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Neighbourhood Watch Scheme (NHW)
Yelvertoft Neighbourhood Watch – Register Now!
We are pleased to announce that following the residents meeting held at the Village Hall in September 2017 all present voted unanimously to reinstate the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme (NHW) for Yelvertoft.
Yelvertoft’s crime rate is increasing. NHW plays a vital role in helping to reduce crime. People who live in a NHW area are less likely to become victims of burglary and some insurance companies offer as much as a 20% discount on household insurance policies to those in schemes registered with the police.
NHW schemes can:
- Cut crime and the opportunities for crime by improving home, vehicle and personal security.
- Decrease and prevent crime by encouraging greater vigilance.
- Reduce the fear of crime by fostering community spirit.
We need residents to register to be part of the scheme. This will allow residents:
- To be kept informed of crime news within Yelvertoft and the surrounding area
- To be part of our community to watch out for anything suspicious and to report it confidentially
- Come together as a community. Pass information to those who do not have access to a computer/email, or may be vulnerable.
You do not need to be at home all day and there is no cost involved. It is mainly common sense – just report anything suspicious, no matter how small.
We would like to have one representative per street to ensure that all residents receive vital information about crime as we appreciate not everyone has access to a computer. If you are interested in being a rep for your street then please do let us know.
Yelvertoft WhatsApp Crime Alert Group
What is it?
The Parish Council have started a WhatsApp group intended to be used by villagers to alert the community to urgent crime issues such as;
- Crimes in Progress
- Suspicious behaviour (non Covid related)
- Cry for help
- Suspicious vehicles
- To pass on reports from elsewhere
Important – You must still report serious crime to the police and get a crime number – you should then share this number with the group
What is it not?
The group is not for moaning, chatting, gossip, reporting neighbours or parking issues It must be kept clear for important alerts. The Parish Council will remove any group member who misuses the system.
What about my privacy
WhatsApp requires you to download the app to your mobile phone. Your telephone number will be visible to all other members however your name or any other info will only be visible to people who already have you in their phone contacts.
How do I join
First download the WhatsApp application from your App Store onto your phone. It looks like this:
Then follow the instructions to sign up and set up alerts in your phone settings.
To join the group follow this link on your phone.
Or scan this QR code with your camera
Protecting You and Your Home
Northamptonshire Police have some excellent information for you to protect yourself and your home. Click here to read more.
Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Update and Smartwater
The NHW scheme was relaunched in the village in September 2017 and membership continues to grow. Additionally, the scheme has been extended to the Marina to improve the flow of information. Crime is no respecter of boundaries so it must be sensible to work together.
Some may be aware that despite the intention to improve our security there has been incidence of unwanted visitors in the village and a break in recently. The visitors were challenged, reported to the Police and moved along with little impact – well done to those involved. Both incidents are reminders to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious, in the first instance, to the Police on 101 or if more serious 999.
In terms of prevention of crime and apprehension of individuals involved in it, one tool is to ‘mark’ household belongings. The marking of items from vases to lawnmowers with a colourless liquid, particular to an individual owner, allows the police to identify such goods. This not only assists with prosecution, but the return of those belongings. Perhaps as importantly the very fact that items are marked acts as a deterrent to potential thieves.
NHW, whilst not in partnership with any supplier, does have a discount agreement with ‘Smartwater’, one of the leading providers. A link to the company explaining their product is here.
Joining NHW will allow members access to the promotional code to obtain that discount.
Here also are some Questions & Answers about Smartwater raised previously by NHW members:
Do we pay a monthly charge on top of the offer price?
No, the offer includes 5 years membership without any additional cost
Do we get full service provision, such as checks on police recovered items to identify the owner and expert SmartWater evidence if the suspect thief is charged and goes to trial?
Yes, the same service as all other customers registered with SmartWater.
What happens at the end of 5 years?
If you wish you can take up another discounted offer for a period, but the discount cannot be predicted so far ahead because of commercial and financial factors.
My SmartWater registration is now out of date. Can I pick up on this offer?
Yes, you certainly can! You will get a different water based mix, but it will still be exclusive to your property.
Aside from deterring crime it is worth remembering that some insurance companies allow discounts for membership of NHW.
To conclude, NHW is making progress. If you are a member, thank you, if not joining will not only benefit the community in the prevention of crime, but potentially reduce your household costs.
Cold Callers / No Cold Calling Area
The Parish Council have looked into making Yelvertoft a ‘No Cold Calling’ area but this is not possible. We are currently looking into stickers for residents homes. Please read the following for more information on these subjects:
• Although there are EU regulations against cold-calling, this has not been enacted into legislation in the UK, therefore cold-calling is not in itself illegal.
• You can refuse to answer to any cold-caller you do not recognise or who does not have an appointment to visit. If you do answer, you can simply ask the caller to leave, and they should adhere to your request. It is interpreted by Trading Standards that the existence of a “No cold-calling” sticker also constitutes a request to leave.
• However, if the caller persists, after the request to leave, they are committing an offence and you have the right to request the police to remove them for your premises. [Phone 101.]
• If you feel you are being threatened or harassed you can call 999.
• DAN – Doorstep Action Network: a county initiative to warn against Distraction Burglar Tactics and Rogue Doorstep Traders. See Northants Police website.
• NOTE – some fundraising charities use 3rd-party commissioned agents to cold-call on behalf of the charity. Charities and their agents may think that “No cold-calling” only refers to salesmen (i.e. double-glazing windows companies) and not charities.
• As from September 2015: “Door-to-door fundraisers should not knock on the doors of properties that display “No cold-calling” stickers or signs (or are in such an area) according to a new rule introduced by the Institute of Fundraising”.
• The Public Fundraising Regulatory Association has also agreed to integrate the new code of practice into its door-to-door compliance programme with immediate effect.
• So it is our view that charities or agencies that cold-call where there are stickers and/or within such a zone are clearly breaching their industry’s’ code of practice and should be named and shamed.
Establishing a No Cold-calling Zone (NCCZ) . Carol Gamble, Community Safety Manager at NCC Trading Standards, tells us:
• A NCCZ is a partnership between TS, Northants Police and the relevant Community Safety Partnership (and possibly Parish/Town Council). • Currently 60 zones in the county • Basic criteria can be “that the zone has to be in a small area (street, sheltered housing area) not a whole village/town where there has been higher than average levels of doorstep crime and a high proportion of the residents are elderly and/or vulnerable.” • First approach would be to check your doorstep crime stats for a selected area and also TS can check their complaints database (they record rogue trading incidents). • Consultation via a questionnaire can also be sent out, to ascertain support or not. • Funding will need to be obtained for signs and stickers. • Andrew Langford of Trading Standards can advise further: tel 01604 362467.
Vehicle Crime
Sadly, Yelvertoft vehicle crime is on the increase. Advice from the Met Police website:
Accreditation And Legislation Useful Crime Prevention Websites
From Daventry and South Northants Police:
Secured by Design
Sold Secure
Master Locksmiths
Information Commissioner
National Security Inspectorate
Occupiers Liability Act 1984
JNE Security – Personal Alarms
Solon Security
Ultra Secure
Cremark Marking Kits
Ring Doorbell
Immobilise Property Database
Further Advice – Crime Prevention Website
101 is the number to use to report incidents and for general enquiries.
In an emergency always dial 999.
You can also provide confidential information should you wish to remain anonymous. These calls can be made to the Independent Charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Get info/give info about crime 100% anonymously at Fearless.
The Truth about Drugs Know the score – Friendly Confidential Drugs Advice
R.I.S.E is a multi-agency team that exists to prevent and detect young people from child sexual exploitation. Tel: 01604 888345. Email: rise@northants.pnn.police.uk
Free, 24-hour, anonymous phone and SMS helpline, 116 000.