Welcome to the Thamesfield SNT newsletter. In these newsletters we aim to introduce you to your local policing team, provide you with current news about what we’ve been doing and what is going on in our ward and relevant crime prevention advice. Your comments and feedback are always welcome

Your Thamesfield Safer Neighbourhoods Team Officers are:
PS 53WW Roger Chapple
PC 220WW Peter Odelusi
PC 241WW Stuart Paton
PCSO 7227WW Julie Kirk
PCSO 7196WW Sophie Wood
PCSO 7189WW Doug Cameron
SPCSO 7106WW Dimitri Cassar

SHEDWATCH
How SHEDUCATED are you?  

• The humble garden shed has increasingly become a happy hunting ground for criminals. The shed, garage or outbuilding is often much easier to break into than the average house or flat yet they often contain items such as power or hand tools and other pieces of hardware that thieves could use to force entry to your house or simply ‘fence’ to fund their parasitic lifestyle.

What can you do ?  

• Put away all tools and equipment and lock them up.
• Remember these tools could be used to break into your home.
• Don’t leave ladders outside unless they are securely locked up. Replace standard hinges with strap hinges secured by coach bolts or use security screws on existing hinges.
• Use good quality locks to secure your gates and doors.
• A tough pad bar (also called a hasp and staple) fitted with a strong padlock and secured with coach bolts is the most effective way of securing a door.
• Standard locks fitted to up-and over garage doors are very easily overcome. A padlock with a hasp and staple fitted to each corner is very effective, specialist locks for such doors are also available.
• Double garage doors with a rim latch should be strengthened by the addition of a mortice deadlock.
• If your garage or outbuilding is attached to your main building make sure that all connecting doors are secure.
• Install outside security lighting operated either by movement sensors or photo-electric cell (dusk till dawn lights).
• Check that your household insurance covers theft from your garden and outbuildings.
• Mark your power tools etc with your postcode and house number. Alternatively, permanently mark them by scratching or painting – this will also reduce their value to the thief.
• Fit a battery-operated alarm. Fit a window grille and/or frosted window film to your existing window.
• Chain tools, cycles and other valuable equipment together using high security chain or cable and a good quality padlock.
• Photograph all your valuables and keep these images in a secure place
• Secure access to your shed or garage by using thorny bushes next to walls and fences and locking gates.
• Have you visibly marked the contents of your shed?
• External security lights activated by movement are a useful deterrent.
• Doors and windows of sheds and outbuildings need securing. Use good quality fitments. Metal grilles or locks will help make windows less vulnerable.
• Use coach bolts or non-return screws to secure door hinges and locks.
• Chain cycles, mowers, and ladders to a ground anchor or similar device. Mark all valuable items with your postcode using UV pen or simply scratch onto the item.
• Alarms for sheds and outbuildings are inexpensive and can be obtained from DIY shops and builders merchants.
• Think about a metal shed! They are more resistant to attack and only slightly more costly.
• Examine your insurance policies. Check that your household policy covers you for theft from your garden and outbuildings.  

TOGETHER WE WILL CRACK DOWN ON CRIME……..JOIN YOUR LOCAL NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH SCHEME.

THAMESFIELD NEWS – WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?
Firstly, we would like to say goodbye and good luck to PCSO Gerald Baffoe-Bonnie. He is now in training to be a serving Police Officer. He has been with us since 2006 and has been an integral part of the team and will be sorely missed by many.

In the beginning of October, we had an evening with most of Thamesfield’s Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators, along with Wandsworth Council’s Community Safety Officers. This allowed coordinators to meet each other, share ideas and crime Prevention/watch ideas.

We have had a number of property marking events in the last couple of months, with the intention of encouraging as many people as possible to mark all their property with a UV pen (house no / postcode) & register it on Immobilise.com. These were well attended & we hope that this advice spreads further. For more information, please ask.

During the two-week period over Halloween and Bonfire Night, we increased our patrols to tackle the anti-social behaviour that is often associated with this time of year. Putney SNT officers conducted 460 stop & accounts and 210 stop & searches, resulting in 14 arrests for various offences. More importantly, this had a tremendous impact on the ward and borough as a whole, resulting in 365 fewer firework calls, which is a 71% reduction from last year.

In November, Thamesfield SNT officers took part in what was the biggest Remembrance Day Parade in Putney in recent times. It was an honour for us to be part of such a moving tribute.
Our role is to address the non-emergency, local community issues that affect your quality of life. We need you to help us to keep Thamesfield safe, so please stop us and speak to us if you see us walking or cycling around.

PUTNEY TOWN CENTRE BUSINESS WATCH RE-LAUNCH
Following a great deal of work behind the scenes, Thamesfield SNT (in partnership with Wandsworth Council Community Safety Division and Sainsbury’s) organised the re-launch the Putney Business Watch.

All the retailer stores in the town were asked to show support and commitment in helping reduce retail crime, especially in the 'run up to Christmas'. Over 30 stores both large and small attended to discuss what they could do to help police and the council deal with shoplifters, robbers and counter-fit money.

As a result of the meeting, the Putney Business Watch is sharing between stores, photos of known thieves and other suspicious people in a coordinated plan to reduce crime and disorder to make the shopping experience in Putney safer.

Sergeant Roger Chapple of Thamesfield Safer Neighbourhoods Team said
‘The re-launch of the Putney Business Watch will serve to strengthen ties between the local police, retailers and town centre management and increase participation of all concerned. The photo sharing scheme is a simple yet efficient method of passing information that will help to reduce the opportunity for people to commit crime in Putney, and a successful Business Watch is key to preventing and detecting crime, which is beneficial to all concerned. Thamesfield SNT (Safer Neighbourhoods Team) are committed to assisting our retailers and those that shop in Putney to make it a more pleasant and safe place to live and work in.’

Stephen Wallace, Putney Town Centre Manager said
‘The introduction of the Business watch photo-sharing scheme by the police will help further strengthen the efforts being made by companies and Wandsworth Council to fight retail crime in Putney. The combined effect of sharing images of suspects already convicted of retail offences, the councils Retail Radio system and closer coordination between shops, police and CCTV provide extra layers of security to help deter thieves from Putney and make shoppers experience in the town that much more enjoyable this Christmas. ‘

Thamesfield SNT will be holding surgeries
Putney library, Disraeli Road. 6pm-7pm.
30/01/2009
27/02/2009
27/03/2009
24/04/2009
29/05/2009
26/06/2009
31/07/2009
28/08/2009
25/09/2009
30/10/2009
27/11/2009
all welcome

January 26, 2009