Peter Yexley
Neighbourhood Watch in London Colney isn’t new. It goes back throughout the history of our village, but certainly wouldn’t have been called ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ –simply good neighbouring with a natural ethos; to watch out and care for our neighbours.
The way it used to be
Can you recall the names of all your present neighbours? – Your parents probably could name your childhood ones, all of them up and down the street, and tell you a savoury tale or two!
When neighbours went away, even for a day, others kept an eye out on their home. They knew who your window cleaner was, even when he was due. He probably drank in any one or more the 27 pubs! (Nostalgia just isn’t what it used to be!)
They knew your milkman and what products he delivered to your doorstep. Stop humming the Hovis tune - it isn’t that long ago! You’ll probably recall stories of other travelling merchants and delivery people ....no Colney Fields Retail Park in those days.
Few had phones but knew how to get in touch with the local bobby pretty quick and he knew everybody that lived in the village. So Neighbourhood Watch is as old as London Colney but has moved with the times.
The Government took it seriously and tasked the Home Office with supporting local residents throughout the UK to establish and grow their Neighbourhood Watches.
We’re not part of the police; we’re neither curtain twitchers nor informers, just neighbours looking out for neighbours.
No matter how sophisticated we have become in alerting our neighbours about certain activities, no matter how many stickers and warning signs we install, if we don’t watch out for our neighbours – there is no Neighbourhood Watch.
How many people perceive Neighbourhood Watch to be a group of nosey neighbours but expect them to phone the police if they saw someone acting suspicious on or in their property?
How many people perceive Neighbourhood Watch to be a natural process of helping keep crime away from their home and family?
The latter is the real Neighbourhood Watch – you can join by visiting...
www.colneywatch.co.uk or call 01727 825999
3 Simple Rules...
Three simple rules to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of distraction burglary, or bogus callers:
• Rule One: If a stranger calls - Not sure? Don’t open the door!
If you are not expecting anyone and you don’t recognise them, don’t let them into your home. Be aware, bogus callers can be very convincing and will often pretend to be representing a utility company; a genuine caller won’t mind coming back at a time when you can arrange to have somebody you trust with you.
• Rule Two: If you are expecting a caller:
Only open your door when you are happy that you know the person. If you can’t see who is calling and need to open the door, use your door chain and ask for identification or a pre-arranged password before you let them in.
• Rule Three: Never keep large amounts of cash at home
If you ensure that large amounts of money are securely in a bank or building society account and any valuable jewellery is safely and discretely locked away then, even if a criminal cons their way into your home, there is nothing of value for them to steal.
...and another 3
As the clocks go back the darkness comes quicker.
Although Hertfordshire is one of the safest counties in Britain, here’s some additional burglary prevention advice:
1. Check that ground floor windows and doors are closed and locked when you leave the house or go to bed. Upstairs windows should be closed and locked when the house is unoccupied.
2. Secure your rear garden by shutting and locking any gates - burglars can use garden tools to break in, so make sure you securely lock away any tools after use
3. Remember to put your wheelie bin back after
collection, and why not be a good neighbour - if they are out, help deter burglars and give their home the lived-in look by putting away their emptied rubbish bins.
What to do?
In an emergency or if you see anything that requires immediate police response always dial 999. If you know someone who may be handling stolen goods, or who you suspect is a burglar, contact police on 0845 33 00 222 or call Crimestoppers (an independent charity) anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Please remember Neighbourhood Watch is about looking out for our neighbours ...together we are beating crime!