July News from Neighbourhood Watch

Passers by seemingly in need are fraudulent

2012 Olympic Games  
The 2012 London Olympic and Paralympics Games are expected to attract thousands of visitors to London and the various Olympic venues around the UK.  Regrettably amongst them will be those who’s only interest will be to steal from others.        

If you are attending Olympic event(s) and plan to travel on public transport, please take precautions at all times, especially in crowded places. 

Please ensure that your purse, wallet, mobile phone, camera, Olympic Tickets and indeed anything of value are pushed safely deep down inside bags and ensure that bags remains closed at all times.  Never leave a bag unattended even for a moment. A professional thief can strike unnoticed in seconds and sadly many victims will not know they have been targeted until too late.  

Fixed Penalty Notices
Recently there have been instances where residents have been given Fixed Penalty Notices by Traffic Wardens, when parking their vehicles in Westbury Place, near to the corner of Hamilton Road. The Fixed Penalty Notice states that the ticket has been issued because the vehicle(s) were parked with two wheels on the pavement. 

As most residents park their vehicles in Westbury Place with two wheels on the pavement, one resident appealed and was given a very different reason why the £45 Fixed Penalty Notice was issued:

From Hounslow Council’s Parking Services Department
 "the vehicle parked contravened the GLC (Greater Powers) 1974 Act, which states, quote Highway Code rule 243,  do not stop or park opposite or within 10 meters (32 feet) of a junction, except in an authorized parking space"

Please take extra care should you park your vehicles too near to junctions , as it could be costly.

Obtaining Money by Deception
Recently a resident was stopped and asked for money by a male and two females, one female of whom, apparently ill or disabled, was sat in a wheelchair.  The male asked the resident for money, which he said was needed to get the woman in the wheelchair to hospital. Feeling threatened, the resident immediately returned home to seek help.

If anyone who you do not recognize stops you in the street, or indeed, knocks on your front door with a story aimed at gaining your trust and sympathy and who then asks for money, please get a description send them away, or  dial  101 and inform the police.

You could also direct them immediately to Brentford Police Station, where the police are better equipped to handle such emergencies.  If they continue to cause a nuisance, dial 999.

The Brentford Safer Neighbourhoods Team has been informed of this incident.

Petty Crime -  Neighbourhood Watch
If you have been a victim of crime that you feel is too petty to inform the police about, Neighbourhood Watch would still like to know.  Through the monthly NW Newsletter, NW can then warn others of what has happened, in the hope that it will prevent similar petty crimes taking place. Only the crime will be mentioned in the Newsletters, NW will not mention names and/or addresses.

July 18, 2012