OTLEY NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

NEWSLETTER

Newsletter. APRIL 2008. (Issue number 29)

Afternoon MEETING***

The next meeting for the Otley Neighbourhood Watch Members will be Monday 12th May 2008. 2.OOpm. - 3.30pm.

Residents Lounge Chevin Court Otley Access is via the gate on Wesley Street next to Winpenny's photographer, or from Courthouse Street between the Corner Cafe and Sinclairs.

The speaker will be P.C. Heidi Beardsmore about her work as Schools' Liaison Officer.

Advance Notice

The AGM of this group will be early October. Time and place yet to be decided. Suggestions welcome!

Due to ill health and advancing years, some of the present committee will be retiring. If the Otley group is to continue new committee members must come forward. As committees go this one's duties are very light.

The committee would like your ideas on expanding the Neighbourhood Watch in the town. At present about half the town is covered.

CRIME STATISTICS 2007

Otley North South

House Burglaries           20(18)        58(74)

Serious Violent Crime    0 (0)           2(3)

Other Violent Crime        34(24)        74(71)

Youth nuisance Reports 68 (92)    113(143)

Vehicle crimes                 17(9)        93(76)

2006 Numbers in brackets

This information was obtained from the crime beat website (www.beatcrime.info.)

GETTING IN TOUCH

The Neighbourhood Watch Liaison Officer is :- P.C. John Morgan.

Otley Neighbourhood Policing Team. 01274 471453.

Otley Police Station Help desk 0845 6060606 Extension 26250 email : otley.npt@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

If there is anything you would like to discuss with the police there is a contact point at Otley Library Nelson Street every Tuesday 2pm -- 3pm.

Packs for new members can be obtained from Otley Police Station, and also lamp post signs.

CCTV is coming to Otley soon. (April/May)

Also a Designated Place Public Order Zone. To control on street drinking, in the town centre.

DOOR KNOCKERS

In late February in the Bradford Road area of town, a man with a card saying he was Polish, deaf with a sick child. Was knocking at doors on an evening basically begging for money.

If this type of thing happens and you feel it might be someone looking for suitable places to burgle, report it at once to 0845 6060606. This is Weetwood Police Station They will. want an address and postcode. They will alert the N.P.T. or send a police car to cruise the area.

STOP THE VIOLENCE, BREAK THE SILENCE

People across West Yorkshire who suspect a relative, friend, neighbour or work colleague is suffering domestic abuse can now alert police anonymously using the five and confidential Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111. This is a new campaign aimed at identifying and helping more victims of domestic violence.

Reviews of domestic homicides highlight time after time that friends and relatives of victims were aware of a history of domestic abuse.

The police are asking people to think deeply about their responsibility to others. Do you turn the television up to block out the noise of what you know is going on next door? Do you see someone at work or picking up kids from school who always seems to have unexplained injuries? Your call could be vital in helping the police and partner agencies to give that person the support they need to get out of an abusive relationship and, in the extreme cases, you could be saving their life.

Domestic abuse victims can get help and advice from `Behind Closed doors'

0800 328 2430. (www.behind-clased­doors.org.uk)

BURGLAR ALARMS

If you have a Burglar Alarm leave a key with a relative or neighbour when you go away and notify the police who the key holder is.

If your alarm goes off and you have not been broken into, the council noise abatement office are allowed to break in and turn it off, at a cost to the owner.

This action also leaves the property less secure with a further cost of repair on your return.

We wish to thank Sinclairs Stationers for the supply of paper.

LAST MEETING.

A very interesting talk Safety in the Virtual World by Keith Laydon who is an Information and IT Risk specialist.

You do not need to own a computer to be at risk by the virtual world. Government departments, Councils, banks and other organisations have all lost large amounts of personal data in the last 12 months that the media have alerted us to.

The banks are playing catch up against organised criminals, mainly from Eastern Europe.

Stealing your identity can be more profitable than taking money from your account. Your credit history could enable large-scale fraud before anyone notices. It may give the opportunity to look around your corporate network.

There was far too much information given in the hour of the talk and the question and answer session, to put in this newsletter.

The main message was be very careful whom you give your bank details to. Via Internet, letters or telephone. Eg If you did not enter a competition you can not have won.

Shred all paper with your name and address on especially utility bills. Check bank balances regularly and check credit card bills report any anomalies immediately. A card cloned in the UK can be in use in a non chip and pin country within 30mins.

Don't give details to anyone saying they are from the bank. The bank knows your details. If you ring them that's different.

Take the same approach with Blackberries, Smartphones & PD.As as your PC.

Monitor Your Children/Grandchildren when they are using chat rooms. Warn them about sexual predators, and on line harassment via email, chat forums and instant messaging. 90% of online harassment goes unreported.