Ravenshead Neighbourhood Watch
Fighting Crime Together
Security Tips
Never buy items from the door;
the person may be checking your security.
Alway use a door chain.
Have a telephone within easy reach by your bedside.
Close and lock all windows when you go out;
even if only for a couple of minutes.
Police Contact Point
Report a Crime. Report Lost Property. Get Advice
The contact Point is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
from 2pm - 4pm, Saturdays from 10am - 12 noon.
To report a crime please phone the County Control Room on 0300-300-9999. They will prioritise the call and send the nearest available officer according to the urgency of the case.
When Pc Wardle is on duty he takes calls on his mobile, 07833 187 453.
NEVER use this number in an emergency.
Calls are diverted to the answer phone when he is off duty.
Please report all crimes, to keep the statistics right and alert the police to any emerging crime pattern
Crime Reports
Deep scratches to paintwork.
Priory Avenue, Mon 23/11 - 15.00 Tues 8/12 Burglary Dwelling – Attempted
Attempt to force open window. Owners away
Forced entry - car keys and car stolen
Quarry Road, 11.00 Wed 2/12 - 10.30 Thurs 3/12 Theft from Vehicle
Number plate stolen
Smashed rear ground floor french window to gain entry - all rooms searched - items stolen.
Entered through insecure front door - took keys and vehicle plus tools from the garage.
Number plate stolen - vehicle parked on driveway.
Chatsworth Close 15.00 Mon 23/11 - 16.30 Tues 24/11 Theft from Vehicle
Sat Nav and other items stolen
Entered through insecure door - grabbed car and house keys which had been left
in hallway - car stolen from driveway. Police located vehicle and made arrest.
Cycle left insecure in garden stolen.
Vehicle was left unlocked - vehicle searched.
Woodland Rise 22.00 Sat 14/11 - 10.00 Sun 15/11 Theft from Vehicle
Forced entry via rear door - items stolen from within - vehicle was parked on driveway.
General
Car Crime
Recent burglaries in the village show that one target is car keys so the thief can steal that nice car sitting on the driveway. As car manufacturers create more sophisticated security devices it is often easier for the thief to break into the property and take the keys than try to overcome the security fitted to the car! Please do not leave your keys easily accessible e.g. on a table in the hall or hanging up, consider hiding the keys or putting them somewhere well away from the main exit door, preferably out of sight.
Burglary
Many modern doors lock by means of a Europrofile cylinder. These are common on PVCU and patio doors and can be easily identified as they are keyed access and exit and represent the letter P back to back in shape. They go through the door with a key way on either side of the door.
Doors can be from 30mm to 40mm thick which means that a Europrofile lock can project up to 10mm from the door face. If the door is narrow, a tool such as a 'mole' wrench could to be used to pull out the cylinder; the door can then be opened and the internal retaining screw snapped off. Should your Europrofiles fall into this category the best option is to retro-fit additional locks (from £10 each) or a device such as a 'Rhino Bar' that will prevent the door being opened even if the lock cylinder is removed.
Security escutcheons can be fitted to prevent this happening, but they must be screwed into the cylinder but there is the danger of causing permanent damage to the lock. Security Europrofiles are available that will prevent this, but they are substantially more expensive (£70 compared with £25 each).
Older patio doors can often be lifted out of their tracking by the use of a lever, one of the favourite is a garden spade. Once out of its tracking the door can be opened. To prevent this fit an anti-left device to the head of the frame.
These items are available from locksmiths and DIY outlets
False Alarms
Complaints have been received by the police concerning the activities of an Intruder Alarm Company trading under the style of Direct Response Security Systems Ltd.
Enquiries made by the police with the national trade body National Security Inspectorates reveal that they have registered with them a member company trading under this name. However this company denies that they are active in the Nottinghamshire area at this time. It would appear that an unknown firm may be assuming the identity of the bona fide company to secure business in the Nottinghamshire area.
Police advice to residents approached by anyone purporting to represent a company trading under this name is firstly to inform the police (first contact is always by cold calling on the telephone). Secondly obtain as much detail as you can about the caller, name, position within the company etc. Keep any documentation provided. Under no circumstances make a payment or sign any documentation.Then check with the bona fide company whose details are:-
Direct Response Security Systems Ltd
4 Emmanuel Court
0845 331 1133
Scams
Try This Site
Frequently Members of Neighbourhood Watch contact the Police requesting information about what they believe are Scams. There are literally hundreds and if you fall victim all will take your money. The following bona fide web site gives details of many scams, is free and regularly up dated and well worth a visit.
Parcel Service
A company trading under the style of PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) was in operation put a card through resident's doors purporting that the company had attempted to deliver a parcel to that address. but had not been able to do so. Customers were requested to telephone them on 09066 611 911(a premium rate number) to arrange delivery. This was a scam as the telephone number given was an answering machine in
To obtain a copy of the leaflet "Are you protected against premium rate scams" contact the website: www.icstis.org.uk/pdfsnews/prs protection factsheet pdf.
WARNING OVER BT PHONE SCAM
Nottinghamshire Police and BT have warned Nottinghamshire residents to be on their guard about a phone scam that tries to con people into giving their bank details out over the phone.
Fraudsters, pretending to be from various phone companies, have been calling people on the pretence that there is an outstanding bill and threatening to disconnect their line immediately if they do not pay the bill straight away by credit or debit card.They pretend to “cut off” the customer and, worried about having their line cut off, some people have been persuaded into giving the fraudsters their bank account details.
“A member of a Nottinghamshire Neighbourhood Watch was called but refused to give out their details, and everyone should remember that they should never give out any personal or bank details over the phone.”
A BT spokesperson said: “While BT does have debt handling procedures which may involve calling customers, BT never carries out disconnections during the call by way of proof.
We advise customers never to give out any banking details over the phone unless they are absolutely certain who they are dealing with. If there is any doubt at all, a BT employee will be able to give the customer their employee ID number and an 0800 number to call where the customer can check that they are who they say they are. The customer can also check their identity by calling 0800 800 150.”
Anyone who thinks they have been the victim of this scam should call Nottinghamshire Police on 0300 3009999.
Another Phone Scam
As we all know there are many 'scams' doing the rounds at the moment, some via email, some by people presenting themselves at our home and pretending to be from 'the waterboard' or 'the gasboard' or asking if you need gardening work doing and charging a fortune for doing a simple task.
The latest telephone scam to come to our attention is someone ringing and asking 'are you happy with your banking services, which bank are you with?' The lady reporting this to us then received a call the next week telling her she was entitled to a £350 bank charge refund. This started alarm bells ringing as so it should. Remember! no one gives you something for nothing and Financial Institutions would never request information they already hold on customers.
There are two websites you can refer to if you receive an email or notification by post that you think could be a scam. They are: www.safefromscams.co.uk and www.snopes.com
The Lady contacted Gedling Borough Council and her bank and of course there is no record of such a thing. Beware of telephone scams