Alresford & District Neighbourhood Watch Association
Issue No. 44 Autumn/Winter 2012
The AGM was held this year on September 19th, at Alresford Golf Club. The relatively low attendance suggests people do not have serious issues with crime and policing in the area. Indeed, in common with the rest of the county, statistics have improved again, with the exception of criminal damage.
Chairman David Pain thanked Don Meadwell, who has now moved to Dorset, for all his work. The Coordinator liaison role has now been split: see panel showing Committee responsibilities for the year. David thanked all committee members for their efforts.
Sergeant Mark Lamper spoke of the huge area he now covers, which includes most of outlying Winchester district, but is based on Alresford Police Station. This will continue to be the base for his officers. The move to Alresford Fire Station is expected before the end of the year.
He said that he is following a policy of reaction to events, to stamp out any problems before they become too serious. This included actively policing car parks in beauty spots – leaving stickers and giving advice.
Officers now have mobile data terminals to allow all their work to be done away from the Police Station, for example while awaiting developments at a likely trouble spot.
Steve Foye, Area manager and prevention
head for Hampshire Fire and Rescue
Service told us the fire response target
is 8 minutes, 80% of the time. This
is impossible in many rural parts,
as it takes 4 minutes for a retained
Fire Fighter, who has a day job, just
to reach the fire station. It is difficult
to maintain service in somewhere like
Alresford. Hampshire has a big retained
element, due to its rural nature, so
a call might have to be responded to
from a full time station. Additional
Fire Fighters are always needed.
In an interesting Q&A session we
learnt that the most likely to call
group was aged 18-30; and the time
- early evening. Things that cause
many call outs are dishwashers and
tumble driers.
We thank Phoenix Auto Services for their sponsorship of this Newsletter
Get outside and give your property a security once over to ensure your home, outbuildings and boundaries are as secure as possible. Make life as hard as possible for criminals.
Be nosey – report any suspicious
people or vehicles in your neighbourhood.
CountryWatch report that criminals
now use hired-vans to reduce suspicion
when “casing”. Many crimes
are thwarted after members of the public
report unusual, or suspicious activity.
The caller purporting to be from a particular bank, asks if you have received your new debit card, to which your reply is that you are not expecting a new card, and in any case, you don’t even use that bank.
The caller then says that the banks have
merged and you need a new debit card which
is being issued automatically. You are
then asked to confirm your address ‘for
security’.
There are variations on how the PIN
is obtained, either at that point or,
later, when he actually calls to collect
the “old” card. A similar
scam has the caller delivering a “free
surprise gift” but asking for “delivery” payment
by card.
NEVER give your PIN to anyone and certainly NEVER over the phone. No bank will ever ask you to disclose your PIN, either in person, by letter/e-mail or over the phone. If you are unsure about the caller’s identity, ask for as many details as possible and then call your bank yourself on its main number, to verify that it was a genuine call.
No genuine caller will ever mind you double checking that they are who they say they are and that they are from the company they claim.
If you have any concerns, please call the Police on 101.
The chief constable, Alex Marshall, is to leave Hampshire to take up a position as the chief executive of the new national College of Policing, responsible for over-seeing the training standards for all Police in the UK.
His departure is likely to be early 2013 and the selection and appointment of a new chief constable will be one of the first tasks for the new the Police and Crime Commissioner, who was elected on November 15th.
Mr Marshall joined Hampshire Constabulary in October 2008, promising to focus on the priorities of cutting crime and ensuring frontline visibility. Despite making cuts totalling £38.2 million, he has protected the numbers, whilst maintaining frontline policing strength and has led the force in delivering a significant reduction in the total number of crimes committed in the two counties.
During his time, Mr Marshall has overseen the successful roll-out of mobile data technology, equipping police officers to deliver more flexibly and effectively. Hampshire has been lauded nationally as best practice in its pioneering use of mobile fingerprinting technology.
Residents are being encouraged to use the recently introduced AB1 shopping bus. It runs on Mondays and Thursdays and users who were left with no bus after the autumn 2011 changes, are finding it invaluable. It covers a wide area of Alresford and also runs to Old Alresford. Here is the route - www.newalresfordtc.org.uk/AB1.htm
However, as with all things, unless it is used it will be cut. The pilot runs till December, when decisions will have to be made.
We welcome Alf Cleverley as Coordinator for Hawthorn Close, Alresford, who replaces Val Breen and Minnie Hughes-Onslow of West Street, who replaces Karen Long. Our thanks go to both the outgoing Coordinators.
USEFUL CONTACTS Mention that you are in an active Neighbourhood Watch area when placing calls |
|
---|---|
EMERGENCY 999 | Crime in progress Life in danger Violence being used |
NON –EMERGENCY 101 | Report minor crime |
0845 045 45 45 | Contact Police officer Leave messages |
ALRESFORD POLICE STATION ENQUIRY DESK |
|
Subject
to operational
demands or,
by appointment
- telephone
0845 045 45
45 |
|
Hampshire Constabulary web site www.hampshire.police.uk |
Alresford & District Neighbourhood Watch web site www.neighbourhood.watch.alresford.org |
from
Alresford’s Sergeant Mark Lampner
I have 3 full time PC’s and 5 PCSO’s to cover the large area that is Winchester Rural North. The personnel involved keep changing. Siobhan Adnams (nee Murray) has now had her area extended to cover Alresford town, after Steve Hull left. We will have a new PCSO, Chris Martin who is undergoing training at Netley in November, after which he will do an initial period of duty in a city area before being deployed to Kings Worthy. During that time another PCSO, Kerry Croutear will take 6 months pregnancy leave, so it is a constant juggling act to keep two teams of experienced officers available.
During one month this summer we had 14 calls of ASB in the Grange Road area. I arranged a meeting with parents where we discussed various issues. There was agreement to pass information both ways. This, together with letters we sent to the registered owners of vehicles that had been causing a nuisance, resulted in a big reduction of problems in the area, and no calls at all over Halloween.
Roads policing will be carrying out a campaign to combat mobile phone use while driving and non wearing of seatbelts. As usual, anti drink driving measures will be taken over the Christmas period.
Three males are due to appear at Leeds Magistrates court on two counts of fraud by false representation and two counts of money laundering, after an investigation by West Yorkshire Police was assisted by a local Safer Neighbourhood officer.
PC Ben Stoneley assisted by obtaining statements and seizing other documentation relating to the offences, which concern an internet fraud involving heating oil. The information was packaged up and sent on to the relevant police constabulary to assist in their investigation.
2013 Association Committee Members | ||
---|---|---|
Chairman | David Pain | 771008 |
Vice Chairman & Treasurer | Gareth Rees | 732238 |
Administrator | Jennie Roberts | 736505 |
Newsletter Editor | Andrew Black | 732959 |
Publicity | Geoff Harris | 734058 |
Town Co-ordinator Liaison | Ken Mills | 735942 |
Town Co-ordinator Liaison | Peter Petheram | 732074 |
Rural Co-ordinator (North) | Rob Fellows | 883469 |
Rural Co-ordinator (West) | Andrew Kennedy | 779601 |
Rural Co-ordinator (South) | Malcolm Miles | 771109 |