Letter from Neighbourhood Watch Link Manager
Summer has come and gone, and the nights are getting longer, which means extended hours for burglars. Simple, non-expensive measures will greatly reduce your chance of being burgled.
- When leaving your property unoccupied, leave your lights on as you would if you were at home. Leaving just a hall light on is a tell tale sign that you are out.
- If you get home after dusk set a light timer switch to turn on a light / lights as it starts to gets dark.
- Never leave any valuables, including computers and TVs, in a place that is visible from outside your window.
- Fit key operated locks to all windows and doors.
Burglars are, on the whole, opportunists; please follow
these simple steps and do not give them the opportunity to burgle your home.
Bogus Callers
With so much technology easily accessible it is now simple for unscrupulous people to make fraudulent copies of most things, including Ids. You should never open your door or let an unsolicited caller into your home, even if they do show you an official looking identification card. Please can you get this message across to your members, especially the elders in your community. If it is a genuine caller they will be happy to wait while you call their company.
Christmas catalogues.
It is that time of year again and many companies, anxious for your money, will be sending out nice big glossy Christmas catalogues that cannot fit through your letterbox. Many of these are left on doorsteps advertising the fact that there is nobody home. Please can you either take the catalogue into your home for your neighbour or hide it in a place where it cannot be seen.
Keep vigilant, if you see anything suspicious phone the police immediately.
Quiz Night.
I am sorry to inform you that this event has been postponed and did not take place on 16th October.
Guy Fawkes Night (5th November)
The law and fireworks:
- It is an offence to throw or set off fireworks in any highway, street, thoroughfare or public place.
- It is illegal for under 18s to be sold fireworks or to possess fireworks in a public place.
- It is illegal to set fireworks off between 11pm and 7am except in the following cases:
November 5th – until midnight
New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year – 1 am the following day.
Advice for staying safe:
- Always buy from a reputable shop and make sure that they conform to British Standards, they should have BS7114 written on the box, never buy individual fireworks.
-
Light fireworks at arm’s length, using a taper and never go near a firework that has been lit, even if it has not gone off, it could still explode.
- Alcohol and fireworks do not mix, If your guests are drinking alcohol keep them well away from fireworks and the bonfire, and never drink alcohol if you are setting off fireworks or tending to a bonfire. Consider limiting the availability of alcohol until after your fireworks have been set off.
- Never give sparklers to children under 5 and light sparklers one at a time wearing gloves. Sparklers get five times hotter than cooking oil!
- Supervise children at all times around fireworks.
Advice for keeping your pets safe:
- Keep all pets inside when fireworks are being let off. Close all the windows and doors, and block off cat-flaps to keep noise to a minimum and to stop pets escaping. It's also a good idea to draw the curtains, and if the animals are used to the particular sounds of TV or radio, switch them on (but not too loudly) in order to block out some of the noise of the fireworks.
- Make sure your pet is wearing some form of easily readable identification (ID) - even in the house. Think about fitting them with a microchip, so that if they do run away they have a better chance of being returned to you.
Yours sincerely
Pauline Syddell
Neighbourhood Watch Link Manager.