The following information is from a recent email sent out by Merseyside Police and Home Watch
CALLERS AT THE DOOR
There have been reports of people calling at houses, asking
if the occupier wanted work done on their houses e.g. gutters, roofs, paths and
gardening. On some occasions it has been one person calling, in other reports
two people have contacted residents.
When two people have called, one of the males has talked to
the occupier the other seemed to be taking notice of the security of the
property e.g. windows, doors and side gates.
When residents don’t know the caller, now is the time to put
the chain on the door and speak to the person, keeping the chain on throughout
the conversation. If you have a porch, it is advisable to keep the external
porch door locked. Again put the chain on before opening the door. If you have
no chain, speak to the person through the glass window or door. Keeping the
door locked is an added protection for the resident and their property.
Some external doors have no windows, so the occupier cannot
see the caller. Now is the time to use the windows in a room that is overlooking
the door. You can then check if you know the caller before safely opening the
door.
A male attended rented premises stating the landlord had
asked him to check the fires. Property was stolen after the resident invited
him into the house.
FROSTY MORNINGS
An extra task on the cold frosty mornings is to de-ice the
windows of the car. The police are again warning people not to leave their cars
unattended, after the driver has started the engine and put on the screen
heater.
Opportunists have been known to see a vehicle unattended
with the keys in the ignition and the engine running, they have entered the car
and driven away. The owner comes out of the house, hoping to find the windows
clear and instead finds the vehicle has been stolen.
Contact numbers
Local Police Neighbourhood Teams – telephone 101
Margaret Jepson - Sefton Home Watch Adviser telephone 0151
777 3419
