Vehicle Break Ins and Theft

September update from Neighbourhood Watch

Vehicle Break-in, Hamilton Road

During the morning of Friday 23rd August, a Hamilton Resident went to their vehicle that was parked outside their home and noticed that the driver’s door was open.  

When they looked inside the vehicle they saw items normally kept in the glove compartment strewn all over the driver’s seat.The CD storage compartment had also been rummaged through. 

As nothing of value was kept overnight in the vehicle nothing was stolen, including any of the CDs. 

There was no apparent damage done to the vehicle, indicating that the resident had either inadvertently left their vehicle unlocked overnight, or that the vehicle had been opened by someone using equipment that overrode the central locking system. The owner of the vehicle did hear noises outside the house  around 05:00am that Friday morning but assumed that it was a neighbour leaving the house early. 

Residents are reminded not to leave items of value inside vehicles at any time of the day or night and to remind visitors to the area not to do so. 

Theft in Grosvenor Road.
Residents who have window boxes and/or keep  bicycles/motor cycles or motor scooters in their front garden are warned that in August, a Grosvenor Road resident had their window boxes stolen from the front of their house.   

Three days later thieves returned to the house and stole a motor scooter that was kept securely locked in the front garden.    

Odd Happenings in Somerset Road

Somerset Road Neighbourhood Watch have advised that during July and August, residents in the area have been disturbed by two girls in their late teens or early twenties ringing on front door bells and when residents answered the door, the girls simple say “sorry we wanted next door”. 

It is not known if this is a rather silly game the girls are playing or something more sinister.  Neighbourhood Watch recommend that if you receive a similar ring on your front door, get a description of the perpetrators(s) and  remember CASH, colour, age, sex, plus clothing and call the police by dialing 101.  Let the police arrive on the scene and deal with the situation.

Street Charity Collections Advice
www.met.police.uk/charities
With regards to street charity collections, it is estimated that genuine charities lose around £147m each year to fraudsters.  To avoid being caught in the street by fraudsters masquerading as charity collectors, the Metropolitan Police advise the following:

Ensure that all charity buckets or tins:-
a.   CLEARLY DISPLAY THE NAME OF THE CHARITY
b.   BE SECURELY SEALED
The collector MUST be in possession of written authority from the charity and also hold a permit issued by the Metropolitan Police.  If they do not have a police permit they are committing an offence.

There are only certain days of the month that street collections are allowed to take place and each charity is only allowed to collect once a year in any given local authority area.  If you notice that the same person is collecting for the same charity more than once a month they are probably committing an offence.

Train stations are subject to different legislation and the above ruling does not apply.

September 11, 2013