CommunitySafe.gov.uk

The Ravensbury SNT in partnership with the Ravensbury Ward Panel has agreed on the following ward priorities.

• Anti Social behaviour in general
• Anti Social behaviour by motorist’s
• School Truancy

Bishopsford Art College has now closed for the summer months. The College and Ravensbury SNT said goodbye and best wishes to Schools Officer PC Van Cuylenburg who has now retired from the Metropolitan Police. When the students return in September they will be greeted by a new Schools Officer PC Hamilton, many of the students had an opportunity to be introduced to PC Hamilton during the final week of term.

Community Engagement

Sunday 11th July the team were in Ravensbury Park supporting the District Scouts raft building/ fun race event. Definitely a date for the diary next year.

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

Operation Lockdown

Monday 19th July Merton Police saw the start of Operation Lockdown, a three-month burglary initiative that will employ a range of tactics to disrupt burglary, gain intelligence and arrest and convict offenders in identified hotspots across the Borough.
Whilst the number of burglary offences across the Borough remains 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. Many of these could be avoided. Residents are reminded to lock doors and windows when they go out, to keep ground floor doors and windows closed and secure when they go to bed and not to leave expensive and valuable items in view of passers by. Simple measures and some extra care will go along way to preventing you from becoming a victim of burglary.
Remember if you see or hear anything suspicious call 999

The next drop-in surgery will be at the Watermeads on Wednesday 28th July 2010 between 1900 hours – 2100 hours

Followed by Saturday 31 July 2010 outside the Cafe in Morden Hall Park
between 13:00 - 15:00.

If you have any questions, want to share information or have any concerns or issues please contact us:
Email:Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk Tel: 0208721 2725

The Ravensbury SNT in partnership with the Ravensbury Ward Panel has agreed on the following ward priorities.

• Anti Social behaviour in general
• Anti Social behaviour by motorists
• School Truancy

School Truancy
On Tuesday 6th July working with the Education Welfare Officer the team carried out a planned truancy operation. Students truanting were either detained by Officers patrolling on foot or stopped by Officers who were travelling around the ward in a mini bus. Once the students’ details had been obtained they were directed back to school where another Police Officer was waiting to confirm their arrival. In some cases the students were picked up by the mini bus and driven back to school. The day was a huge success with all students returning to school. Additional truancy operational dates have been planned.

Community Engagement
Recently St Teresa’s Primary School held their Summer Fair, PCSO Dickson was on hand to offer crime prevention advice, listen and response to community issues and of course engage with the pupils.
PCSO Dickson is very popular with the pupils and can often be found outside the school at both the start and end of the school day ensuring that children can cross the road safely by moving on drivers who have stopped on the restricted road markings.
METTRACK
Mettrack is an athletic based activity aimed at young people between 9 – 17 years. Although the scheme is run by athletic coaches it is not restricted to just budding athletes, if you or someone you know has an interest in sport and own a pair of trainers then this scheme is a perfect opportunity to try out a new activity. This activity is absolutely FREE!!
Venue; The Hub,Tooting and Mitcham Football Club
Bishopsford Road
Time; 16:00 – 17:30
Day; Every Thursday

For more information contact either The Hub Tel; 0208 6586193 or Ravensbury SNT
Tel; 02087212757 email; Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk
Or for further enquires please come along to The Hub on a Thursday evening and speak with Gus – the coach.

Why not visit www.immobilise.com and register your property’s serial number, don’t forget to include your garden equipment. You can also register your mobile. Mobile phones have a unique IMEI number, you can find this number by typing *#06# into your phone and a 15 digit number will be displayed.

Remember if you see or hear anything suspicious call 999

The next drop-in surgery will be at the Watermeads on Wednesday 28th July 2010 between 1900 hours – 2100 hours
Followed by Saturday 31 July 2010 outside the Cafe in Morden Hall Park
between 13:00 - 15:00.

If you have any questions, want to share information or have any concerns or issues please contact us:
Email:Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk
Tel: 0208721 2725

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
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”. He added, “We will be rounding off the campaign by carrying out another large scale Secure Vehicle MOT later in the Summer during which we will complete an overall security check of cars and suggest measures to keep vehicles safe – so keep an eye out for the date and venue. Your local Safer Neighbourhood Teams will continue to run smaller more local events within the Community”.
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 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

The Ravensbury SNT recently met with the Ravensbury Ward Panel members and it has been agreed the ward priorities remain unchanged:

• Anti Social behaviour in general
• Anti Social behaviour by motorists
• School Truancy

Vehicle Crime

During the recent hot weather the team have noticed drivers are leaving their vehicles unattended with windows open. We urge all drivers to check their vehicle is secure when leaving the vehicle unattended even for a short while. Most offenders are opportunists and it only takes a few seconds for valuables to be taken from an open window or an unlocked door. We would also like to remind drivers not to leave valuables on display in the vehicle including “sat nav” and mobile phone holders.

Take care of your mobile phone

Useful hints to safeguard your mobile phone.
Mobile phones have a unique IMEI number, you can find this number by typing *#06# into your phone and a 15 digit number will be displayed.
Register your IMEI number free at www.immobilise.com
Property mark your phone with your door number and postcode this will help the police identify the rightful owners of stolen or lost phones.
Use your phone’s security lock code.
Inform your service provider immediately if your phone is lost or stolen.
Report your lost or stolen phone to the police. Remember to give your phone’s IMEI to the person to whom you are reporting to.
Never leave your phone on display in a vehicle
Always remove the phone cradle from your car; Offenders may assume the phone is in the glove box.

As well as registering your mobile phone, why not register all your property with a serial number. Immobilise website is an excellent way of locating the rightful owners of lost or stolen property. This is a free site where anyone can register their property by logging all their property with a serial number onto the web site. www.immobilise.com

Remember if you see or hear anything suspicious call 999

Have Your Say on Policing in London

The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) is consulting on London's policing priorities and is interested in the opinion of people in Ravensbury ward.
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.
The Have Your Say on Policing in London consultation closes on Friday 26 November 2010

The next drop-in surgery will be at the Watermeads on Wednesday 30th June 2010 between 19:00 - 21:00

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please contact us:
Email:Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk
Tel: 0208721 2725

The Ravensbury SNT in partnership with Ward Panel members has agreed on the following Ward priorities:

• Anti Social behaviour in general
• Anti Social behaviour by motorists
• School Truancy

Community Engagement

Saturday 5 June PCSO Dickson supported the Wandle Festival, which held activities both in Morden Hall Park and Ravensbury Park. PCSO Dickson was on hand to engage with the community by explaining the role of Neighbourhood Policing, offering Crime Prevention Advice, listening and responding to any concerns or issues raised.

The team working in partnership with Merton Trading Standards spent a day patrolling the ward. The aim was to identify any rogue traders/builders working on the ward.

The team asked all traders for identification and checks were made to ensure all documents were genuine. On this occasion there were no rogue traders identified.
But this does not mean rogue traders/builders will not try their luck on Ravensbury Ward.

To try and minimise your risk of employing a rogue trader:
• Do not deal with doorstep callers offering work on your home or garden
• Use traders who are members of officially recognised organisations
• Check that the tradesperson is from the company they say they are from
• Ask for quotes in writing
• Ring more than three traders to get a feel for an average price for the job. Remember traders must give you written notice of your right to seven days cancellation when agreeing to do work at your home, including work gained from a cold call
• Please contact Ravensbury SNT or Merton Trading Standards if you have any doubts about whether a tradesperson is legitimate.
Trading Standards, Merton Civic Centre, London Road SM4 5DX Email: trading.standards@merton.gov Tel:0208545 4018
Lost property
The immobilise website is an excellent way of locating the rightful owners of property. This is a free site where anyone can register their property by logging all their property with a serial number onto the web site.
Don’t forget to also register your unique mobile number. This can be found by inputting *#06# into your phone and the serial number will be displayed.
Register your property for free at www.immobilise.com

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 26/06/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please contact us:
Email:Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk
Tel: 0208721 2725

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 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.

Ravensbury Ward 28th May 2010

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members has agreed on the following Ward priorities:

• Anti Social behaviour in general

• Anti Social behaviour by motorists

• School Truancy

School Truancy

The team continues to work closely with the Education Welfare Officer to reduce school truancy. When students are stopped outside school during school hours full details are taken and passed onto both the Police Schools Officer and Education Welfare Officer. This data has assisted in identifying persistent truants.

Vehicle Crime

The team has identified roads that have been subjected to vehicle crime and will be conducting leaflet drops within these roads and the surrounding area as well as increasing patrols.

Drivers can reduce the risk of becoming a victim by taking a few simple precautions.

· Remove all valuables from vehicles

· Do not leave “Sat Navs” or mobile phone holders on display.

· Wipe away any suction marks on the windscreen as offenders may think equipment is hidden in the vehicle.

· Never leave jackets or clothing on view within the car, offenders may assume there are valuables in pockets of the clothing.

Ravensbury SNT have free dusters to assist with the removal of suction marks on the windscreen. Please contact a member of the team if you require one.

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 29/05/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please contact us:

Tel 0208 721 2725

E mail address Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk

Ravensbury Ward 14th May 2010

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members has agreed on the following Ward priorities:

• Anti Social behaviour in general
• Anti Social behaviour by motorists
• School Truancy

Anti Social Behaviour by Motorists
Ravensbury SNT is working with other Safer Neighbourhood Teams to reduce Anti Social Behaviour by motorist. Police Operations are regularly taking place within Morden aimed at stopping motorist who are committing road traffic offences. A speed watch was conducted on Thursday 13th May on Morden Road as well as Bishopsford Road resulting in numerous motorists being stopped. Since the last Community Safe e-mail on 28/04/2010 eight drivers have been stopped for using a hand held mobile whilst driving, each driver has been issued with a £60.00 fixed penalty fine and can expect to receive 3 points on their licence.

Stop Garden Thieves
Your garden, as well as your house, has valued possessions that thieves would love to steal. It also has equipment that could help them break into your house.
Most burglars are lazy. They look for easy ways of getting into a house or garden. By taking a few simple precautions you can reduce the risk of being burgled and make your house and garden more secure.
Natural protection
One of the best ways to keep thieves out is to use nature's own defence to stop intruders. A barrier of prickly hedge may be all the protection you need around your property. Your local garden centre will be able to advise you of the best plants to use.
What you can do
Put away all tools and equipment and ensure that all outside sheds and store cupboards are securely locked when not in use.
Bring the tools inside if you do not have a garden shed or outbuilding.
Use plant protection - such as thorny shrubs.
Install outside security lighting which comes on automatically.
If you have a burglar alarm, why not extend it to cover outbuildings and sheds?
Photograph valuable garden plants or ornaments.
Mark your property with your house number and postcode. This makes stolen property easier to trace and it can be positively identified as yours.
Check that your household insurance policy covers theft from your garden and outbuildings.
If you have a local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme why not join?
In an emergency always dial 999

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 29/05/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please contact us:

Tel 0208 721 2725
E mail address Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk

DRIVE OUT VEHICLE CRIME

Come and get your vehicle security checked and a FREE goodie bag as part of an ongoing campaign to drive out vehicle crime in the Borough
Merton Police and Safer Merton are holding a secure vehicle MOT event on Saturday 1 May 2010 from 10am – 2pm during which Merton Police will be carrying out an overall security check of the cars and will suggest measures to keep vehicles safe.
Merton Police Crime Prevention Advisor PC Greg HUNT will be in attendance and the event at the Sava Centre will also include:
• Some of your local Safer Neighbourhood Teams
• London Fire Brigade
• Autoglass

Other events will be organised by your local Safer Neighbourhood Teams during this month that will be advertised via the Met Police website or via Community Safe - a FREE warn and inform scheme being run by Merton Police.
Professional advice on all aspects of potential vehicle crime and criminality including number plate security, Satellite Navigation safety, car security alarms/ immobilisers, accident prevention and window etching will be available.
PC Greg HUNT Crime Prevention Advisor for Merton Police said; “By following simple steps such as locking your car and removing valuable items from your vehicle, you will significantly reduce the chance of becoming a victim of vehicle crime. Thieves will target cars which are insecure or where they can see items such as mobile phones or satellite navigation systems through the window. The aim of our campaign is to educate motorists on how to reduce the risk.”
The Partnership will be giving away goodies to remind everyone to secure their vehicles and take valuables with them. Autoglass will be offering free windscreen health checks and will repair windscreen chips for free if the policy holder has fully comprehensive insurance.
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.

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members has agreed to the following Ward priorities:

Anti Social Behaviour in General
Anti Social Behaviour by Motorist
Truancy

School Patrol

Since the student’s return to school following the Easter Break the team have actively increasing their patrols around known localities where the truants congregate. Once the student has been identified details are taken and the students returned to school. All details are passed onto the Education Welfare Officer.

Morden Town Centre Dispersal Zone

The Dispersal Zone has had a marked improvement in Anti Social Behaviour within the specified areas. The Team are continuing to patrol the Dispersal Zone and enforce any anti social behaviour.

The dispersal zone will be in place from 1st April 2010 until 30th September 2010
Keep your bicycle safe
Follow our simple crime prevention tips and keep your bicycle safe from theft.
With increasing numbers of us owning bicycles, it's important to know how to keep them safe.
Help keep your bike secure by following some simple tips.
Protect your possessions
• take out insurance, either by extending your home contents insurance or through a separate policy; cycling organisations and bike shops may offer specialist cover
• record and register your bike free at www.immobilise.com
• security mark the frame
At home
More than half of all bicycle thefts take place from an owner’s property.
• keep your bike in a secure garage or shed and keep the door locked
• keep it out of public view

Out and about

• always lock your bicycle, even if you are just leaving it for a couple of minutes
• avoid isolated places; leave your bike where it can be seen.
• A steel D-shaped locks are recommended as the minimum lock standard; ask your local bike shop for advise
• lock your bike to an immovable object – a bike rack or ground anchors; thieves can remove drainpipes and lift bikes off signposts
• make the lock and bike hard to manoeuvre when parked - stop thieves smashing it open by keeping the lock away from the ground; keep the gap between bike and lock small
• secure removable parts; lock both wheels and the frame together

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 29/05/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:

Tel 0208 721 2725
E-mail; ravensbury.snt@met.police.uk

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members has agreed to the following Ward priorities:

Anti Social Behaviour in General
Anti Social Behaviour by Motorist
Truancy

TOWN CENTRE DISPERSAL ZONE

The local Police and Local Authority have both agreed there is sufficient evidence to support a Dispersal Zone within Morden Town centre and the surrounding roads. The team are actively patrolling this area In order to safeguard reasonable conduct and behaviour for all members of the community.

The dispersal zone will be in place from 1st April 2010 until 30th September 2010

Junior Citizen Focus

The team assisted other key partners with the delivery of Citizens Focus Week.

Over 500 children in year 6 were invited to attend presentations delivered by the Police and other key partners including Safer Merton and Transport for London.

The aim of the week is to improve their awareness of safety in public places.

The scheme is well received and continues to be a popular event with local schools.

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 24/04/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:
Tel 0208 721 2725
Email; ravensbury.snt@met.police.uk

Get your free ‘Don’t Bother’ kit as part of an ongoing campaign to drive out vehicle crime in the Borough

Merton Police and Safer Merton are handing out free ‘Don’t Bother kits’ to motorists within the Borough. Theft from vehicles accounts for 66% of all recorded vehicle crime. The don’t bother kit helps educate the vehicle owner to remove valuables. It also tells a would be thief that valuables have been removed from that vehicle.

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. The ‘Don’t Bother Kit tells the thief that everything of value has been taken 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 perils of their actions. 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 a claim which may affect that claim”

The don’t bother kits are available free of charge at the Partnership Road shows 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 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.

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members has agreed to the following Ward priorities:

Anti Social Behaviour in General

Anti Social Behaviour by Motorist

Truancy

CRIME ALERT - Bogus Visitor

Please inform your elderly/vulnerable neighbour of the following –

It has been brought to the attention of Merton Police a female stating to be from Social Services is attempting to gain access to vulnerable residents’ homes. If you have concerns regarding identity please ask for verification and check these details or contact the Police.

GOOD DOORSTEP BEHAVIOUR

Encourage the person/neighbour to always follow the good doorstep procedure below to help beat the bogus callers.
LOCK. keep front and back doors locked (with keys taken out), even when at home;

STOP. stop and think if anyone is expected; look through a spy hole or window to identify the caller;

CHAIN. put the door chain or door bar on first before opening the door, and keep it on whilst talking to the caller; (Normally when the door is shut and locked, the bar or chain can be left off to get out in an emergency).

CHECK. check their identity card carefully even if the caller has a pre-arranged appointment (close the door whilst doing this); look up the phone number of who the caller represents in the phone directory; ring to verify the caller's identity; do not use a phone number on the identity card, as this may be fake.

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.

Burglary

Burglary can have a long lasting emotional impact on victims, leaving them feeling isolated and vulnerable. However, by taking just a few simple measures, you can reduce the chances of it happening to you. Most burglaries tend to be opportunistic, rather than planned. Burglars usually choose houses that have little or no visible security.

When you leave your home it’s important to ensure you leave it as secure as possible.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR HOME

Close and lock all your doors and windows, even if you are
only going out for a few minutes

Set your burglar alarm

Make sure the side and/or back gate is locked

Lock your shed or garage

Make sure that any valuables are not in sight

Put keys out of reach of letterboxes

In the evening, shut the curtains and leave some lights on

Never leave car documents or ID in obvious places such as kitchens or hallways

MET-TRACK is back

MetTrack held it first meeting on Thursday 25th March 2010. Those in attendance had a great evening and express their eager to return the following week.
The Met- Track sessions are free to anyone aged between 10 - 17 Years who are not yet involved in sport. The sessions are athletic based for all abilities and covers all track and field events.
Coaching is undertaken by fully qualified coaches.

Starting at 4.00pm until 5.30pm every Thursday including school holidays.
The HUB
Tooting and Mitcham, Imperial Fields
Bishopsford Road
Morden
SM4 6BF

Come along for a taster session.

http://www.met-track.com/

MERTON’S NEW RECRUIT

The Met’s mascot PCSO Steve has arrived on Merton Borough. If you would like to invite PSCO Steve to attend your public event or school fair please contact ravensbury.snt@met.police.uk to check for availability.

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 24/04/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:
Tel 0208 721 2725
E.mail; ravensbury.snt@met.police.uk

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members has agreed to the following Ward priorities:

Anti Social Behaviour in General

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhoods Team is continuing to monitor the issue of Anti Social Behaviour on the ward with additional patrols in and around the Town Centre. The team has identified a number of youths for anti - social behaviour around the Town Centre and action is currently being taken to issue these youths with Warning Letters.

Anti Social Behaviour by Motorist

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team has continued to address this priority on the Ward.
On Tuesday 19th January 2010 a Motorist was stopped for using a mobile phone whilst driving and was found to be disqualified. He was subsequently arrested and charged and bailed to Wimbledon magistrates court. Mr Con Watson of Sutton received a suspended sentence and 120 hours community service as well as a fine.

Truancy

During School hours the team proactively patrol the ward and obtained details of youths caught truanting.

MET-TRACK is back

MetTrack is being re launched in the Borough on Thursday 25th March at the HUB, Tooting and Mitcham Football Club on Bishopsford Road.

The Met- Track sessions are free to anyone aged between 10 - 17 Years who are not yet involved in sport. The sessions are athletic based for all abilities and covers all track and field events.
Coaching is undertaken by fully qualified coaches.

Starting at 4.00pm until 5.30pm every Thursday including school holidays.
The HUB
Tooting and Mitcham, Imperial Fields
Bishopsford Road
Morden
SM4 6BF

Come along for a taster session.

http://www.met-track.com/

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 28/03/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:
Tel 0208 721 2725
E.mail; ravensbury.snt@met.police.uk

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 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.

Ravensbury Ward 28 February 2010

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members has agreed on the following Ward priorities:

• Anti Social behaviour in general
• Anti Social behaviour by motorists
• School Truancy

Anti Social Behaviour in General

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhoods Team is continuing to monitor the issue of Anti Social Behaviour on the Ward and in Morden Town Centre and have directed patrols accordingly. By working closely with other Safer Neighbourhood Teams, the Town Centre has seen an increase in patrols at specified times. This action is having a positive impact on the anti social behaviour from youths. On Wednesday 17th February a male youth was arrested for using threatening and abusive words in Morden Town centre and has been bailed until 10/02/2010.

Anti Social Behaviour by motorists

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team is continuing to deal proactively with offending motorists and issue fixed penalty notices to drivers. Since the previous newsletter the team has issued 18 endorsable tickets for driving offences, each offender can expect to receive three penalty points on their driving licence as well as a sixty pound penalty fine.

Truancy

During School hours the team proactively patrol the ward and obtained details of youths caught truanting. The youths concerned are then returned to school and the Schools Officer and Educational Welfare Officer updates accordingly.

Community Engagement

The team has conducting a number of community engagements within the ward including giving Bogus Trader and Distraction Burglary presentations to the elderly residents within the ward.

Anti - Bullying Talks have also been given to youth clubs and the younger members of the ward.

Drive out Vehicle Crime

There are still a limited number of vehicle number plate security screws available, please contact a member of the team should you require a set.

Property marking

The main crime prevention purpose of marking your property is to make it less attractive to thieves to steal it in the first place as they know that if they are caught in possession of it by the Police and the Police can quickly establish it is stolen property, they are in trouble! In addition, the traceable property may be more difficult for them to "cash in" with another criminal or to a willing purchaser of the item. Of course it also greatly enhances the chances of you being re-united with the item which is important too.
It is also possible to register your property including mobile phones and bicycles on line at www.immobilise.com

Vehicle crime - protect yourself

Most vehicle crime is preventable. It can take as little as 10 seconds for a thief to steal something from your car. If at all possible, leave nothing on view.
NEVER leave valuable items in your car, including sunglasses, the removable radio cover and your Sat Nav. Do you really need all those things you keep in the glove box?

Wipe away the Satellite Navigation mark on your windscreen.

Consider fitting anti-tamper screws to your number plate.

Never leave your car keys where they can be seen from the front door

Anti social behaviour

The police service is a key partner in tackling anti-social behaviour. We act as a highly visible deterrent to perpetrators, and provide reassurance through our presence to our local community.
Your local Safer Neighbourhoods team have responsibility for working with partners at a community level to develop sustainable solutions to anti-social behaviour problems. We use a wealth of partnership agencies to assist in helping the community. For example we have access to local mediation services and can ensure that a young person involved in youth disorder is able to access local initiatives and activities. We can also work together with other agencies to regenerate areas by improving their appearance and facilities.
If you are affected by anti social behaviour within the Ravensbury Ward area, please contact the team.

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.

The next Drop-in surgery will be -

Wednesday 24/03/2010 between 1900-2100 hours at the Watermeads.

Saturday 27/03/2010 between 1300-1500 hours at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:

Tel 0208 721 2725
E mail address Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk

We're providing members of the public with information about what they can do if they come across violent extremist, terrorist and hate content online.
The new webpage on Directgov (new window) will include a form for people to report suspected terror-related and violent extremist websites to the police.
The pilot scheme aims to make the internet a more hostile environment for terrorists and violent extremists who seek to exploit modern technology. If a website meets the threshold for illegal content, officers can exercise powers under section 3 of the Terrorism Act 2006 to take it down.
What can be reported? Illegal terrorism content Any information that is intended to be useful to terrorists is illegal, including:
bomb-making instructions
guides to making poisons
instructions on how to make weapons
guides to targets.
Illegal violent extremist content Some violent extremist content is also illegal. This might include:
videos of beheadings with messages of ‘glorification’ or praise for the attackers
speeches or essays calling for racial or religious violence
messages intended to stir up hatred against any religious or ethnic group
chat forums with postings calling for people to commit acts of terrorism.
Illegal hate content The content of a website is illegal when it threatens or harasses a person or a group of people because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. That could be in words, pictures, videos, and even music.
Illegal hate content might include:
messages calling for racial or religious violence
web pages that show pictures, videos or descriptions of violence against people due to their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity
chat forums where people ask other people to commit hate crimes

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 27/02/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:
Tel 0208 721 2725
E mail address Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members has agreed on the following Ward priorities:

• Anti Social behaviour in general
• Anti Social behaviour by motorists
• School Truancy

Anti Social Behaviour in General

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhoods Team is continuing to monitor the issue of Anti Social Behaviour on the ward and Morden Town Centre and have directed patrols accordingly. By working closely with other Safer Neighborhood Teams, the Town Centre has seen an increase in patrols at specified times.

On Wednesday 10th February 2010 a member of staff from a shop in Morden Town Centre reported an incident of shoplifting directly to PCSO Dickson. The suspects were pointed out to PCSO Dickson who immediately called for assistance from PC Poku and PC Wallace. The suspects were identified and two men were arrested for shoplifting and a women arrested on suspicion of going equipped to steal and further arrested as she was shown wanted after a warrant for her arrest had been issued by South Western Magistrates Court.

Anti Social Behaviour by motorists

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team is continuing to deal proactively with offending motorists and issue fixed penalty notices to drivers. Each offender can expect to receive three penalty points on their driving licence as well as a sixty pound penalty fine.
The team have issued thirteen endorsable tickets for driving offences since the last update.

Truancy

During School hours the team proactively patrol the ward and obtained details of youths caught truanting. The youths concerned are then returned to school and the Schools Officer and Educational Welfare Officer updates accordingly.
This is proving to be a very successful way of dealing with school truancy.

Telephone scams
Bogus calls designed to convince you to hand over your credit card or bank details are a real problem. Be cautious.
If you are contacted by telephone and told that you have won a prize, think for a minute: did you enter any competitions?
Odds are you didn't.
The vast majority of the times, these calls are scams, originating from abroad and designed to convince you to give over personal details such as your bank account number or credit card information.
If this happens to you, just hang up the phone. If you ever do win, you will never be asked for personal details, nor would you ever have to pay anything in order to collect your winnings - that's a sure sign that something is wrong.
Many people have been taken in by these scams, and some have lost a great deal of their savings.
Don't be one of them.
• never give out personal details over the phone
• always ask for more information
• be sure you know who you're talking to
• ask for the callers contact details and tell them you will call back when a relative or friend can be with you
• dial 1471 following the call and take down the details
• if the calls continue contact your telephone supplier
• if the calls become threatening or abusive contact the police.

DRIVE OUT VEHICLE CRIME

In the second of seven planned vehicle crime reduction interventions under the ‘Drive out Vehicle Crime’ campaign, Ravensbury SNT 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. 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 via the Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team.
For any further information please contact Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team either via e-mail Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk or telephone 0208 721 2725. 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.

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 27/02/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:
Tel 0208 721 2725
E mail address Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk

Ravensbury Ward Update

In the second of seven planned vehicle crime reduction interventions under the ‘Drive out Vehicle Crime’ campaign, Ravensbury SNT 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. 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 via the Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team.
For any further information please contact Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team either via e-mail Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk or telephone 0208 721 2725. 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.

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 27/02/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:
Tel 0208 721 2725
E mail address Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members have agreed on the following Ward priorities:

• Anti Social behaviour in general
• Anti Social behaviour by motorists
• School Truancy

Anti Social Behaviour in General

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhoods Team is continuing to monitor the issue of Anti Social Behaviour on the ward as well as in Morden Town Centre and have directed patrols accordingly. The team has conducted a survey of local businesses within the Town Centre in order to address their individual observations and concerns and is currently working with Safer Merton to resolve the situation.

Anti Social Behaviour by Motorist

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team has continued to address this priority on the Ward and have stopped numerous motorists seen committing offences.

On 19th January 2010 the team stopped a man driving whilst using his mobile phone on London Road, Morden. After initially providing police with incorrect details, the driver’s true identity was established and he was shown to be disqualified from driving.
The man was charged with driving whilst disqualified and no insurance and bailed to attend Wimbledon Magistrates Court on the 27th January 2010.

Truancy

During School term, the team has proactively patrol the ward and obtained details of youths caught truanting. The youths concerned are then returned to school and the Schools Officer and Educational Welfare Officer updates accordingly.
As a result of these patrols, we have identified habitual offenders in order to address this issue.
As a result of the recent successes, the team is planning future operations around this issue.

Vehicle Crime in Merton

In order to reduce vehicle crime, Merton Borough Police in conjunction with Safer Merton have launched the initiative 'Drive out Vehicle Crime.'

Over the forthcoming months additional crime prevention initiatives will be undertaken. We are currently able to offer a property marking scheme of items used in your car including marking Satellite Navigation systems. If you would like further assistance with this service, please do not hesitate to contact the team or alternatively please attend a drop in surgery.

“Dog Watch"

Morden is blessed with lots of open spaces with a high number of dog owners in the area. It is recognised that dog walkers are out and about all the time and often see and hear things relevant to the area. Therefore Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team has set up a "Dog Watch" scheme where there is a point of contact for dog walkers to raise any concerns or issues. The aim of the scheme is to set up a partnership between the local community, the police and local authority. The scheme is a great way of building community relations and working together to reduce crime, fear of crime and improve the quality of life in the area.
If you would like further information or indeed would like to join, please contact the Team who will be happy to assist.

The next Drop-in surgery will be Saturday 30/01/2010 between 1300-1500 hrs at Morden Hall Park outside the café area.

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:
Tel 0208 721 2725
E mail address Ravensbury:
SNT@met.police.uk

The Ravensbury Team in partnership with Ward Panel members have agreed on the following Ward priorities:

• Anti Social behaviour in general

• Anti Social behaviour by motorists

• School Truancy

Anti Social Behaviour in general

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team is continuing to proactively patrol the Ward including high visibility patrols in Morden Town Centre. A recent survey of shop owners highlighted an area of concern was from youths who tend to congregate in the town centre. This is an issue which we are dealing with proactively resulting in one youth being arrested for criminal damage to a shop window and receiving a reprimand at Wimbledon Police Station on Tuesday 12th January 2010. We will continue to monitor individuals conduct and take positive action against offenders.

Anti Social Behaviour by motorists

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team is continuing to deal proactively with offending motorists and issue fixed penalty notices to drivers. Each offender can expect to receive three penalty points on their driving licence as well as a sixty pound penalty fine.

School Truancy

Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhood Team is undertaking truancy patrols during the coming months. The team have previously been involved in Pan London Truancy operations which proved to be extremely successful. We are clearly intent on building on this success and addressing this issue.

Burglary

Please be aware of preventative measures to help safeguard your property from potential burglars by visiting the following site www.metbumblebee.org
Particular attention needs to be directed towards garden sheds which can be vulnerable. These should be left locked and secured and valuable items not left on display near to shed windows i.e. power tools, bicycles. It is also sensible to consider what items are stored away from the security of your house in either your shed or garage.

If you require any information regarding crime prevention advice or property marking schemes or indeed Neighbourhood Watch Schemes in your area please contact the team who will personally visit you at your home address.

Vehicle Crime in Merton

In order to reduce vehicle crime, Merton Borough Police in conjunction with Safer Merton have launched the initiative 'Drive Out Vehicle Crime.'

Over the forthcoming months additional crime prevention initiatives will be undertaken including property marking of items used in your car including Satellite Navigation systems.

If you would like further assistance with this scheme please feel free to contact the team directly so that we can arrange a suitable time to attend your home and assist with any queries or property marking. Alternatively please feel free to attend any of our Drop-in Surgeries where an officer will be able to assist you further.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind you to take the following preventative measures:

• 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 or handbag is empty but an opportunist thief does not.
• Take your Satellite Navigation system out of your vehicle and clean the suction marks off the windscreen – thieves may break into your vehicle to check the glove box.

Vulnerable Vehicle Scheme

Ravensbury Team currently operate ‘The Vulnerable Vehicle Scheme’ which is aimed at reducing the amount of vehicles that are broken into, thereby reducing vehicle crime. Unfortunately some drivers leave their property, often of value, on display making them easy targets for opportunists.

During the course of daily patrols we keep an eye out for vulnerable vehicles, which are vehicles that have property on show or where windows and doors have been left open. Items that are often left on display include compact discs, mobile phones, MP3 players, laptops, handbags and wallets and Satellite Navigation systems. Care should also be taken to remove suction marks from the windscreen which can again be a give away that you have a Satellite Navigation system in your car.

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 was considered to be at risk. The letter acts as a reminder to the owner to be more safety conscious in the future and will hopefully significantly reduce opportunist crime in the area

The next Drop-in Surgery will be held on Wednesday 27/01/2010 between 1900-2100 hrs at the Watermeads.
For the full list of future Drop-in surgeries please follow the attached link.
www.met.police.uk/teams/merton/ravensbury/index.php
If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:
Tel 0208 721 2725

E mail address:
Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk

The Ravensbury team in partnership with Ward Panel members have agreed on the following Ward priorities:

• Anti Social behaviour in general
• Anti Social behaviour by motorists
• School Truancy

Anti Social Behaviour in general
Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhoods Team are continually monitoring the issue of Anti Social behaviour by youths in Morden Town Centre and are currently working with Safer Merton in order to resolve the situation. The team have conducted a survey of local businesses in order to address their individual observations and concerns.

Anti Social Behaviour by motorists
Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhoods Team is continuing to deal proactively with offending motorists and issue fixed penalty notices to these drivers. Each offender can expect to receive three penalty points on their driving licence as well as a sixty pound penalty fine.

School Truancy
Ravensbury Safer Neighbourhoods Team will continue with Truancy patrols in the New Year. The team have previously been involved in Pan London Truancy operations which proved to be extremely successful. We are clearly intent on building on this success and addressing this Ward priority.

Burglary Alert

During this busy period we ask you to be vigilant and protect your homes and property from burglars with the following crime prevention advice:

1. SECURE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES
Restricting access to your rear garden reduces your chance of suffering a burglary. The installation of solid gates, locks, high fences, prickly bushes and anti-climb paint are cheap and are highly effective deterrents against burglars.

2. SECURE WINDOWS AND DOORS
Don’t become a victim of crime; ensure that your windows and doors are secure:
• Fit and use British standard deadlocks to external doors
• Fit locks to all windows
• Remove keys from locked windows and doors and store them out of sight
• If your house is unattended consider fitting timer switches to lights, as it may become dark before you return
• Keep valuables out of sight

3. REMAIN VIGILANT

If, you ever feel that someone is acting suspiciously please contact the Police immediately. Do not confront them as your personal safety is paramount to us.

4. CRIME PREVENTION ADVICE

If you would like further advice regarding crime prevention, we would be happy to assist you and attend your home at a suitable time at your convenience.
For further advice please visit www.metbumblebee.org

From all of us at Ravensbury Team we would like to wish you all a very “Happy Christmas & a Happy New Year”. The Team look forward to working with you all and addressing your concerns throughout 2010.

The next Drop-in surgery will be Wednesday 27/01/2010 between 1900-2100 hrs at the Watermeads

For the full list of future drop in surgeries please follow the attached link.
www.met.police.uk/teams/merton/ravensbury/index.php

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to contact us:
Tel 0208 721 2725
E mail address Ravensbury:
SNT@met.police.uk

The Ravensbury teams in partnership with Ward Panel members have agreed on the following Ward priorities.

• Anti Social behaviour in general

• Anti Social behaviour by motorists

• School Truancy

Anti social behaviour in general

Ravensbury SNT recently carried out a survey of Morden Town Centre. One of the points raised was youths congregating in groups and acting anti - socially in and around the Town Centre. The immediate response was an increase in foot patrols to monitor and identify the Youths. Working with the Safer Merton Team, a number of parents have been issued with letters warning them about the youths behaviour and the possible consequences.

Anti Social Behaviour by motorists

Ravensbury Ward SNT continues to deal proactively with offending motorists and issue fixed penalty notices to drivers. Each offender can expect to receive three penalty points as well a sixty pound penalty fee.

School Truancy

Ravensbury Ward SNT has initiated truancy patrols which are in partnership with local education welfare officer.
During October, The teams were involved in a Pan London operation aimed at kerbing truancy.
A further two day operation took place on 1st & 2nd December between the wards within Morden.

Both operations were a huge success; further dates are planned for the New Year.

BURGLARY ALERT

With the Christmas season drawing ever closer, we would ask that you protect your home from burglars with the following crime prevention advice:

1. SECURE PROPERTY BOUNDARIES

Restricting access to your rear garden reduces your chance of suffering a burglary. The installation of solid gates, locks, high fences, prickly bushes and anti-climb paint are cheap, but highly effective deterrents against burglars.

2. SECURE WINDOWS AND DOORS

Don’t become a victim of crime; ensure that your windows and doors are secure:

• Fit and use British standard deadlocks to external doors
• Fit locks to all windows
• Remove keys from locked windows and doors and store them out of sight
• If your house is unattended consider fitting timer switches to lights, as it may become dark before you return.
• Keep valuables out of sight.

3. REMAIN VIGILANT

If you feel that someone is acting suspiciously please contact Police immediately. Do not confront them as your personal safety is paramount to us.

4. CRIME PREVENTION ADVICE

If you would like some advice on crime prevention we will be happy to assist.

For further advice please visit www.metbumblebee.org

The Ravensbury Team would like to wish you all a safe and happy time over the festive season.

The team conduct regular public meetings, the next meeting being on the

19/12/2009 1300-1500 Morden Hall Car Park

Or for the full list of future drop in surgeries please follow the attached link.

www.met.police.uk/teams/merton/ravensbury/index.php

If you would like to pose any questions, share information or have any concerns or issues please feel free to attend or alternatively you can contact us on Tel 0208 721 2725
E mail address Ravensbury.SNT@met.police.uk