Boyne Road and Caterham Road Neighbourhood Watch Crime Updates

Your Home

Always keep your windows and doors closed and locked when you are not at home.

If you have mortice locks and burglar alarms, use them.

Consider putting up movement activated (PIR) lighting and cameras.

At night if you have bolts and / or chains on the doors use them.

Be very careful about unsolicited callers to your home especially from Utility Companies. Don't be frightened to ask for identification, and call up the Utility Company for confirmation of identity. A genuine employee will not mind this.

If you return to your home and find it has been illegally entered, especially if you do not know if the burglars are still inside DON'T enter your home. Go to a neighbour and dial 999.

Lock your doors at night and don't keep the keys in the door lock. However ensure everyone in your home especially guests know where you keep your door keys in case of fire.

Never keep keys in sight of your letter box, especially car keys.

Have security locks on all your windows upstairs and down, and keep them locked.

If you have valuables consider getting a safe to keep them in, and ensure the safe is in a covert place.

If you have ladders ensure that they are securely padlocked to your home.

For more information Please see the Metropolitan Police web site Burglary Prevention

Your Phone

Your mobile phone is important to you. It helps you to keep in touch with friends and family and can be used in emergencies. To protect it and other property in the future visit www.menduk.org or www.immobilise.com and register your items FREE. You will need your IMEI number, usually printed on a label found behind the phone’s battery. Otherwise simply key in the following on the handset and the number will be displayed on the screen. *#06#. This site can be used for registering cameras, PDA's bicycles, etc. For more information Please see the Metropolitan Police web site Safeguarding your mobile phone.

Scams

Unfortunately there are lots of scams going on. The bottom line is that if you receive an offer that sounds too good to be true, it usually is!

Always be wary of unsolicited requests by phone, mail, email, or from door to door salesmen.

Bogus Callers

Not all burglars break into homes - some will try to trick or con their way in. They are known as bogus callers and will pretend to be on official business from respectable concerns such as the Utility Companies - Gas, Electricity and Water - or the Council. They may claim to be tradesmen or workmen calling to carry out urgent repairs.

Bogus callers succeed because they sound believable, so don't be fooled. Make sure in your own mind that they are who they claim to be by following these simple steps:

Think before you open the door - use your chain and spy hole or look out of the window to see if you recognise them.
Ask callers for proof of identity. Genuine tradesmen should carry an identification card with their photograph on. Check this carefully. If you are unsure, telephone the company the caller claims to represent.
The Utilities now offer a password identification system. Any caller from one of these companies should be able to give a pre-arranged password as additional proof of identity.
Beware of callers who attempt to distract you by claiming that they have seen something untoward in your rear garden or somewhere which may encourage you to leave your house - they may have an accomplice awaiting this distraction.
If you are not convinced of the identity of the caller, don't let them in. Ask the caller to come back later and arrange for a friend, relative or neighbour to be present on their return or ask the caller to contact this person.

Your Garden

For information on how to protect your garden please see the Metropolitan Police web site Crime prevention - Stop garden thieves.

Your Car

Modern cars are very difficult to steal. So car thieves steal your car keys in order to steal your car! So protect your car keys, and never leave them in view of your letter box.

Never leave anything on display in your car. This includes handbags, briefcases, mobile phones, CD's etc.

Never leave Sat. Nav. equipment visible in your car, and if you have this, then rub the plastic sucker marker off your windscreen after use.

Always close all windows and lock all doors and boot when leaving your car.

For information on how to protect your car please see the Metropolitan Police web site Crime prevention - Driving Safety.

Your purse / wallet

Keep you wallet out of view in an inside pocket. Be wary of people distracting you or asking you questions (e.g. directions).

Keep you purse in your handbag and your handbag closed. Unfortunately there is a common crime of 'dipping' in our area on public transport. To reduce the risk of this attach bells to you purse. these are available from Purse Dipping Bell or if you contact our SNT they will provide you with some free of charge!

Identity Theft

Never give your date of birth or any personal information to anyone unless they really need it.
Never give financial or password information to anyone who contacts you.
If you use online banking and your bank provides information of when you last logged on, keep a note of the dates and times you log on, and check the information is correct.
Never reply to unsolicited emails from your bank or building society.
If you are expecting a cheque book or credit card, and it has not arrived, contact your bank. If already sent, then get it cancelled, and report this to the Police.
Many web sites request you enter personal details like date of birth for registration. If they do require this, then consider entering a false date of birth.
Never keep your passwords or pin numbers written down with you. If you have to write them down, use a code that only you and your family know.
For more details please see the Home Office document Identity Theft - Don't become a victim.
For useful advice on how to prevent theft of your identity see IS YOUR IDENTITY AT RISK?.
For a report on identity theft click here.

Date	Details
30^th Sep to 06^th Nov 2008	No crimes were reported on our roads.
06^th Nov to 10^th Feb 2009	No crimes were reported on our roads.
11^th Feb to 9^th July 2009	9 crimes were reported on our roads. 2 x Domestic violence -- Boyne Road 2 x Motor vehicle damage -- Boyne Road 2 x Theft in street -- Boyne Road 1 x Theft of pedicycle -- Boyne Road 1 x Robbery -- Caterham Road linked to 1 x Snatch -- Caterham Road
10^th July to 8^th Oct 2009	2 crimes were reported on our roads. 1 x Opportunistic snatch -- Caterham Road 1 x Criminal damage (window smashed) nothing stolen -- Boyne Road