Burglary Crime Prevention Advice

Dear Watch Member,

We would remind residents to take care to protect their homes from burglaries as the clocks go back on Sunday 29th October 2023.

There are some key things you can to do to keep your home secure this autumn:

  • Make sure your home is secure when leaving by locking all doors and windows.
  • Keep a light on if you go out especially during evening hours, or invest a plug light timer switch.
  • Never leave your keys and valuables within view or reach of windows and letterboxes.
  • Always lock your front door from inside – especially UPVC front doors that have handles even if you are home.
  • Check your outside lighting is in good working order and replace any faulty equipment.
  • Look out for your neighbours, if something doesn’t seem right, call police on 999.

 

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Sophie Dunford
Communications Officer and VAWG Lead
Email: [email protected]

Wreath Laying by Mayor of Harrow. Peace Garden, Pinner Memorial Park

On  Wednesday 25th October 2023 the Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Ramji Chauhan, laid a poppy wreath at the Dove of Peace War Memorial in the Peace Garden in Pinner Memorial Park. This was in memory of all those who have fallen serving their country or as a results of conflict.

The Dove of Peace was designed in 1995 by the pupils of Nower Hill School for the Peace Garden. It was created in that year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of WWII:. It is an offically registered war memorial: https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/11098

The Peace Garden is an area for quiet comtemplation within Pinner Memorial Park, which itself was purchased for the community by public subscription as an enduring war memorial and amenity for Pinner at the End of WWII.

Neighbourhood Watch: Autumn Nights Burglary and Vehicle Theft Prevention Advice

Dear Watch Member,

Autumn is here, winter is coming, the clocks will soon go back, and with it all comes increasingly longer hours of darkness.

Darkness that burglars and car thieves will use to their advantage.

And with Navratri, Diwali, Halloween and Bonfire Night celebrations over the coming weeks, it is possible there could be an increase in burglary offences.

Therefore it’s important to leave your home and its valuable contents secure whenever it’s unoccupied.

Here’s what we recommend you do before you go out:

  • close and lock all your doors and windows, even if you’re only going out for a few minutes
  • double-lock all doors
  • make sure that any valuables are out of sight
  • in the evening, shut the curtains and leave lights on
  • if you’re not home by sunset, it’s advisable to use a timer device to automatically turn on lights and a radio during the dark evenings
  • set your burglar alarm
  • make sure the side gate is locked
  • lock your shed or garage
  • secure currency and jewellery inside a discreetly hidden safe anchored to the floor.

Car thieves will target keyless entry vehicles overnight when cars are on the driveway and keys are in the house.

That’s why it’s important to take the following car theft prevention measures:

  • when at home keep your car key (and the spare) well away from the car.
  • put the keys in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Pouch, and check if the bag or pouch is still working every few months.
  • turn off wireless signals on your fob when it’s not being used.
  • apply a steering-wheel lock
  • install a driveway bollard
  • install an Immobiliser that prevents a vehicle from starting unless the correct fob, key or activation process is used. They can be personalised so that you’re the only one who knows how to unset it via a number of dashboard controls.

For further crime prevention advice please click here.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]

Good quality books required – please help.

Before the theft
Before the theft
A sad state afterwards

Following the devastating theft of every single book from Eastcote book hub on Friday.  They are looking at replenishing the books so that people can once again swap them.

Do you have any unwanted high-quality adult or children’s fiction books?

If you have some, please drop them of at the Book Hub on Eastern Ave

Miriam who runs the book hub is absolutely distraught by the theft and has dedicated a lot of time and effort building this book hub.

Don’t Become a Victim of Fraud

Dear Watch Member,

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau has published its annual assessment covering 2022-23 and its findings include:

  • Phishing emails continue to be the most common way frauds are started
  • Hacking (Social media and email) is the top cyber crime type
  • Online Shopping and Auction Fraud is the top fraud type, which means people are buying goods that possibly don’t exist.
  • Courier Fraud reports are DOWN but losses have INCREASED by 96%.

Across London we know residents are still being conned through telephone and online frauds, and the fraudsters can be persuasive, and manipulative.

If you receive a telephone call or email to say you are entitled to compensation, or you could help with a Police situation relating to your bank account, or your broadband / energy company / phone provider is giving you money back – it’s likely to be the start of a fraud as the criminal will try to hook you with something that seems too good to be true. Any reputable company you do business with would have your postal address and would send you a letter about any money owing to you – they really wouldn’t phone, text or email you.

If you, or a family member or friend has been a victim, please report to the Metropolitan Police by ringing 101 or online via www.met.police.uk/ro/report/fo/v1/fraud/.

Please forward any suspicious texts to Action Fraud at 7726 (spells SPAM on your keypad). Please report scams and attempted scams to Action Fraud.

Please visit www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fa/fraud/personal-fraud/ for information about how you can stay one step ahead of the scammers.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team

Final Concert in the Park.

A huge thank you must go to all of our wonderful volunteers that have helped over the last four weeks. These concerts wouldn’t happen without their help.

Simply Gray got people dancing this afternoon. Even a temporary power outage didn’t stop the fun. ( No I wasn’t having a crafty cuppa).

Thank to everyone who came and braved the weather when Harrow Steel played.

It’s an honour to be able to hold such wonderful community events in Pinner.

FREE* National Trading Standards Call Blockers Available

Dear Watch Member,

The National Trading Standards (NTS) Scams Team has secured funding to provide a limited number of free* call blocking units to help protect people in receipt of scam and nuisance phone calls on their landline phone.

You can apply on behalf of someone else with their consent, or you can apply for yourself.

What Is A Call Blocker?

The call blocking units available are trueCall Secure+. A call blocker is a unit that filters unwanted scam and nuisance phone calls from a landline phone (this unit does not work with mobile phones).

In previous call blocker projects run by the NTS Scams Team, these units have blocked 91% of scam and nuisance calls.

The unit plugs into an existing landline phone and phone line, it can work alongside broadband and/or lifeline/pendant devices that are already installed.

You can find out more about call blocking units, how they work and watch some short animations on how the unit works here.

For further information, please click on the below link:

www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/callblocker

Please note there are a very limited number of units available, which will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 8721 2775