Hello again everyone. 

For those of you who are not aware, we now have a new Neighbourhood Watch secretary, who has taken on the task with great enthusiasm and, on behalf of all members, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Jane Markwell.  Over the coming months, Jane and I will be looking at ways of trying to improve the Newsletter content and coverage as well as working to get more people involved with the Scheme.  The next meeting has been booked for Monday, 17th May at 7.30 p.m.  All members are urged to attend and anyone wishing to know more about Neighbourhood Watch is welcome to come along.  Jane and I will see you there — don’t forget 7.30 on Monday, 17th May at Redhill School.

Moving on to other matters :

As you are all aware, spring is just around the corner and I am sure that, like me, you have all started to dust off the lawn mowers and all the other tools in the shed ready to do battle with the lawns and borders.  Please don’t forget to get all your tools, etc. post-coded and use a stout chain to lock them all up because, just like use, the thieves know that people will be getting everything ready for the gardening frenzy and they will not miss an opportunity to liberate your tools, if you do not take adequate steps to secure them.  Likewise with garden ornaments and hanging baskets.  If you do decide to purchase garden ornaments try, where possible, to buy the heaviest.  This will, hopefully, deter them and if they do decide to take your ornament, you can sleep safe knowing that they will at least given themselves a hernia for their trouble !!.  With hanging baskets, try to get into a routine with watering them.  Take them down in the evening and place them out of sight or in the shed.  If you give them a good watering first, they will have dried out a little by morning and won’t be so heavy to carry and hang up.  This may seem like a chore, but at least you will have your basket of colour.

Since I have been Community Beat Officer for Borrowash & Ockbrook, I am ( and still remain ) surprised by the number of garages that are full of everything APART from the car !.  Ask yourself this question what have I got in my garage that is worth more than my car ?.  I’ll eat my hat if one person has got anything more valuable stashed away.  So come on—have a spring clean of the garage and get rid of all the junk and get the car put away.  If you put your car away, it will keep would-be burglars on their toes as they won’t know if you are out or not.  A car that is always left on the drive is a sure indication to a thief that the occupants are at home and the chances are he will wait until there is NO car on the drive before he strikes.

Whilst on the subject of cars, please remember to take your keys out of the ignition !!.  Common sense for most of us, I know.  However there has been a slight rise in this type of car theft  -  where the victim has left the vehicle “for a couple of moments” outside a shop, for instance, only to come out and find the car gone.  Remember you are unlikely to be insured if your car is stolen in this way.  You have been warned and please don’t forget that you can contact me at any time for crime prevention advice or any other matter that I can help you with.

Stay safe until the next time.

PC Phil Day