CommunitySafe.gov.uk

OPERATION LOCKDOWN

Merton Police have commenced Operation Lockdown, a three month burglary initiative which will employ a range of tactics to disrupt burglary, gain intelligence and arrest and convict offenders across the Borough. Whilst the number of burglary offences across the Borough remain relatively low, there has been a recent rise in the number of opportunist burglaries where entry has been gained through open windows and unlocked doors.

PRIORITY - ASB Phipps Bridge Estate

The team have been patrolling the area as much as possible, with the additional resources such as our task force in the area to provide reassurance. A recent meeting with Merton Priory Housing dealt with issues raise by the residents and police regarding the lighting and CCTV. We have suggested trees to be cut and improvements to CCTV locations. Repairs and an audit have been conducted on all lighting on the estate. The estate will also have an additional Warden to patrol over the weekends periods, with updates given to the police. This is an ongoing piece of work conducted with all of the partner agencies.

PRIORITY - Burglary

We have been offering crime prevention advice at numerous events we have attended and at both our drop in surgery venues. Letters raising awareness and offering crime prevention advice have been delivered recently to the Love Lane and Bank Avenue area. Operation Lockdown has also provided extra resources to our ward to increase patrols. Please ensure that you remain vigilant over the summer and keep your doors and windows secured when you are out, and not to leave expensive and valuable items in view of passers by.

PRIORITY - Theft from motor vehicle

We recently had our first drop in surgery at the Canons Leisure Centre, Maderia Road, where we offered crime prevention advice to attendees. Surgeries will be held at this location every other week (see website for details). We continue to operate the vulnerable vehicle scheme where we identify vehicles with property on show that could attract thieves and notify the owners of the risks attached.

ACTION IN MERTON

Action in Merton (AIM) is an initiative to make Merton a safer, cleaner and healthier place for all. It is a partnership approach looking to make a real difference to local communities in a short period of time. Local residents and the Safer Merton partnership will work together to identify key issues affecting their area, and bring in services to address them.

AIM is a series of activity days to address local concerns including:

• Environmental issues
• Crime and anti-social behaviour issues
• Preventative health
• Fire and other safety issues

Cricket Green Ward will be the focus on the 17th and 18th September, more information will be provided in following updates.

NEW REPORTING LINE FOR VICTIMS AND WITNESSES OF HATE CRIME

Tackling hate crime is a priority for Merton, which is why Merton has teamed up with Stop Hate UK to provide emotional and practical support for anyone, who has experienced hate crime.

Whatever your age, race, disability, sexual orientation or whether you are transgender, no one has the right to intimidate, hurt or harass you because they perceive you to be different.

Merton defines a hate crime as a ‘criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by a hostility or prejudice based on a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion or disability’.

If you feel you have been a victim of this crime you can report it to Stop Hate UK 24 hours a day. Stop Hate UK are an independent charity and everything you tell them is kept confidential. You have the option to remain anonymous if you wish. Stop Hate UK can be contacted by phone, email, text, post and online. Stop Hate UK can speak to victims about hate crime in their preferred language if required.

Telephone: 0800 138 1625
Website: www.stophateuk.org
Email: talk@stophateuk.org

CONTACT US
Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team can be contacted in the following ways:
Tel: 020 8649 3576
Email: cricketgreen.snt@met.police.uk
If you need to report a crime please call 0300 123 1212 or in an emergency always call 999.

Dear Ms McDonagh,

In response to your letter dated 6th July 2010 (Re: Crime and Anti Social Behaviour at Phipps Bridge).

We pay particular focus to the content of our MPs letters and an audit of our system reveals that we are not in receipt of your earlier letter (dated 1st July 2010). If the matters raised in the letter still require a response please would you be so kind as to re-send a copy and I will ensure I give them it my prompt attention.

Within your letter (6th July) you feel that the ‘the tennis’ is not really the point. I disagree. You are aware that the headline within the Wimbledon Guardian; …‘MP hits out at Mitcham police after shooting and triple stabbing’ within the article you are quoted “Police are more bothered about policing the Wimbledon Championships than the troubled streets of Mitcham the area’s MP has claimed…” Such headlines and supporting comments do little to promote community confidence or reassurance. (I am meeting with the editor and the journalist next week to express my concerns).

I have no doubt you will be able to forward details of the officers who stated that they were - “too busy to help you because of the Wimbledon Championships.” You are absolutely right, and I agree with you, such a message is inappropriate and I am looking for your help to identify and understand who within my command would say something which is so blatantly incorrect. I have made local enquires and no one recalls having had such a conversation.

I am sorry that at the meeting you felt that the impression given by police was that the Mitcham area was a low policing priority, quite the opposite is true. As discussed, my initial assessment of the boroughs deployment and demand profile reveals a substantial amount of our (finite) movable resources are given to the East of the borough. As an MP you will be conscious that as part of the conditions attached to Safer Neighbourhood teams funding arrangements the last government dictated that they should be ring fenced in their designated wards. I have briefed you in relation to my frustrations as to not having been allowed to move this valuable resource around the borough (however see further paragraphs for recent update).

You contend that there was a history of community unease in relation to groups of youths associating in the area and that the community members were concerned about numerous criminal and anti-social acts. The adage “You only know what you know” is a truism in relation to policing. Unless the residents report these issues to police we are unable to build an accurate intelligence picture and take appropriate action. As you are aware under ECHR legislation everybody has the right to associate freely without state interference. Without proper intelligence it is difficult to justify enforcement interventions. I will direct my safer neighbourhood teams to encourage increased reporting in order to give greater justification to future disruption activity.

You feel that ‘if the police had identified that there was a problem and had dealt with ‘the group’ appropriately the stabbings would not have taken place’. I am disappointed that you hold this view. As discussed this incident was spontaneous without any pre-planning. The offender was not known to police in the London area and there was nothing we could have done to prevent the crime from happening. Hindsight is a wonderful gift. When incidents like this happen people are quick to go to the press and it’s easy to blame the police. I readily acknowledge that we are the lead agency in relation to enforcement activity; however the causational factors which lead to criminality are many and varied.

The service (in my opinion) has a disappointing history of failing to respond to unfair criticism when many of the crime related social problems we face today are the result of years of failed parenting, failed education, failed social inclusion policies, ineffective border/integration policies and a distinct lack of investment in diversionary or rehabilitation activity. These failures are the responsibility of many, (including those in government) not just the police.

In this role I have ownership of the borough’s criminal intelligence profile and have a good understanding of those believed to be involved in more serious and organised crime. You are right (and I agree) that whether those intent on crime are members of a gang or otherwise is really a mute point. The more important issue is what is being done about it. I hope that when we next meet I can reassure you that we are trying hard to service the policing needs of the borough (although as discussed due to the legacy of national debt; continuing current operational capability will be an increasing challenge).

You have asked for a copy of the boroughs deployment profile. This is a restricted document as it specifically details both our operational capacity and capability. I will of course share the details with you when we next meet. I can however brief you on Merton’s policing model:

The borough’s operational workforce profile can be split into four main areas Response, Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT), CID and Operational Support. The Response officers deal with calls from the public and answer calls anywhere within Merton. The CID investigates reported crimes and deal with crime related prisoners, Operational support include the Merton crime squad, the Merton task force and other distinct units (i.e. the Merton sex offenders unit). They are deployed where the intelligence takes them (as stated predominantly in the East of the borough). The SNTs as discussed are rigid in number and are equally distributed (ring fenced in relation to movement) throughout the borough to provide local contact, visibility and reassurance. Apart from the SNT the deployment of resources is intelligence led & reactive to where crime is taking place. You are correct in your view that our ‘demand profile’ reveals that the majority of crime takes place within the East of the borough

It is also worthy of note that Merton is one of the boroughs affected by low crime rates within the MPS. As of last week the MPS had suffered 204918 Crimes so far this financial year. Merton is one of 32 London boroughs and in comparison we experienced 3670 which equates to just 1.8% of all London’s crime. A more strategic view could be that in light of the low Merton crime rate many of the boroughs resources would be better placed in the high crime rate boroughs (Lambeth, Hackney and Southwark etc.). This of course is something I hope to avoid as it is my intention to keep Merton crime levels as low as possible.

In my short time here so far, I have worked hard to understand the demands and constraints associated with delivering effective performance on the borough. Historic and entrenched ways of working will not deliver the performance needed in the new economic environment. In order to justify the retention of our current officer/staff numbers we will need to demonstrate how we can be both dynamic and flexible in meeting policing demands ensuring that we re-focus our activities where the public needs us most.

As you are aware Merton borough consists of twenty wards. We have recently completed comprehensive analysis of the borough in relation to crime mapping. Based on historical annual trends supported by management information and recent up to date intelligence it is clear that 5 wards present a real opportunity to improve our borough crime performance: Abbey, Colliers Wood, Cricket Green, Figges Marsh & Lavender Fields.

Starting Monday 19th July the borough will commence ‘Operation Lockdown’ which will be focused on preventing priority crimes in these 5 wards. A headline for this operation is that I have secured central agreement that I can pilot the concept of SNT staff on the remaining 15 wards providing substantial assistance to the Lockdown wards (although still aligned to their local wards). I am very excited about this opportunity for the borough to demonstrate both dynamism and flexibility as the rest of the MPS watches to see how it will work.

Reading your letter I am obviously delighted that you are committed to, and demonstrate, such a strong desire to ensure that the police provide a good service for all Merton’s communities. I totally share this view. I hope that we will be able to rely on your continued support in the future. As requested I will copy both your letter and this response to the community safe email group for sake of both completeness and closure.

Yours Sincerely

___________________________
Dick Wolfenden
Merton Borough Police Commander

Dear Mr Wolfenden

Re: Crime and Anti Social Behaviour at Phipps Bridge

Thank you for taking the trouble to write to me on 3 July about some comments I made to a journalist who was at the meeting I arranged to help the police reassure local people about policing on the Phipps Bridge estate. I spoke to the journalist after the meeting, after the conversation I had with you, and after the letter of 1 July that I wrote to you expressing my concerns about the meeting, to which I have yet to receive a reply.

The journalist attended the meeting, and he clearly felt that the approach of officers at the meeting was not as good as it could have been. I mentioned, as I did to you, that in my dealings with your officers they had told me that they were rather too busy to help me, due to the Wimbledon Championships. I hope it will be clear to you now that this is a totally inappropriate message to give a local community representative. However, the tennis is not really the point.

My concern was not about the high priority given to the tennis – although I do regularly hear complaints about this – but about the impression that was given at the meeting that Mitcham was a low priority. Although we are all very happy that you have found the suspects involved in the stabbing, more than a hundred residents would not have attended the meeting if they were not concerned about far wider issues. Specifically, they were concerned about numerous criminal and anti-social acts in the area by the same group of young men, including a drive-by shooting, various acts of intimidation, and an assault on a drinker.

As I explained to you on the phone and in my letter of 3 July, the response of officers at the meeting was to argue about the semantics of whether the group committing these acts was a gang or not. However, the truth is that if the police had identified that they were a problem and had dealt with them appropriately, the stabbings would not have taken place. Arguing about semantics was, therefore, seen by people at the meeting as unnecessarily argumentative, and as complacent.

Moving to your point about your recent examination of the Borough’s deployment profile, I would be grateful if you could let me have a copy of this profile. I am pleased that you believe the East of the Borough is as well serviced as the West, and should like confirmation from you that the deployment of resources is linked to the rate of crime in each neighbourhood. As you know, the crime rate in the East is approximately twice the rate of the West, and the rate in Cricket Green is roughly three times greater than in most of Wimbledon. Therefore for you to be satisfied that Mitcham “suffers no detriment in resource allocation”, I assume your figures will show that deployment is roughly three times greater in Phipps Bridge than in the West of the Borough, and roughly double in the rest of my constituency. Can you confirm that this is correct?

Finally, I can assure you I am absolutely determined in my efforts to ensure the police provide good public services for all of Merton’s communities. This is why I arrange regular opportunities for officers to promote their work at events I organise in Mitcham and Morden. Sometimes this is in response to particular crimes, but I have also arranged numerous meetings to introduce residents to their Safer Neighbourhood Teams, or to publicise the police’s ability to help deal with crime and anti-social activities in certain hotspots.

In this spirit, I will be contacting you separately in order to arrange a meeting in the Armfield Crescent area, where residents are worried that gang activity (or something very similar to gang activity) led to a separate shooting incident just over a week ago. It would be really good if the local police service could use this opportunity to show that they desperately care about our local residents and have a proper plan to ensure residents feel safer in their own neighbourhoods.

I hope that this is helpful, and look forward to your reply to this letter and that of 1 July. Since you have copied your correspondence to the Merton Community Safe email group, I am happy for you to circulate this letter to the same recipients on my behalf, or for you to let me have their details in order for me to email them all separately. I will, of course, only use those details for this purpose and not for any other reasons.

Yours sincerely,




Siobhain McDonagh

Dear Ms McDonagh,

I am writing to you in order to express my concern in relation to the quotes apparently attributed to you within Thursday’s (1st July) Wimbledon Guardian: Headline “MP hits out at Mitcham Police after shooting and triple stabbing.”

Within the article you are quoted:- “Do they [the police] care at all? It seems they’re more bothered policing the All England Club than they are about the lives of people in Mitcham. Three people have been stabbed and less than a year earlier; a teenager was seriously injured in a drive-by-shooting. But the police want to argue over the semantics of what gang means.”

First and foremost our efforts are specifically directed at trying to keep ‘all’ Merton residents and those who frequent the borough as safe as possible. As you are aware London can present logistical challenges in relation to policing large and significant events. Over the course of any calendar year this borough will be expected to supply officers to help police these events which are held at various locations off the borough. The All England Tennis Championships are no different and we rely on reciprocal arrangements where significant numbers of external resources from other boroughs are drafted in to assist. The planning and preparation for the event is both thorough, detailed and takes into account the ongoing policing needs of the borough to ensure our day-to-day borough policing commitment is always maintained.

Within the article you make reference to instances of serious assaults which have been committed within your constituency. The police responded quickly and have charged an individual. I have met the victims and the family members who (contrary to the article) feel that Merton police have done a good job. For some time now we have been considering the intelligence picture which informs our deployment of resources. An examination of the borough’s most recent deployment profile reveals that the East (Mitcham) side of the borough is well serviced by deployable proactive resources (extra officers) and suffers no detriment in resource allocation when compared to the West side of the borough (Wimbledon).

I must confess that I am struggling to understand what point you are trying to make in relation to the ‘semantics of gangs’ issue, suffice to say that (no doubt like yourself) I have no time for men of violence. Whether or not individuals are ‘gang’ affiliated, I can assure you that the police are doing what they reasonably can to prevent and detect such instances of serious harm.

Although I am immensely proud of the work that is conducted on a daily basis by the officers on Merton borough, I don’t for one minute think that the police get it right on every occasion and there are always improvements that can be made. Rest assured that (contrary to your comments within the article) we actually do care very much and it’s because we care that irresponsible & sensationalised media coverage such as this can have a significant impact on staff morale.

Finally I welcome the views, challenges (and hopefully) support of other key public officials and hope that we are all united in our efforts to try and provide good public services for all of Merton’s communities.

Yours Sincerely

__________________________________
Dick Wolfenden
Merton Borough Police Commander

DRIVE OUT VEHICLE CRIME

PRIORITY - Theft from motor vehicle

Come and get your free ‘Secur-I-Disc’ tamper proof tax disc holder as part of an ongoing campaign to drive out vehicle crime in the Borough. The ‘Secur-I Disc’ tax disc holder prevents the re-use of a tax disc, thereby making it pointless to steal.

Merton Police Crime Prevention Advisor PC Greg HUNT said, "This is our final intervention of the ‘Drive Out Vehicle Crime’ campaign which has been a real success in getting the message out to the public to take valuables with them and to secure their vehicles. We hope the Merton residents will continue in this trend to keep ‘theft from vehicle’ statistics down”. Your local Safer Neighbourhood Teams will continue to run smaller more local crime prevention events within the Community”.

The ‘Secur-I-Disc’ tamper proof tax disc holder are available free of charge at the vehicle crime road shows run by your local Safer Neighbourhood Teams or by contacting your local Safer Neighbourhood Team. For further crime reduction advice contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

For any further information please contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team via the main Met Police website by telephone or by e-mail. If you wish to become a member of Community safe and sign up to free crime alerts and news of what your local safer Neighbourhood Team is up to please contact them direct or join via www.communitysafe.gov.uk

Cricket Green can be contacted on 020 8649 3576.

Regards

Sgt Dan Hutchings

PRIORITY - ASB Phipps Bridge Estate

As most of you are aware, there was a recent serious stabbing on the estate. This involved an altercation between a local family and a group of youths resulting in three people being seriously injured by one of the youths who ran off to get a knife. The person believed responsible has been arrested and charged and three other people are currently on bail. It is believed to be an isolated incident and is not believed to be related to any ongoing issue.

Following this incident, team members attended a public meeting along with MP Siobhan McDonagh and the new Partnership Chief Inspector Mark Lawrence. This was an opportunity to speak with the local council and senior Police officer as well as the Safer Neighbourhoods Team. The event was well attended and an update on the investigation was given as well as the chance for any questions people had to be answered.

The team have been patrolling the area as much as possible following this incident and we have also had additional resources such as our task force in the area to provide reassurance and stop and search those who may be carrying knives.

If you were unable to attend the meeting or have any concerns or questions about this incident, please contact us on the details below.

PRIORITY - Burglary

We continue to try and reduce the number of burglaries on the ward. We are offering crime prevention advice at numerous community engagement events across the ward over the summer and the next one will be at the Mitcham Garden Village on the 1st of July between 11am and 3pm. Please feel free to come along and meet the team.

Please ensure that you remain vigilant over the summer and keep your doors and windows closed when you are out.

PRIORITY - Theft from motor vehicle

We currently hold a drop in surgery at the Phipps Bridge Community Centre where we offer crime prevention advice to attendees (see website for details) and are looking for a venue to host a similar thing nearer to the Police Station on the other side of the ward. We have contacted a couple of locations where there are a high number of people passing to see if they would be willing to let us be there for an hour or so a week and I will update you as soon as we have found a venue. We continue to operate the vulnerable vehicle scheme where we identify vehicles with property on show that could attract thieves and notify the owners of the risks attached.

HAVE YOUR SAY ON POLICING IN LONDON

The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) is consulting on London's policing priorities and are interested in the opinion of people across the City.

You can take part in the consultation by completing a short questionnaire online (www.mpa.gov.uk/publications/policingplans/haveyoursay/) or calling 020 7202 0063 for a paper copy or telephone questionnaire.

CONTACT US

Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team can be contacted in the following ways:

Tel: 020 8649 3576
Email: cricketgreen.snt@met.police.uk

If you need to report a crime please call 0300 123 1212 or in an emergency always call 999.

Firstly, apologies for the recent absence of messages. This is partially due to the recent volcanic ash problems meaning I was stuck out of the country for over a month!

WARD PANEL MEETING

We recently held our regular ward panel meeting and decided on the priorities for the team. These are:

Residential Burglary
Thefts from Motor Vehicle
Anti Social behaviour - Phipps Bridge Estate

In the next update I will provide more detailed information on how we are tackling these issues and current crime figures.

WILLOW LANE ESTATE BURGLARIES

We have recently experienced a surge in crime on the Willow Lane Industrial Estate. We are currently offering crime prevention advice to the businesses on the Estate and have been patrolling the area when possible. We are working in close partnership with our local task force and burglary teams to provide more overnight cover for the area and to identify and arrest those responsible. Last week two men were arrested for thefts of diesel from the Estate and are currently on bail.

NEW TEAM MEMBER

We will soon be welcoming PC Dan Hopkins to the team. He is an experienced officer who has been working on one of Merton's response teams up until now. This brings us up to strength with Police officers and will be a huge benefit.

DRIVING OUT VEHICLE CRIME

Get your free car air freshener as part of an ongoing campaign to drive out vehicle crime in the Borough.

Merton Police and Safer Merton are handing out free car air fresheners to motorists in the Borough with a crime prevention message written on it. The message on the air freshener is clear - STOP - All valuables have been removed whilst on the other side the message reminding motorists to remove all valuables appears.

Merton Police Crime Reduction Advisor Pc Greg HUNT said, "The Partnership is committed to keeping crime low by reducing vehicle crime. Theft from motor vehicle is on the increase and all too often the thief steals property left out on open display in the vehicle. These air fresheners serve 2 purposes, firstly that all items of value have been removed from the vehicle whilst secondly acting as a reminder to remove items of value from the vehicle. Taking a few seconds to remove any valuables from your vehicle may save you hundreds of pounds in repairing a broken window and replacing your valuables. This runs alongside the vulnerable vehicle scheme already being run by your Safer Neighbourhood Teams. If officers out on patrol discover something of value left out on open display in a vehicle they will contact the registered keeper and warn them of the likelihood of returning to their vehicle and finding that property stolen. This will either be in person at the time or by the Teams writing to the registered keeper if not local. This information may well be shared with insurance companies in the event of an insurance claim which may affect that claim”

The air fresheners are available free of charge at the vehicle crime road shows run by your local Safer Neighbourhood Teams or by contacting your local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

For any further information please contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team via the main Met Police website by telephone or by e-mail.

If you wish to become a member of Community safe and sign up to free crime alerts and news of what your local safer Neighbourhood Team is up to please contact them direct or join via www.communitysafe.gov.uk.

As always the team can be contacted on 020 8649 3576. If you need to report a crime please call 0300 123 1212 or in an emergency call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

Bogus callers

There have reports of a female preying on the vulnerable and elderly by purporting to be from Social Services. Once inside an address she is stealing property. The majority of these offences have occurred in the Morden area however please remain vigilant. Please ask callers for identification and check on your elderly and vulnerable neighbours to ensure they do not fall victim to crime. Please report any suspicious persons to police.

Believed medicine scam

Leaflets are being distributed through letterboxes from a charity requesting unwanted medicines. The flyer is bright yellow with black writing. They claim that medicine can be sent to third world countries. It says that members of the public should place any unused or unwanted medicines in a plastic bag and leave it on their doorstep on an allocated day. This is NOT believed to be a legitimate agency and there are serious safety issues with medicines being left on doorsteps where they may be accessed by children. We would advise that any such medicines are returned to a dispensing chemist.

New team member

PC Paul Dodson has moved on from the team to join the Safer Transport Team at Morden. He is due to be replaced with PC Dan Hopkins who is joining us from one of Merton’s response teams. We are currently awaiting a transfer date but this should be in the near future.

Please again report to your local team on the details below. If urgent or a crime is happening ‘now’ then dial 999

Problems with our telephone

We have been experiencing occasional problems with our telephone due to an faulty sim card. We are currently awaiting delivery of a new one but in the mean time if there are any problems contacting us on the below numbers please call 0300 123 1212 and they will ensure a message gets passed to us.

Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team
020 8649 3576

Email - cricketgreen.snt@met.police.uk

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

PRIORITY - BURGLARY
We are still concentrating on burglary and continue to encourage people to consider whether they are doing enough with their home security. As always we continue to offer free home security surveys where we will come and visit you and provide advice on how to reduce the possibility of becoming a victim. If you would like to take advantage of this free service please contact us.

Please see attached burglary crime prevention advice.

PRIORITY - THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLES
We continue to identify vulnerable vehicles across the ward and unfortunately the majority of thefts are still due to items being left on display. We are patrolling areas where thefts occur as much as possible and will be conducting some plain clothes operations in the near future.

MET-TRACK
Get training with an international athlete! Met track training squads exist for anyone not yet involved in sport. They are for ANY ability, ANY age 10-17, ANY track or field event.

Every Thursday 16:00 - 17:30 at The Hub, Tooting and Mitcham. Starts on March the 25th 2010. IT’S FREE. Any enquiries contact Jason Hussein on 07701 056323 or at Jason.hussain@met.police.uk

Website - www.met-track.com

NEWSLETTERS
The safer neighbourhoods newsletters are currently in production and will be distributed to every household on the borough. They should have all been distributed by the end of May. If after this time you have not received a copy and would like one then please contact us and we will deliver one.

PCSO STEVE
PCSO Steve has arrived as a permanent attachment to the Borough, kindly funded by Safer Merton’s Joint Tasking Group. He will be based at Mitcham Police Station and will be available for guest appearances at local schools and events in the Borough. In the past PCSO Steve’s valuable time had to be shared by a large number of London boroughs making his availability limited.

PC Louise Vickers successfully applied for funding to Safer Merton’s Joint Tasking Group which now enables PCSO Steve to be in Merton Borough on a full time basis. Inspector Jon Phillips stated “This will give the children of Merton more opportunities to meet PCSO Steve and for important messages to be delivered in a fun and friendly way, as well as introducing pupils to their local Safer Neighbourhood Team thereby building stronger community links.”

If you would like PCSO Steve to visit your school then please contact your local Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

CONTACT US

Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team - 0208 649 3576
Email - Cricketgreen.SNT@met.police.uk

To report a crime - 0300 123 1212
In an emergency, or if a crime is happening ‘now’, then please call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

• Burglary prevention (43.5 KB)

Get your free sat nav dusters/screen wipes as part of an ongoing campaign to drive out vehicle crime in the Borough

Merton Police and Safer Merton are handing out the complimentary wipes and dusters to wipe away the suction marks left by a satellite navigation system on your car windscreen. Even if you have taken your ‘sat nav’ with you, thieves spotting a suction mark may break in to see if it has been hidden in the glove box.

Getting rid of the marks will hopefully deter criminals looking for the tell tale signs and reduce the risk of unnecessary damage and cost to your vehicle.

Supt Pete DOBSON Partnership lead for Merton Police said, “I fully support this scheme and I urge the public of Merton to secure their vehicles, keep them free of valuables and remove suction marks to help reduce vehicle crime”.

Merton Police Crime Reduction Advisor Pc Greg HUNT said, "The Partnership is committed to keeping crime low by reducing vehicle crime. The theft of satellite navigation systems is one of the highest crimes at the moment, so taking a few seconds to get rid of the suction mark on your windscreen may save you hundreds of pounds in repairing a broken window and paying for a new sat nav”.

Screen wipes and sat nav dusters are available free of charge at the Partnership Roadshows through the year or by contacting your local Safer Neighbourhood Team. For further crime reduction advice contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

For any further information please contact us on 0208 649 3576 or at CricketGreen.SNT@met.police.uk. If you wish to become a member of Community safe and sign up to free crime alerts and news of what your local safer Neighbourhood Team is up to please contact us or join via www.communitysafe.gov.uk.

Regards

Dan Hutchings
Sergeant
Cricket Green Ward

In the second of seven planned vehicle crime reduction interventions under the ‘Drive out Vehicle Crime’ campaign, Police across Merton are handing out free security screws to motorists for securing number plates.

Merton Police and Safer Merton are advising motorists to secure their number plates using security fixings to prevent them from being stolen. Once fitted, they cannot be removed using a normal screwdriver.

There has been a significant increase in the theft of vehicle number plates across the borough in the last few years with 11% of all recorded thefts in Merton being theft of number plates.

Acting Sergeant Dan WHEATLEY from the Raynes Park Safer Neighbourhood Team said: "Merton Police is committed to keeping crime low by reducing vehicle crime. The theft of a vehicle number plate may appear to be a minor crime but it is an inconvenience and causes a financial cost to the car owner. In some cases stolen plates are then used to facilitate further offences. The use of security fixings can prevent your number plate from being stolen. Merton Police are also investigating all such reports and speaking to all victims of this type of crime to ascertain the circumstances behind the theft. If reports are found to be false to avoid parking fines and congestion charging then robust action will be taken against those making that report.

Security screws are available free of charge at the Partnership Roadshows through the year or via your local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

For any further information please contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team via the main Met Police website by telephone or by e-mail. If you wish to become a member of Community safe and sign up to free crime alerts and news of what your local safer Neighbourhood Team is up to please contact them direct or join via www.communitysafe.gov.uk.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings
Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team
020 8649 3576

DRIVE OUT VEHICLE CRIME

In an effort to combat vehicle crime, Merton Borough Police in conjunction with Safer Merton are launching a ‘Drive Out Vehicle Crime’ initiative which will include a number of partnership interventions throughout the year, the first of which is to provide a property marking service for those living within the Borough that may well have received property such as sat navs that may well be used and left in vehicles.

Inspector Jim COOK from Merton Police said, “Vehicle crime is the one of the highest crime types in the Borough and a number of Safer Neighbourhood Teams have had vehicle crime reduction chosen by their ward Panels to work on. We will be looking to raise the public’s awareness and offering advice on how they can help us reduce the incidence of vehicle crime. Over the coming weeks and months Merton Police will be carrying out a number of proactive operations against those involved in vehicle crime. Already the Safer Neighbourhood Teams conduct a large number of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) operations and will continue these with both uniform and plain clothes patrols in areas where vehicle crime is most prevalent. I would urge those living in Merton to contact their local Safer Neighbourhood Team and sign up to Community Safe to receive up to date news of what their local Safer Neighbourhood Team is up to. This is a free system and by joining it you can find out about crime alerts and what the Police are doing in your local area. You can join by either logging onto WWW.Communitysafe.gov.uk or by contacting your local Safer Neighbourhood Team direct”.

We take this opportunity to remind you all to:

Ensure cars are locked – this might seem simple but a high percentage of cars are left unlocked in Merton.

Don’t leave anything on view – you may know your jacket is empty but an opportunist thief doesn’t.

Take your sat nav out of your vehicle and clean the suction mark off the windscreen – thieves will smash your window just to check the glove box.

For any further information please contact us via the main Met Police website by telephone or by e-mail. If you wish to become a member of Community safe and sign up to free crime alerts and news of what we are up to please contact them direct or join via www.communitysafe.gov.uk

Attempted Burglary

We would like to bring to your attention a recent attempted burglary that occurred on a neighbouring ward. In this instance the suspect or suspects entered the rear garden of a property in Kingswood Road by climbing the 6 foot garden fence. They then removed a pair of shears from the unsecured garden shed and used them in an attempt to gain entry to the house via the rear window and door. Fortunately this attempt was unsuccessful and they did not manage to break in to the property.

We would kindly ask that all members check their sheds, garages and other out-buildings to ensure that all tools and other items of value and properly secured.
If you have any concerns regarding the security of your home or garden then please do not hesitate to contact our team and we will happily carry out a home security visit at your property.

If you require any further information on this or any other matter then please get in touch with the team, our details are as follows:

Telephone number: 020 8649 3576
E-mail: cricketgreen.snt@met.police.uk

To report a crime call 0300 123 1231 or if it is urgent call 999.

Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team
Sergeant Dan Hutchings

Cricket Green Ward Update 23/12/2009

WARD PANEL MEETING

We held our ward panel meeting on December 1st.

Our priorities were again agreed to be residential burglary and theft from motor vehicle which we will continue to tackle in the forthcoming months.

WARD PRIORITY – BURGLARY

On the 17th of December the team have conducted a crime prevention and awareness drive around Haslemere Avenue following an increase in burglary in the area. The team attended, spoke with residents and offered crime prevention advice and guidance. We also highlighted any security issues that we came across. We will continue to conduct this type of activity across the ward to disrupt burglars and identify vulnerable houses. Since this time there has been a reduction in number of offences in the area which in the run up to Christmas is a great result!
We are happy to attend and assess your security for free if you wish. Please contact us for advice on the number at the end of this document to arrange an appointment.

WARD PRIORITY – THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE

The only thefts that we have recently experienced have been as a result of people leaving valuable items on show. Please remove valuable items whenever you leave you car, even if it is only for a couple of minutes.

ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR - PHIPPS BRIDGE ESTATE

We are currently working hard in partnership with the local authority to stem the recent outbreak of anti social behaviour in the area from local youths. We are gathering evidence on the offenders and will be assisting with issuing warning letters which could potentially lead on to Anti Social Behaviour Orders or other sanctions.

If you are experiencing anti social behaviour please let us know so that we can help to tackle the problem. Any information can be treated as confidential if necessary.

CONTACT US

The Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhood Team can be contacted by phone on 020 8649 3576 or by email at Cricketgreen.SNT@met.police.uk

To report a Crime please call 0300 123 1212 or if it is an emergency please call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

Dear resident,

At Merton borough we want to increase the numbers of volunteer police officers ('specials') who work with us to reduce and detect crime where they live. We already have 40 volunteer officers with the full powers of a constable who work with us in various roles from answering 999 calls to making their neighbourhoods safer alongside the safer neighbourhood teams.

Specials make arrests, deal with prisoners conduct stop and search and participate in police operations. I am working full time to train, support and develop our specials to make sure they have the skills and confidence to patrol our streets. Most of our specials have full time jobs and contribute some of their spare time to keeping our streets safe.

We can provide you with full police training, an experienced officer to work with you and develop your skills and the chance to participate in one of the most challenging and exciting jobs in London. If you are interested in finding out more then please drop me an email at VWMailbox-.msc@met.police.uk. Or phone me on my personal mobile 07919 044 056.

Kind regards

Ben Morrison
MSC Manager
Merton Borough

BURGLARY PREVENTION ADVICE

Burglary victims often wonder why the burglar picked on their house. To find out you need to consider:

"How does a burglar's mind work?"

Burglary, on the whole, is an opportunist crime. A burglar will select his target because it offers him the best opportunity to carry out his crime undetected and with the fewest number of obstacles in his way. A building that presents itself as unoccupied and insecure is far more likely to be targeted than one which is properly secured:

· side gates open
· accessible windows open
· ladders left out, allowing access to otherwise inaccessible windows
· garden tools available to force entry
· untrimmed hedges or high fences preventing natural surveillance

Each of these makes access to the building far simpler and is an indication to the prospective burglar that it's worth a second look.
Residents of multi occupancy dwellings or flats should be mindful not to grant entry to people via an entry phone system, if they do not know them, and to be cautious of people seeking to 'tailgate' them into buildings.

The question is, are the occupants in?

· milk bottles or parcels on the doorstep
· newspapers and mail in the letter box
· unlit houses after dark
· all windows shut in very hot weather

These are signs telling the burglar that he is unlikely to be disturbed in the course of his work. Naturally, circumstances may arise when such situations may be unavoidable. If we can take measures that tell the burglar that this building is too difficult or too risky a target, he will hopefully move on.

TO STOP A BURGLAR,
YOU NEED TO THINK LIKE ONE.

To a burglar, a stuffed letter box is a dead giveaway when you’re not at home. Ask a neighbour to remove your post while you are away.
Are you leaving a thief the key to your house?

· never leave a spare key concealed anywhere near the front door - burglars know all the hiding places
· prevent letterbox burglaries by storing keys away from the front door
· do not label your house keys in case you lose them and they fall into the wrong hands.
Remove temptation
· where possible, try to keep valuables out of sight from windows.
Make it look as though your house is occupied
· install timers which switch lights or radios on and off automatically.
· have a neighbour or friend pop round to clear your letter box or doorstep.
· encourage a neighbour to park on your drive.
· if going out after dark, draw the curtains, leave some lights on and a radio playing.

TO STOP A BURGLAR,
YOU NEED TO THINK LIKE ONE.

To a burglar, a dark doorway is an opportunity to hide. Fit a security light over your front door to deter burglars.
If you are away for extended periods.
· cancel the delivery of milk and newspapers
· disconnect the telephone answering machine, or re-word your greeting message to give the impression that you are only temporarily unable to answer.
· enlist the help of a neighbour, friend or relative to keep a regular eye on your property and keep the front door clear of deliveries.
· if you are prepared to leave a key with a willing neighbour/relative, ask for curtains to be drawn and lights to be put on at night. If snow is on the ground a few footprints will make the house appear inhabited.
· check your insurance policy. Some insurance policies for contents don't cover you if you are away for more than 30 days.
· set your burglar alarm.
· if you do not have an alarm, consider investing a few pounds in a dummy alarm box. It may well deter the opportunist thief.

Remember: Remove the Opportunity - Prevent the Burglary

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 whom 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.

Treat every stranger with caution. If you are still worried, dial 999 immediately and ask for the police.

Cricket Green Ward Update 30/11/09

WARD PRIORITY – BURGLARY

The team have recently conducted a crime prevention and awareness drive around Mitcham Park following an increase in burglary in the area. The whole team attended, spoke with residents and offered crime prevention advice and guidance. We also highlighted any security issues that we came across. We will continue to conduct this type of activity across the ward to disrupt burglars and identify vulnerable houses

We are happy to attend and assess your security for free if you wish. Please contact us for advice on the number at the end of this document to arrange an appointment.

I will provide prevention advice on a separate update to follow as I cannot attach it to this one at the moment.

WARD PRIORITY – THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE

We have experienced an increase in thefts from motor vehicles recently. The majority of these are satellite navigation systems that have been left on display. This type of crime is opportunist and is not limited to any particular area on the ward or any time of day. We cannot stress enough how important it is to remove valuable items from your car every single time you leave it.

We continue to use the vulnerable vehicle scheme to identify cars that could become victims of crime due to items left on display. And remember to wipe away the mark left by your sat nav suction cup as this could encourage a thief to break in.

WARD PANEL MEETING

We are holding our ward panel meeting tomorrow and will be deciding on our priorities for the Christmas period. If you are aware of any issues that you think we should be tackling then please let us know and we can address them.

CONTACT US

The Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhood Team can be contacted by phone on 020 8649 3576 or by email at Cricketgreen.SNT@met.police.uk
To report a Crime please call 0300 123 1212 or if it is an emergency please call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

PC Paul Dodson
PCSO Karen Henderson
PCSO Tracy Whayman
PCSO Lynn Marsch

CRICKET GREEN WARD UPDATE 08/11/2009

For the past two weeks the team has been involved in the Metropolitan Police Halloween and Fireworks initiative. We have been working late shifts along with all of the other Safer Neighbourhoods Teams patrolling not just Cricket Green but the whole of Mitcham. During the past two weeks there have been very few calls regarding misuse of fireworks and only two calls over the period for Cricket Green in total.

WARD PRIORITIES – BURGLARY AND THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE

During the past two weeks we have ensured that in addition to the Anti Social Behaviour patrols we have spent time on High visibility patrols of the ward to combat burglary and vehicle crime. We have conducted numerous stop and accounts and stop and search over the period and continue to visit every victim of crime to offer crime prevention advice and home security guidance.

WARD PANEL MEETING

Our next ward panel meeting is on December 1st at 1800hrs where we will review our current priorities and update the panel with what we have been doing over the past couple of months. If you have any issues that you would like to be considered for a team priority then please contact us on the details below.

REASSURANCE UNIT

We will be taking the mobile reassurance unit on to the Willow Lane Industrial Estate on Tuesday December the 8th between 12pm and 2pm. We will be there to address any concerns of people from or using the Industrial Estate and will be providing Crime prevention advice and guidance as usual. Please feel free to come along and visit us. We are awaiting confirmation of a site to place the unit so I will update with the exact location as soon as we know.

STAFF CHANGES

We have a couple of staff changes to report. PC Simon Wallace has now left the team after 18 months with us and PC Louise Vickers has joined us from the Figges Marsh team to replace him. We will also be getting an additional PCSO in December so will have an additional officer out on the ground patrolling for 2010.

CONTACT US

Sgt Dan Hutchings
PC Paul Dodson
PC Louise Vickers
PCSO Tracy Whayman
PCSO Karen Henderson
PCSO Lynn Marsch

Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team
Tel. 0208 649 3576
Email. CricketGreen.SNT@met.police.uk

To report a crime please call 0300 123 1212 or if it is an emergency then please call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

Halloween and fireworks night is almost upon us again and will be one of the busiest times of the year with regards to anti social behaviour. We want people to be safe while out enjoying themselves so please read on to see what your Safer Neighbourhood Team and Safer Transport Team have planned to keep you safe during this period. Months of planning has taken place so that the law-abiding majority can enjoy this autumn’s festivities without their fun being spoilt by a small number of troublemakers.

There will be an increase in police activity to deter anti-social behaviour, disorder and crime during this busy time. Your Safer Neighbourhood Team will be working later shifts during this time to keep you and the ward safe while individuals involved in knife crime and other violent offending will be targeted under Operation Blunt 2. Your Safer Neighbourhood Teams can be contacted on their 'mobex' phone that they carry and their contact numbers can be found on the Met Police website. These phone numbers are non emergency phone numbers so we would urge you all to ring 999 in the first instance if there is an incident that warrants immediate Police attention. As your Teams will be working later shifts during this time it is highly likley that they will be the ones responding to your calls.

Safer Schools’ Partnership Police Officers will be working to protect and reassure young people. In the run up to schools’ breaking up they will be focusing on the end of the school day when large numbers of young people come together on and around the public transport system.

The Safer Transport Teams will be concentrating on the bus routes and bus terminii and the Safer Town Centre Team will be working in the Town centres.
We have been asking shops and supermarkets not to sell eggs and flour to young people which often are used to throw at houses and other buildings.

The small minority who remain intent on using this period as an opportunity for criminal activity can expect police attention. In particular those who choose to carry knives and other weapons can expect to be arrested and sent to court and it is only a very small minority whose anti-social behaviour causes misery for others.

To assist you with being safe during this period we have produced some key Safety Messages:

Advice to Parents, and carers -
• Make sure you know where they are and they know how to behave
• Go with them trick or treating if you can
• Keep fireworks in a safe place in the house
• Report any anti-social behaviour or concerns to your local Safer Neighbourhood teams.
• Attend organised events wherever possible.

Advice to young people -
• We want you to enjoy yourselves but will not tolerate unacceptable behaviour.
• Ensure you are safe by staying with others
• Leave your valuable property at home.
• Attend organised events wherever possible.
• When trick or treating avoid knocking on elderly neighbours and causing unnecessary worry.

We have attached a poster that we have devised that you may wish to print off and display in your front window or somewhere else prominent over the Halloween period if you do not want trick and treaters calling at your door.

Have a safe Halloween and fireworks night !!

Inspector Matt BOYD - Morden SNT
Inspector Jim COOK - Wimbledon SNT
Inspector Jon PHILLIPS - Mitcham SNT
Inspector Dave ROBLING - Safer Transport Team

• No Trick or Treat Poster (92.4 KB)

COMMUNITY CRIME FIGHTERS TRAINING

Are you currently active in your local community e.g. Neighbourhood Watch, tenant association,
Police ward panel member or other community group or organisation ?

If so, we would like to invite you to attend the Community Crime Fighters training day
which will be held on Wednesday 25th November 2009 at the Oval Cricket Ground.

You will get a chance to participate in workshops looking at the Policing Pledge, the tools
and powers councils have to tackle anti social behaviour and neighbourhood crime. You
will also hear about the services available to victims of crime and ASB and learn how to
get the best from your local services.

The event is free of charge and lunch and refreshments are provided.
Assistance with travel costs is also available.

If you are interested in attending, please call the Community Crime Fighters registration
desk on 0800 197 2965 or via www.communitycrimefighters.org.uk and quote booking
reference ccf02.

Please note that this event is open to people over the age of sixteen and not in full time
education.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

Apologies for two messages in a short space of time. I was unable to attach this press release to the previous email so have had to send it separately.

SHOOTING INCIDENT IN MITCHAM

On Saturday 26th September at approximately 11:40pm, police were called to Bookham Court, Phipps Bridge Road to reports of gun shots being fired.

On arrival, police found a 16 year old youth in Batsworth Road suffering from a gun shot wound to his left leg. He was taken to a South London hospital for treatment.

It is believed that the 16 year old victim was one of six youths outside Bookham Court, Phipps Bridge Road when they were fired at numerous times by one of two men on a black motorbike.

The only description available of the two men is that they were dressed all in black.

The police at Merton have carried out extensive enquiries in the local area including reassurance visits from the Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

Superintendent Pete Dobson said “This is an unusual incident for our borough which remains one of the safest in London. We are supporting the ongoing investigation by our specialist Operation Trident Officers and taking local measures to reassure our community. We have consulted with local residents and community leaders immediately affected by this. We are aware of the challenges faced by our neighbouring boroughs and are working with them to help bring these offenders to justice.”

The incident is being investigated by officers from Trident.

If you have any information that can help the police with their enquiries, please call 020 8785 8580 or the Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team on 020 8649 3576 or in confidence to Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Notes:
The 16 year old youth is from London, SW17.
His injuries were confirmed as non life threatening. He has since been discharged from hospital

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

CRICKET GREEN WARD UPDATE 30/09/2009

WARD PANEL MEETING

We held our latest ward panel meeting on Tuesday the 22nd of September and our current priorities were discussed and agreed. In light of the recent success that we have had in reducing the number of burglaries and thefts from vehicles the panel agreed that we should continue to prioritise these crimes. We also discussed the issue of cycling on the pavement, particularly in the area of London Road and the team will be looking at this problem over the coming month as the panel decided that this was an issue that is affecting local people and needs tackling.

WARD PRIORITY – BURGLARY

We have managed to substantially reduce the number of burglaries on the ward. In May/June of this year we had 20 offences of residential burglary (including attempts) whereas in July/August this figure was reduced to 8. We will continue to patrol the ward and monitor vulnerable premises. If you would like us to conduct a home security survey free of charge then please contact us to arrange one.

WARD PRIORITY – THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE
We have also had a reduction in the number of thefts from motor vehicles. In May/June of this year we had 19 reported thefts from motor vehicles compared to only 7 in July/August. We will continue to patrol affected areas and look out for vulnerable vehicles.

HALLOWEEN AND FIREWORKS

There is often a seasonal increase in antisocial behaviour linked to Halloween and firework sales. The team will be visiting all the local shops in the ward over the next few weeks and asking the shopkeepers to agree not to sell flour and eggs to under 16’s. We will also reinforce their responsibilities relating to the sale of fireworks.

The team can also provide posters / flyers for residents who would prefer not to be called on during the “Trick or Treat” period. If you would like any advice or a poster to display, please contact the team.

GLEBE COURT OPEN DAY

The team were present at the Glebe Court Open Day on Saturday the 26th of September. We put up a stall and were on hand to provide Crime prevention advice and a friendly ear to listen to any problems that the residents were having. The open day was also attended by the local MP and ward councillors.

MEET THE TEAM
We will be taking our mobile reassurance unit out on regular occasions in the future, providing a drop in service for any passing public who have questions or issues they would like to bring to our attention. The first day will be on Monday the 5th of October between 5pm and 7pm in the Canons leisure centre car park where not only will we be available for advice but will be educating drivers on vehicle security measures. We also still attend a drop in surgery on most Thursdays at the Phipps Bridge Community Centre between 4pm and 5pm. Even if we are unable to attend the local neighbourhood warden is usually there and is able to pass on any issues to us.

CONTACT US
The Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhood Team can be contacted by phone on 020 8649 3576 or by email at Cricketgreen.SNT@met.police.uk

To report a Crime please call 0300 123 1212 or if it is an emergency please call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

BACK TO SCHOOL

The team have been involved in the borough initiative to ensure that the local schoolchildren were able to return to school without becoming victims of crime. We patrolled the local schools and town centre daily at end of school times from the 3rd to the 13th of September to provide a visible presence for the schoolchildren and to deter any would be thieves or people looking for a fight. The patrols were very successful and there was very little crime reported over this period.

WARD PRIORITY – BURGLARY

Since the last update we have experienced a reduction in the amount of burglaries on the ward. We will continue to identify vulnerable premises and to conduct home security checks when required. We continue to patrol the ward daily and are doing all we can to deter this type of crime.

WARD PRIORITY – THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE

We have also had a reduction in the number of thefts from motor vehicles, which we believe is as a result of our extensive efforts with the vulnerable vehicle scheme as mentioned in the last update. We will continue to implement this scheme whilst patrolling the area. We would ask that people remain vigilant and report anything that they consider to be suspicious.

KIDS FIRST

The team attended a question and answer session hosted by Kids First at Morden Cottage this morning. The aim was to speak with the parents of children with disabilities or special needs. We gave a short presentation on stop and search powers and then spent the next couple of hours answering any questions that the parents had with regard to how the police approach and deal with children with special needs. During the session the parents were able to raise their concerns and as a result we will be looking at working more closely with the organisation to raise awareness within the Police of the problems that could arise when dealing with a young person with difficulties, and of methods that can be used to improve communication.

CONTACT US

The Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhood Team can be contacted by phone on 020 8649 3576 or by email at Cricketgreen.SNT@met.police.uk

To report a Crime please call 0300 123 1212 or if it is an emergency please call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

Cricket Green Ward Update 28/08/09

WARD PRIORITY – BURGLARY SUCCESS

The team have had a fantastic success this week with some outstanding work from PC Simon Wallace. Whilst patrolling the ward this week PC Wallace identified two men in the area of the Mitcham Park Tram stop who were acting suspiciously. He detained them for a search and recovered the entire proceeds of a burglary that had just been committed in Croydon. Both men were arrested and the investigation is currently ongoing. The property has been restored to its rightful owner. Neither of the men lived in Mitcham and there was no real reason for them to be where they were. I am of the opinion that they were looking around for another place to burgle and that without PC Wallace’s intervention that we would have had another victim. We will continue to focus our efforts on tackling this type of crime.

WARD PRIORITY – THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE

Vulnerable Vehicle Scheme

The Vulnerable Vehicle Scheme is aimed at reducing the amount of vehicles that are broken into, thereby reducing vehicle crime. Unfortunately some drivers are still leaving their property, often of value, in their cars in plain view of an opportunistic thief. Leaving valuables in sight will encourage a thief to break in. During the course of daily patrols we keep an eye out for vulnerable vehicles, which are vehicles that have property on show or have left windows or doors open.

The types of property that are often left on show are compact discs, mobile phones, MP3 players, laptops, handbags and wallets. Satellite Navigation systems are the thieves favourite at the moment and leaving the suction mount on the windscreen or even the mark left on the glass following removal can cause a thief to break in, so please take them with you and wipe away any marks from the windscreen.

When we come across a vulnerable vehicle we make a note of its registration, the make and model of the vehicle, where it was parked and why we consider it to be at risk. We then write to the registered keeper informing them why it came to our attention. The letter acts as a reminder to the owner to be more safety conscious in the future and will hopefully significantly reduce the crime in the area.

NUISANCE MOPEDS/MOTORBIKES – ARREST MADE

We have been suffering with a spate of mopeds and motorbikes being ridden in an anti-social manner on the London Road Playing Fields behind Fenning Court recently. This is a difficult problem for the team to tackle, as we do not have transport and travel on foot. This means that any motorbikes simply ride away from us when we approach. However the borough does now have an off road motorcycle capability and we now have some officers trained to ride our off road bikes (picture attached). We have been liaising with these officers and they have been patrolling the area when possible.

Today we received a call from a member of public letting us know a moped was on the playing fields. PCSO Henderson passed the information on to the control room and as a result we were able to get one of our motorbikes to attend. The moped was stopped by Sergeant Gary Cotton from the West Barnes Safer Neighbourhoods team about an hour ago. It was identified as a stolen moped and the rider was arrested and taken to Wimbledon Police Station. The moped was returned to its rightful owner.

MITCHAM FAIR

Mitcham fair was a successful event for the ward this year. As a result of our efforts there were no fair related offences reported at all during the ten days that the fair ran for. It was attended exclusively by families and their children and was an extremely safe and relaxed event. We will continue to police events like this in a similar manner to ensure that they are enjoyed by everyone.

CONTACT US

The Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhood Team can be contacted by phone on 020 8649 3576 or by email at Cricketgreen.SNT@met.police.uk

To report a Crime please call 0300 123 1212 or if it is an emergency please call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

• Merton's off road motorbike (45.6 KB) preview

This is a CommunitySafe message from Cricket Green Ward

WARD PRIORITY – BURGLARY

The ward has recently suffered a number of burglaries in the area of Hatton Gardens. As a result PC Paul Dodson and the rest of the team spent time knocking on every door in the road and arranged a crime prevention day. Most of the residents attended and PC Dodson went along the road with them pointing out where security could be improved around their houses and gardens, advising people on the basics of home security. This was very well received by all who attended. If you would like a similar scheme in your street please let us know. We have also continued with the Footprint leaflet scheme to highlight to residents of vulnerable properties where they need to tighten up their security.

WARD PRIORITY – THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE

The team are continuing to identify vulnerable vehicles across the ward and informing the owners of what was on show and why this presents a risk. Unfortunately there are still many people who continue to leave valuable items on display and this makes reducing this type of crime very difficult. We are also planning to take our mobile reassurance bus to one of the car parks in Mitcham Town Centre to offer advice to shoppers and residents. We will also be able to mark property for people whilst we are there.

MITCHAM STATUS FAIR

The Mitcham Status Fair is upon us again and every Mitcham Safer Neighbourhood Team is involved in policing it daily. The Fair is running from Wednesday the 12th of August until Saturday the 22nd of August. Our aim is to make the fair an accessible and friendly place to be for families and their children and we are succeeding. We are doing all we can to discourage the large groups of youths who have attended in the past in order to cause problems and our tactics certainly seem to be working. To this date there have been no problems at all. We use screening arches at each entrance and use handheld metal detectors to ensure there are no weapons brought in to the fair. We also have mobile CCTV units attending on certain days to film anyone who might be up to no good. These help ensure that only people who want to attend the fair are those who want to enjoy it as they are supposed to.

FEEDBACK REQUIRED
We are monitoring the effectiveness of CommunitySafe therefore we need your comments and feedback. Please email us at CricketGreen.SNT@met.police.uk to let us know whether you find the information contained in the messages interesting and informative. If not, then please let us know what sort of information you would like to receive or any other comments you may have. All feedback will be gratefully received.

CONTACT US

The Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhood Team can be contacted by phone on 020 8649 3576 or by email at Cricketgreen.SNT@met.police.uk

To report a Crime please call 0300 123 1212 or if it is an emergency please call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

This is a CommunitySafe message from Cricket Green Ward

The team is now concentrating on two new priorities for the upcoming months as agreed by the local ward panel at our last meeting.

WARD PRIORITY - RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY

Since I last emailed you, the team has been patrolling the ward to identify homes that may be at risk of burglary due to open windows or insecure doors. We have then been contacting the owners to inform them of the risks using ‘Footprint’ leaflets, which highlight that it could have in fact been a real burglar’s footprint in their house. We are also delivering Crime Prevention Leaflets across the ward to as many addresses as possible and will continue to do so for the next couple of months. We have also had signs put up in the area warning residents of the rise in this type of crime recently. We hope that by raising awareness and reminding people to keep their property secure even in hot weather that we can substantially reduce this type of crime on the ward as it is generally an opportunist crime in this area.

WARD PRIORITY – THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLES

The team has begun to use The Vulnerable Vehicle scheme. This involves patrolling the ward and identifying vehicles that are more likely to be targeted by Criminals. Should anything be left on display that would make the car more likely to be broken into we then contact the owners to inform them of the risk, and remind them to remove valuables from their vehicles when left unattended. If we are unable to do this at the time we will send a letter to the registered keepers address. The majority of motor vehicle crime on the ward is due to owners leaving items on display so again by raising awareness we hope to substantially reduce this type of crime.

JUNIOR WARDENS SCHEME PRESENTATION

PCSO Tracy Whayman and PC Paul Dodson attended the final presentation at the conclusion of the Junior Wardens Scheme. It was held at the Civic Centre and the deputy mayor was present to award certificates and prizes to all the children who had participated. The scheme aimed to provide children with an increased sense of community responsibility through inputs from various groups within the community such as the Fire Brigade, Road Safety teams and Safer Neighbourhood Team. The general consensus was that the scheme had been rewarding and worthwhile and had provided the children with a substantial amount of knowledge which will help them be better citizens and build a stronger community spirit. See attached picture of the children on a litter picking exercise.

COME AND SPEAK TO US

The team will be holding public drop in surgeries at the Phipps Bridge Community Centre between 4pm and 5pm on the 23rd of July, the 6th of August and the 20th of August. These are also attended by the local Neighbourhood Warden and are an opportunity for you to come and tell us about any problems that you are experiencing.

We will also be holding a public meeting in the grounds of Glebe Court on the 25th of July between 12pm and 2pm. Anyone is welcome to attend and meet the team and let us know about any issues that are affecting you. Feel free to contact us for further details. We will be distributing leaflets to advertise this event in the locality.

FEEDBACK REQUIRED

We are monitoring the effectiveness of CommunitySafe therefore we need your comments and feedback. Please email us at CricketGreen.SNT@met.police.uk to let us know whether you find the information contained in the messages interesting and informative. If not, then please let us know what sort of information you would like to receive or any other comments you may have. All feedback will be gratefully received.

CONTACT US

The Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhood Team can be contacted by phone on 020 8649 3576 or by email at Cricketgreen.SNT@met.police.uk

To report a Crime please call 0300 123 1212 or if it is an emergency please call 999.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings

• Junior Wardens Litter Pick (88.3 KB) preview

Can you help?

Merton Police are appealing for witnesses to five incidents of sexual touching that took place in Morden Hall Park between Thursday 25th June and Tuesday 30th June.

The incidents happened between 12:30pm and 3pm. The victims were all female and aged between 16 and 41 years old.

The suspect is described as a white man aged between 30 and 50 years old. He is of medium build with thinning/receding grey or blonde hair and between 5ft 6 and 5ft 9 inches tall. He has been described as having an “orange tan” and has a tattoo on his arm. He was seen wearing a navy top and navy tracksuit bottoms or three quarter length trousers. The man has been seen with a black/brown Staffordshire bull terrier dog.

DS Ben Davies from Wimbledon CID said “I would like to reassure the residents of Merton that police are doing all they can to identify the perpetrator of these offences. We are not saying keep away from the area but we are encouraging women who are walking alone through Morden Hall Park to be extra vigilant at this time. If anyone is approached by a man fitting the above description, we would urge them to call 999 immediately. If anyone has any information that could help police with their enquiries, please call Wimbledon CID on 020 8649 3147 or in confidence to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Sergeant Dan Hutchings
Cricket Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team

020 8649 3576 or CricketGreen.SNT@met.police.uk