a little over the limit, words of advice were given, but where the speed was high, tickets were issued. Likewise, 17 tickets for non-use of seatbelts were issued in and around Tollesbury. Since speeding is such a big issue in all the villages, the police will continue to be doing speed checks and seatbelt checks in all areas.

The Village Shop owner has been very helpful regarding the parking issue. He has put notices on the bollards outside the shop, and PC Goodchild has issued him with cones to put on the corner, which customers seem to be respecting; a big thank you to them.


The Priorities this meeting are:-

1. Parking with half the wheels on the pavement in Tolleshunt D’Arcy, especially on Tollesbury Road, particularly on Sundays and in the morning with the school run. We shouldn’t park in such a way as to cause an obstruction or leave a vehicle in such a way as to endanger others. The Panel were told that some cars have been parked such that people with pushchairs and wheelchairs and mobility vehicles, are forced into the road to pass these obstructions.
2. Dog fouling is increasing in Great Totham, particularly in Harvey Road. The neighbourhood watch is to be contacted to see if there is a problem increasing elsewhere, and to remind people that it is an offence to allow your dog to foul anywhere other than a designated area. This can result in a fine of £1,000 or a fixed penalty notice.
3. A couple of potential road hazards were highlighted, ie the roundabout in Tolleshunt Knights, and the Tollesbury Road Junction in D’Arcy, which motorists tend to cut the corner of. The potential for installing a traffic island at this point is to be pursued.

Can anyone help with publicity? Again, some of the villages were not represented by any of the public, and the fear is that people are unaware of the meetings. These meetings are publicised on the

Essex Police Website, http://213.210.6.88/yourarea/y_np_mal.php?nptId=28

Great Totham South Neighbourhood Watch Blogs
http://nhw-greattothamsth.blogspot.com/
http://nw-gts-feedback-forum.blogspot.com/

and notices on some village notice boards. It’s the last which is important. We need people in every village to make sure that notices go up in appropriate places. Can you help?

The next NAP meeting for great totham NPT is on 14th November 7.00pm Tolleshunt D'Arcy Village Hall. All residents covered by the Great Totham NPT are welcome. Come and tell the Panel what is bothering you.

North Fambridge

Langford

Woodham Walter