Community Action Day Condover See page 8 for details

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1 Rural South & West Safer Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Newsletter Volume 4 Issue 2 Spring 2016 Check out our website on Rural-South-and-West? Spring News Letter Inside this issue: Introduction Action Day Scams Rural Crime 1 2 Fuel Theft 2 Sheep Worrying Crime Advice Contact details Security Tips 3 4 Fuel Theft Leaflet 5 Another Spring is almost upon us and once again we will be stocking up our oil tanks whilst the fuel is cheap and thinking of holidays. Thus everyone will be looking forward to travelling to holiday destinations and spending time in the sun. It is therefore my responsibility to remind everyone to be a little more vigilant than normal. If you are spending days out or travelling away, make sure you leave your home secure, lock doors, close windows, set alarms and ensure sheds and gates are secure. Remember to cancel papers and consider keep safe with Royal Mail to ensure a build up of post doesn't signal to thieves that you are away. Also remember to keep your vehicle secure and keep valuables out of sight in your car when left. To help combat crime West Mercia Police are currently running various crime awareness indicatives' including The We Dont Buy Crime indicative On the 17th February we will join our partner agencies in Condover for a Community Action Day. In relation to issues on the area, there has been an increase in road traffic collisions. Therefore please take care on the roads in inclement weather, THINK BIKE and drive according to the conditions. The main concern is still burglary, especially shed breaks and diesel theft. At the moment we are experiencing a spike especially around the central part of the area. Please report any suspicious vehicles or activity to the police. Note the serial numbers of expensive tools and consider marking them with a registered marker substance or even paint if you have no plans to re-sell the item. It also makes it easier for us to identify stolen property and return it to its rightful owner. Despite this, crime on the area is still very low and it is one of the safest and most beautiful areas to live in the country. Does your home stand out If you have information relating to any criminal activity you can pass this on by calling either West Mercia Police on 101 or anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on The New 6 Non Emergency Number Community Action Day Condover See page 8 for details On the 17th February 2016 at Condover Village Hall on Church Road in Condover, Shropshire Council and West Mercia police are teaming up its partner agencies to participate in a community rural day of action. There will be a number of presentations taking place giving advice on Safety in the home, Crime prevention, Cyber Crime, Scams, Fraud and Rural Crime.

2 Page 2 Rural South & West Safer Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Newsletter Scams and Cyber Crime Ten Golden Rule to Keep You Safe The sad reality is that everyone can fall foul of the scammer but the vulnerable are often those that are targeted. Scammers do their homework: They know that the elderly are less likely to be computer Savvy and more trusting of corporate type companies with fancy logos. They know that those struggling will be more likely to believe in get rich quick schemes. They know that those who are lonely will go for dating schemes. They know that those looking for a bargain, whether a product or a holiday will be taken in by A good Deal Scams do not discriminate, The scammers target people of all ages, all backgrounds, all levels of income and can have a devastating on the lives of those that are affected. They feel no remorse by wiping out an elderly persons live saving. They have no regard to destroying the fragile confidence of the vulnerable and are happy to take your very last penny from you. 10 Golden Rules To Help Fight The Scammers 1. Be Suspicious of all Too good to be true offers and deals. There are no guaranteed get-rich-quick schemes. 2. Do not agree to offers or deals immediately. Insist on time to obtain independent/legal advice before making a decision. 3. Do not hand over money or sign anything until you have checked the credentials of the company or the individual. 4. Never send money to anyone you do not know or trust, whether in the UK or abroad. Or use methods of payment that you are not comfortable with. 5. Never give banking or personal details to anyone you do not know or trust. This information is valuable so make sure you protect it. A BANK WILL NEVER ASK YOU OVER THE PHONE OR BY TO DIVULGE PIN NUMBERS OR PERSONAL BANK DETAILS. 6. Always log on to a website directly rather than clicking on links provided by an Do not rely solely on glowing testimonials: find solid independent evidence of a company s success. 8. Always get independent/legal advice if an offer involves money time or commitment. 9. If you spot a scam or have been scammed, report it and get help. Contact Action Fraud on or online at Contact the police if the suspect is known or still in the area. 10. Do not be embarrassed to report a scam. Because the scammers are cunning and clever there is no shame in being deceived. By reporting you will make it more difficult for them to deceive others. Door to Door Salesmen There are many legitimate businesses that sell products door to door (Window cleaners, solar panels, cleaning products, home maintenance etc) Gas Electric and water companies will also visit to read meters. Charities also visit to ask for donations or they post collection bags for you to fill and leave out for collection. However scammers also do the above to part you from your money, gain entry to your home to steal, or profit by posing as legal charities in order to collect donations. Gaining entry by posing to be a legitimate service with the intent to steal is also known as Distraction Burglary. What You Should Know. Door-To-Door scams involve selling goods or services that are not delivered or are of very poor Theft of Fuel / Fly Tipping quality, you won t get value for money and you may get billed for work you didn t want or agree to. Some scammers conduct surveys so they can obtain your personal details or disguise their real intent to sell you goods or services you don t want or need. (e.g. unnecessary roofing work or patio replacement.) Door to Door sales are normally uninvited and the people selling must leave if you request them to do so. Even when a genuine business and product is being sold, unscrupulous employees can sometimes still act illegally. If someone knocks at your front door claiming to be from a company always check their I.D. If you are not happy then don t let them into your home. A good policy is not to allow anyone enter your home without them making an appointment first. This gives you the opportunity to check whether they are genuine or not. Even so never let anyone in without I.D. Even if you are shown and I.D. card. Never ring the telephone number on the I.D. card. Tell them to wait outside, shut the door, and ring the genuine number from the telephone book or website. Even if you are shown and identity card. Never ring the telephone number on the identity card. Tell them to wait outside, shut the door, and ring the genuine number from the telephone book or website. Try and ensure that you are not alone in your home when you have an appointment, and always check the identity and credentials, preferably in advance. Remember Always check them out, If in Doubt, Keep them Out. Fuel Theft Fuel theft has seen an increase in recent months. This is mainly because metal theft is on the decline. Diesel and red diesel kept on farms has become the main target for theft. Please take precaution to secure your stocks of fuel. Heating Fuel is also an easy target. In the summer due to the fact that people aren't using it and are unaware of a theft until they check their stacks. Try and hide you tank and keep a close eye on the levels in your tank. Fly Tipping This is one crime I fail to understand. We all love our beautiful countryside yet there are those who rather than pay a few pounds or travel to a council site, feel its OK to dump their trash on our beautiful country lanes. Fly tipping is a crime, it is not only unsightly, it is also a danger to both animal stock and wildlife. Fly tipping carries a heavy price tag on the limited resources of the community in cleaning up after the offenders. If seen committing, please report the offenders. We have seen an increase in the dumping of building and industrial waste, often on the road as well as grass verges. This is not only unsightly it is also extremely dangerous.

3 Volume 4 Issue 2 Page 3 Sheep Worrying Im afraid once again I have to print this article, can we once again remind all dog owners to take responsibility for the control of their dogs? As Spring approaches we are in the main lambing season. Thus we often suffer an increase of sheep worrying. This can have a devastating impact on both the farmer and the dog owner if it occurs as extreme incidents can not only result in the death of the sheep, it can even result in the dog being shot. It is imperative that dog owners keep their dogs on a lead, especially near livestock. It s also important that they clean up after their dogs as dog mess can have a serious affect on the health of livestock. Injury to any stock may also possibly result in the owner of the dog being prosecuted for criminal damage to the farm animals. This may result in a fine as well as a hefty insurance claim from the farmer. We all love the countryside but we all must face up to our responsibilities and remember that there are those in the countryside that rely on it being a safe place in order to make a living. Please close gates when your out walking, especially if there is live stock in the field. Keep Secure and Safe How You Can Help Friends, neighbours and people who have regular contact with older and vulnerable people can help them to make their lives more secure. Research shows that fewer distraction burglaries are committed in areas where there is a supportive community. You can help by: Keeping an eye on people calling in the area or acting suspiciously Noting the registration numbers of vehicles parked in your area for a period of time Calling to provide information to the police about suspicious people, activity or vehicles, however insignificant it may seem Encouraging vulnerable people not to open the door if they are not expecting or do not recognise the person. If they open the door, remind them to secure the door bar or chain first and check the caller s identity carefully. If in doubt, keep them out! If a distraction burglary has taken place or been attempted, encourage the victim to report it as quickly as possible Calling on vulnerable people regularly. If it is not too much trouble, help them keep their front garden tidy and find reliable trades people for any maintenance work that really does need to be undertaken. Suspicious? Call the police or 101 Sound Security Advice As the evenings begin to slowly draw out, West Mercia Police is urging local residents to review their security measures to keep their property safe and secure., especially at holiday time. Burglary numbers remain relatively low in West Mercia, but there has been a recent spate of shed breaks and fuel theft across the force. Local residents can reduce their chances of being targeted by taking a few simple steps to keep themselves and their property safe: Lock windows and doors before going to bed. Secure gates. Don't leave your front door unlocked for relatives who are out and about - it is much safer to give them a key. West Mercia Police has an active operation in place to target burglary A well-lit home gives the impression that someone is at home. Leave a light on while you are out during the evenings. Don't leave side gates open or unlocked, Keep all Sheds and Garages Locked, Keep Valu- ables out of sight., Keep car keys out of sight.

4 West Mercia Police Address: Shrewsbury Police Station, Monkmoor Road, Shrewsbury SY25RW Phone: police.uk Shrewsbury Rural South and West Safer Neighbourhood Team Burglary is Now The NO 1 Priority of West Mercia Police You Can Help us By Helping yourself to keep YOUR Property Secure. Lock Doors and Windows, Lock Sheds and Garages Lock Your Car. Keep valuables out of site both in your car and Home. Don t leave shopping on view in an unattended car. Don t Allow the Thief the chance to get their hands on your property shrewsburyrsw.snt@westmercia.pnn.police.uk - if your requires a response, a member of your safer neighbourhood team will get in touch as soon as practicable. Phone: 101 (In an emergency always call 999) Secure And Safe Security Tips. Do not leave valuable items on show in your car whether it is out shopping or parked at home. Never, Never leave the car unlocked, or with the keys in the ignition when it is unattended. Not even for a couple of minutes. Doing so could affect your insurance. Do Not leave your car running unattended whilst it defrosts, this is a traffic offence on a public road and it leaves your vehicle vulnerable to THEFT. Keep your outer buildings locked and consider whitewashing windows of sheds to stop people looking inside. Close gates, this makes it time consuming for a person to enter your property. Close windows and ensure all doors are locked when you leave your property. Mark property to help identify it. This can be done either invisible with ultra violet pens or Smart Water. Or visible with paint. Don t leave Lap tops on view or other valuable items. Don t leave Car Keys on hooks in the kitchen or on hall tables, this is the first place a thief will look. Do not leave handbags in shopping trolleys in supermarkets, and then wander off to look at goods along the isle waysdo Not leave garden tools around the garden or yard, doing so provides a thief with the tools to break into your house. At night take your handbag and wallet upstairs with you. Safety If you need to arrange transport home after a night out, either book a taxi or use a black cab. A good idea when using a cab or a taxi to go home at night, or even a car belonging to someone you have only just met. Is to TEXT the car registration number to a friend prior to getting in to the vehicle? Look after each other on a night out. Do not leave a friend who is very tipsy or drunk to walk home on their own, especially near to deep water or rivers. Never leave your drink unattended. Leave it with a friend or visit a restroom between drinks. Stay Safe

5 Fuel Theft Advice Leaflet

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7 If you are suffering with Anti Social Behaviour Anti Social Behaviour Hot Line Contact the ASB Team

8 11 am -3pm Wednesday 17 th February 2016 Condover Village Hall A day of Action is taking place in the Condover area to help make the community a better place to live. There will be talks in the village hall about home safety, services for rural communities as well as property marking. Crime Prevention advice from your safer neighbourhood team. For more information please contact David Fairclough on , david.fairclough@shropshire.gov.uk or Kerry Hawkins at Kerry.hawkins@westmerciapolice.pnn. police.uk Drop in for a chat and a free cup of Tea/Coffee Follow Day of Action for updates throughout the day on Twitter