Brent Neighbourhood Watch Association

96 High Road, Willesden, London NW10 2PP

Tel: 07502 426038 E-mail: info@bnwa.org www.brentnw.co.uk

Charity no. 1094690

You are cordially invited to

The 13th Annual General Meeting of

The Brent Neighbourhood Watch Association, to be held on

Thursday 6th September 2012

At The Brent Town Hall, on Forty Lane in Wembley, Committee Rooms 1 & 2

Registration and refreshments will between 6.00 pm and 6.30 pm

The Meeting will commence @ 6.30 pm. 

RSVP:  28th August 2012

Please also note that any Co-ordinator wishing to join the Committee should forward such nominations in writing, to reach this office by 28/08/12.  Please refer to Articles 3.2 and 4.1 of the BNWA Constitution in this regard.  A copy can be requested.

Name:_______________________________________Ward:___________________________

Address:______________________________________________________________________

Telephone No(s):________________________________________________________________________________

E-mail address:______________________________________________________________________

WILL YOU BE ATTENDING (Please circle as appropriate)            -            Yes/No

HOW MANY SHOULD WE EXPECT WITH YOU? _______________________________

ANY SPECIAL REQUESTS:____________________________________________________

 

Please note that this being a purely voluntary exercise, we are not liable to compensate any expenses incurred in attending. 

Welcome to LNWA Newsletter - Issue 58 - produced to maintain your contact with LNWA and e-mailed to all 32 Boroughs plus the City.  Single Points of Contact (SPOCs) are regularly updated so, if you are receiving it for the first time, it’s because you are identified as the Neighbourhood Watch Contact for your Borough.  LNWA, is anxious information reaches the "grass roots" so please ensure everyone in a Watch in your Borough is encouraged to read this Newsletter which is also accessible via our website, http://www.lnwa.net/
 
NEIGHBOURHOOD & HOME WATCH NETWORK
 
The July edition of the Neighbourhood & Home Watch Network newsletter is now available at: http://www.ourwatch.org.uk/uploads/general/ourwatch_July2012.pdf
 
DIAMOND CHAMPIONS
 
The ‘Diamond Champions’ campaign is a nationwide search, spearheaded by The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, seeking to reward and acknowledge wonderful contributions made to society by volunteers over 60 years of age.  The campaign is on the hunt for unsung heroes, aged over 60, who volunteer to help others in their communities.  People across the country are being encouraged to nominate those in their local areas who really make a difference to their communities.  You may want to nominate someone in your Neighbourhood Watch scheme or someone you have met in the course of your Neighbourhood Watch work.  For more information on how to nominate and the campaign more generally, visit: www.wrvs.org.uk/get-involved/diamond-champions
 
Hurry, the closing date is Friday, 27th July!
 
HOME OFFICE
 
The Home Office has added new content to its website.  Aimed at Community Safety Partnerships, is a new Award Programme for initiatives designed to reduce crime and improve community safety.  If you recently completed (or are due to complete) an innovative, successful crime/community safety initiative, it could win an award that would recognise your hard work.  The page details national, international and local award programmes of interest to organisations in the crime and community safety arena.  To see if your work fits into the wide array of categories, go to: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/partnerships/Other-award-programmes/
 
More interesting content can be found under Crime and Policing News and the latest update can be found at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police/crime-police-news-2012/crime-pol-news-jun-2012?view=Html
 
CRIME PREVENTION NEWS
 
The latest from Crime Prevention News can be found at: http://www.crp-news.com/
 
HOW SECURE IS YOUR HOME?
 
Some of you will have seen this but Bromley Police sent a pamphlet entitled “How Secure Is Your Home”.  It’s a PDF so, rather than attaching it as a “link” to that the Met. Police firewall may reject, you can find it on the new Bromley Neighbourhood Watch Association website: http://www.bbnwa.co.uk/joomla/index.php/breaking-news
 
Just click on the underlined link to “Latest police home security pamphlet”
 
OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING – DOORSTEP SELLING CAMPAIGN
 
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has just launched a campaign against doorstep selling and campaign materials are now available to download from the OFT website; go to: http://www.oft.gov.uk/OFTwork/consumer-protection/campaign11-12/doorstep/;jsessionid=DE24EDB0A37F477BCD820B26CB79AD10
 
SCAM
 
We published a warning about the following scam in Bromley and found a resident of the Borough had been caught in the same way in the City.  Here are the details as we received them so that you can pass on the warning:
 
“I was walking on Blackfriars Bridge Road and a man was walking in front, slightly slower.  As I passed, he bent down to pick up a “gold” ring.  He looked at me and asked if it was mine.  I said not but he had me look at it and asked if I thought it was gold.  He wanted me to take it from him but I wouldn't.  He said he was from Yugoslavia and had no job, so I said it was his lucky day, to hand it in to the police and maybe earn a reward, or keep it if no one claims it.  He then said he had no documentation so couldn't hand it in, pushed the ring into my hand and told me to do it.  As I took it, he tried to engage me in conversation.  All the time, we were walking; I didn't slow down or stop.  He tried putting his arm round my shoulders so I pushed him away and guessed I was being scammed; maybe he was after my wallet.  Then he asked for cash for lunch.  I refused but he stepped in front of me and became increasingly agitated.  I gave
 him £2 and told him to leave but that made things worse.  He became angry and demanded more cash but enough was enough.  I made that clear and he left.  The ring didn't look like gold but it had a “hallmark” inside so, on the off chance it was genuine, I handed it in at Charing Cross police station where they confirmed it was a scam. 
 
The usual ploy is to attempt to pass the ring as gold and sell it to the passer by with a sob story.  It’s actually highly polished, brass with a fake hallmark and worth a few pence.  The scammers have pockets full of them.  Sometimes, a similar scam takes place at an ATM.  After you type your PIN, someone behind points out a dropped fiver or a 'gold' ring off to one side.  As you're distracted, they reach behind you and press the button for the maximum amount of cash.  When the cash comes out, they grab it and run.  Whilst it’s, perhaps, what you would expect, this time they don't want your card or PIN, just the cash.”
 
DOCUMENTARY ON NOISE POLUTION
 
Blast! Films (http://www.blastfilms.co.uk/), based in North West London, is developing a documentary for Channel 4 about noise pollution, specifically residential noise pollution.  The company is looking for interesting stories to interview victims, neighbours and perpetrators.  For some of stories, Blast! Films will happily interview Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators, if involved in the issues.  If you are interested in taking part, contact Roslyn Keiza, Assistant Producer at Blast!  You can reach her on 0207 267 4260 (Ext. 220) or at rkeiza@blastfilms.co.uk
 
LIVING STEETS
 
The charity, Living Streets has asked for help to promote a new campaign to set people walking in London during 'the games'.  An “Ice Cream” calculator has been created together with a series of challenges.  Living Streets is looking for bloggers to write about the Ice Cream calculator and its quest to set Londoners walking.  You may have been donning waterproof jackets, rather than sunglasses, in recent weeks but Living Streets hopes to bring a bit of sunshine.  Enter how far you’ve walked to find out which ice cream treat you’ve burned off.  There’s even a prize draw to win an instant lolly maker!  To enter, go to: http://bit.ly/ICwalk or check out the press release at: http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/for-londoners-the-daily-commute-during-the-games-could-be-a-walk-in-the-park
 
MY CRIME PREVENTION
 
This month’s Links to the My Crime Prevention website centre on the recently released Crime Figures (published by the Office for National Statistics) where there is an “info graphic” identifying key trends.  Headlines in National Media have focussed on levels of homicide being low, however a number of crime types that affect all of us have actually increased.  These areas such as Bike theft have not received so much publicity.  The graphic and source code can be found at http://www.mycrimeprevention.co.uk/home-garden-security/home-security/crime-figures/crime-figures-for-2011-12
 
Finally, on a lighter note, forget Miss World and Miss Universe, in Fiji they vote for Miss Crime Prevention: http://www.mycrimeprevention.co.uk/home-garden-security/home-security/miss-crime-prevention-what-we-can-learn-from-fiji
  
That’s all for this month.  As usual, on behalf of LNWA, thank you for your work and support.

And remember to close your windows even at night ...

The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) is consulting on London's policing priorities. We are interested in your opinion.

Please take part in a short questionnaire to tell us your views. To complete a questionnaire click onhttp://www.smart-survey.co.uk/v.asp?i=54757lbrpc or call 020 7202 0063, leave your name and address and we will send you a paper copy.

If you require a telephone questionnaire please call 020 7202 0063, leave your name and telephone number and somebody will call you back.

Please feel free to pass details of the consultation on to your friends, family or colleagues.

We look forward to hearing your views on policing in London.

Total Policing is the Met's commitment to be on the streets and in your communities to catch offenders, prevent crime and support victims. We are here for London, working with you to make our capital safer.

Post sent by Karen.

Sorry for the duff information!

See you at our next meeting this Tuesday at the Church Hall.

 The June 2012 edition of the NHWN e-newsletter can be downloaded from http://bit.ly/McOYn7

This edition of the e-newsletter contains a message from the Chair and Vice Chair, an article from Towergate Insurance, details of the Catch22 project, an article about National Personal Safety Day, what some of our members got up to during Neighbourhood and Home Watch Week, information on how to find out who your Police and Crime Commissioners candidates are and how to become a qualified community advocate.

This week I am updating you about what my partnership officers and staff are doing to keep you safe.

Brent Police and Brent Council have introducing a Dispersal Zone in Kensal Green Ward, commencing Monday 25 June 2012 after residents and local businesses complained of persistent nuisance behaviour. Groups of individuals causing Anti Social Behaviour can now be dispersed by police constables and PCSOs. This order is in place for six months. If you have any issues in your ward please contact your local SN team.

The MPS has been recruiting to replace PCSOs who have become fully qualified constables; we have four starting their first weeks' training and we look forward to them arriving on borough to assist the Safer Neighbourhoods Teams.

Brent Mencap attended Wembley police station this week to raise awareness about the Metropolitan Police Services’ commitment to tackling disability crime. Brent Police are committed to identifying and tackling disability hate crime, and we will continue to work to the Stand By Me pledge made earlier this year.

Over the past week my Safer Transport officers have been involved in delivering travel advice and safety talk to 30 day care members of The Millennium Day, Brent Age UK and pupils at Michael Sorbel Jewish Primary school.

Officers took part in two plain clothes bus revenue operations in partnership with TfL, resulting in 22 buses stopped, 500 passengers checked and six arrested. The purpose of this was to check people were paying for bus fares and acting responsibly.

Safer transport officers have numerous bike marking events planned throughout the summer both within schools, at fairs and fetes and will be participating in the 10 SkyRide events throughout June to September.

On 19 June Safer Transport officers arrested 12 people for bus related assaults, burglary, common assault and public order.

On Thursday 21 June, Brent officers took part in Operation Cubo - the Met's crackdown on uninsured drivers where we seized 14 uninsured vehicles. This is important, if people don’t insure their cars, what happens if they hit someone? Over 80% of people who don’t insure their cars have a criminal record.

As ever, if you have any information, we will act. You can call us on Crimestoppers (0800 555 111), 101, or your local Safer Neighbourhoods Team Teams accessed via the Met Police Website (http://www.met.police.cu.uk/). In an emergency, call 999. For daily updates and information about what is happening in Brent, you can follow us on Twitter at @MPSBrent.

Thank you for your continued support.

Matthew Gardner
Borough Commander Brent Police.

KEEP YOUR HOME SAFE – DON'T MAKE IT EASY FOR INTRUDERS.1. LOCK IT: Most intruders love an opportunity; they look for them and thrive on them. Do ensure that all your windows and doors are securely locked when they are not in use.2. CREATE AN ILLUSION: If the house is unoccupied for extended periods of time, make sure it appears that someone is at home. Install timers on lights, a radio, the TV and ask a neighbour to collect your post, move bins and even your curtains. 3. KEEP IT HIDDEN: Nothing tempts a burglar more than easy pickings. House and car keys, mobile phones, laptops, notebooks and tablets, purses and wallets for instance should all be kept out of sight. Find a safe place to store them away from windows and doors. If you have especially valuable pieces on show it may also be wise to obscure them from view.4. LIGHT IT UP: For any intruder the thought of being seen and his identity revealed is enough to strike fear in his heart and cause him to think again. Install motion sensor and timer controlled external lights (even CCTV) in key positions around your property. Hedges and bushes provide excellent cover for burglars to creep around in, so do keep them well trimmed. 5. MAKE A NOISE: Nothing is more effective against preventing a break-in than a fitted alarm system with monitored options providing the best security. No intruder wants the sound of a ringing bell whilst he is going about his unsavoury business. In a Home Office Report undertaken in 2004 regarding the decision making of burglars, 84% said they would do their utmost to avoid entering a home with a fitted alarm system. As a word of caution, unwanted intruders may also know that 1 in 3 people will ignore a ringing bell because they think someone else will sort out the problem. Be extra safe and have your alarm system monitored. Burglars know which systems have this facility, so you can rest a little easier knowing that help will be on its way if you ever need it or the worst happens. So there you have it, 5 Top Tips to not only show burglars that you are serious about your home security, but to ensure you can make an informed decision when it comes to protecting all that matters to you.