Police and Home Watch – Crime Alert

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

email Margaret.Jepson@merseyside.pnn.police.uk

Crime Alert message

Please be aware of callers who ask to enter your home and give various reasons for their request.

Merseyside Police and Sefton Home Watch have issued the following 'Crime Alert' message to residents of Southport:

"Recently a male in his late 20s dressed in a duffle coat and jeans, called at a house in the Garstang Road area of Southport, asking if he could enter the property to read the meter. After his visit items from the house appeared to be missing."

Before allowing anyone you do not know into your property please check:

    -  Are you expecting a stranger to call at your door?
    -  Check their Identity badge
    -  Always stay with a stranger that enters your property
    -  See them to the door when they leave and close the door behind them
    -  If in doubt keep them out 

Contact numbers:

Police Local Neighbourhood teams - Tel. 101

Margaret Jepson, Sefton Home Watch Adviser - Tel. 0151 777 3419

email Margaret.Jepson@merseyside.pnn.police.uk

Crime Alert message from the police and home watch

Merseyside Police and Sefton Home Watch have issued the following 'Crime Alert' message to residents of Southport:

"On Monday 20/01/14 at approximately 9.20am a flat-bed transit van, described as the cab section being light green in colour, was seen to drive down Norwood Crescent. There were two occupants, the driver was described as a white male, middle aged of stocky build and the passenger as a white male, early to mid 20s, slim build with dark hair.

"The van was seen to drive past a property in Norwood Crescent, stop and reverse. The passenger then alighted and knocked on the door of the property, there was no answer. The passenger checked the back garden where a boiler was located and reported back to the driver. After some persuasion by the driver, the passenger has returned to the 6ft garden gate, and began to climb over the fence. At this point both males were challenged by a neighbour. The males stated they were there to collect the scrap boiler and had the permission of the occupants. No such permission was given. The males then both drove off.

"It is believed that this van is often present  in the area of Norwood Crescent  between 9.00 to 10.00a.m. most mornings, and the occupants appear to be on the look out for scrap to steal.

"A blue 'older style full transit type van', not a flat bed, but a standard type van with Irish plates operates in the same area. Again there are a number of males on board on the look out for scrap. 

IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION FROM NEIGHBOURS

"Two males have been arrested and charged with burglary, after neighbours reported to the Police they had seen  two males going round to the back of a property in Grange Road and  behaving in a suspicious manner.

"The Police appreciate the help the public give them. In this case the information led to an arrest. 

Contact numbers: 

Police Local Neighbourhood teams - Tel. 101 

Margaret Jepson, Sefton Home Watch Adviser - Tel. 0151 777 3419 

email Margaret.Jepson@merseyside.pnn.police.uk

101 - the new Police phone number

Merseyside Police have a new number to ring for all non-emergency calls - 101

You should still ring 999 if it's a genuine emergency, like a robbery in progress. For all other police matters ring 101.

The Police website explains: You should call 101 to report less urgent crime and disorder or to speak to your local officers. For example, you should call 101 if:

    your car has been stolen 

    your property has been damaged 

    you suspect drug use or dealing in your neighbourhood 

    report a minor traffic collision 

    give the police information about crime in your area 

    speak to the police about a general enquiry

You should continue to call 999 when it is an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.

101 is being introduced as part of the government's wider work to improve access to the police, ease pressure on 999, and help to efficiently tackle crime and disorder.

Tell the police what you think

Merseyside Police have asked for your views about what the police do and how they could improve.

The police force are running a survey to help them better understand local opinions, fear of crime and perceptions of anti-social behaviour.

The survey results will be used to help the police meet the needs of the public and deliver an improved quality service within the area where you live.

The Merseyside Police survey is online here and will take about 5 minutes to do.