Leckhampton Safer Community Team

Leckhampton Rogue Traders Day

On Monday 5^th July 2010 members of Leckhampton SCT supported Operation Rogue Trader by manning a stall at Morrison’s supermarket, in Up Hatherley between 10.30 and 16.00 hrs.

The aim was to raise awareness of the type of criminality that travelling criminals carry out - i.e. rogue trading, distraction burglary.

We wanted to encourage the public to speak to us and make them feel more in control due to the under reported nature of this criminality.

Our intended audience were the older and more vulnerable members of society that these criminals generally target. 

We offered crime prevention advice and gave out information packs.

Some of the people that we spoke to informed us that they had indeed had the experience of bogus callers/rogue traders visiting them. It seemed they were given short shrift by the home owners and sent on their way.

Our message to them was to call the police (even if they hadn’t let them in) and report them and their trading practices.

We gave out in the region of 70 packs.

Our thanks go to Morrison’s for allowing us to set up in their foyer for the day.

What is Distraction Burglary?

This is where criminals call at your house posing as officials or asking for your help with something. They make up a story to get into your home. Generally targeting older people, they have just one intention – to steal!

What are Rogue Traders?

They call at your door and offer to do work on your home or garden that will be either unnecessary or vastly over-priced. They have no formal training to carry out the work. Some have links with distraction burglars.

So……….. 

IF YOU’RE NOT SURE.

DON’T OPEN THE DOOR!

In an emergency situation always call 999

Non Emergency number

0845 090 1234

Leckhampton - SCT Weekly Newsletter

On a weekly basis Pc Ian Miles compiles a report that is sent to over 400 Key individuals and Neighbourhood watch Co-ordinators across the south of Cheltenham.

This Neighbourhood briefing details crimes of note during the last week, to raise awareness so that the residents can take relevant actions and also an update on some of the work that Leckhampton Safer Community team is undertaking - 

In order to access this document please click here -       Safer Community Team Newsletter

Leckhampton SCT - Tag Rugby Competition

During 2010, Pcso Ross Nicholl and Pc Adam Williams have been working with staff and pupils from Glenfall Primary School in Charlton Kings.

They have been training to take part in the Gloucestershire Constabulary, School Tag Rugby competition held at Hartpury College on the 21st May 2010.

Above is a photograph of Ross and Adam along with the Glenfall team, who finished top of their initial group.

Op Madagascar

Officers from Leckhampton Safer Community Team are currently engaged on Operation Madagascar.

This involves extra night time patrols to tackle burglary and acquisitive crime within the south of Cheltenham. 

Officers on the operation have arrested two persons  for robbery and one person for theft from motor vehicle.

Residents continue to experience burglaries after leaving their properties insecure. We urge residents not to leave their houses or go to bed without first ensuring all windows and doors are locked.

Leckhampton Safer Community Team Say Thank You

Officers from Leckhampton Safer Community Team are thanking local residents for their help, which has led to the arrest of five people. To read more, go here.

Neighbourhood Co-ordination Group Meeting 9th February, Leckhampton

On the evening of Tuesday 9th February 2010, over 70 key individuals from the communities in the south of Cheltenham, attended at the Neighbourhood Co-ordination Group meeting at Leckhampton Village hall.

During the evening the new community priorities were discussed, and Mr Andy Fogden, MBE spoke about No cold calling areas.

Andy has been involved in setting up No cold calling areas in the North Cotswolds and his experience was valuable to assist in questions from the floor.

The purpose of the No cold calling areas, is to reduce the incident of Rogue Traders, bogus callers and distraction burglars, on members of the local community.

After the main presentations, the four named PCSOs then four seperate discussions with the relevant community members.

Please click here, to download the minutes of the evening. - NCG minutes. 

Leckhampton SCT show new surgeries to be a success

PCSO Ken Bennett, the area lead for Charlton Kings has recently undertaken a surgery in Haywards Road.  Unlike previous surgeries where Ken would be at a fixed point each month the new style of surgery targets a specific road.  On this occasion Ken dropped leaflets to 88 houses on the road advertising the surgery which was taking place on the next day.  

On the date of the surgery 12 people came and spoke to Ken, not only to raise concerns but also to receive crime prevention advise, one of these people also volunteered to become a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator for the road.  In addition to the resident spoken to, every household now has the contact details for the Leckhampton Safer Community Team (SCT).

To contact Ken, please either click on this link or telephone 0845 090 1234 and ask for PCSO Ken Bennett at Leckhampton Police Station

Leckhampton SCT warn of BT phone scam

A new telephone scam has recently been identified which the BBC has reported is taking place nationally and fooling many people. People claiming to be British Telecom representatives are cold calling residential numbers and informing occupants that they would be disconnected if an unpaid bill wasn't settled. In one example, a male requested a payment of £31.00 or it would be £118.00 to reconnect at a later date. When the occupant stated he was with Virgin Media, the male stated that Virgin have to pay BT a percentage for line rental. 

When challenged by the occupant, the male, who had an African accent, offered to demonstrate that he was from BT. When asked how, the male told the occupant to hang up and try phoning someone, as he would disconnect the phone to prevent this. When the occupant tried this, the phone was seemingly dead, with no engaged tone or anything until the male called back and requested a credit card payment.

The 'disconnection scam' is very simple. When the occupant hangs up, the male stays on the line with the mute button on, meaning the occupant cannot dial out but the male can hear the occupant trying. This is because the person who initiates a call is the one who needs to terminate it. When the occupant stops trying, the male cuts off and immediately calls back.

This simple trick can appear very plausible and could easily convince the vulnerable into giving over bank details. 

We ask that everyone to be aware of the above and spread the word to friends and family, please read this link to the BBC news website for more information.

Leckhampton SCT PCSO getting to know her community

PCSO Debbie Hurcombe, who is the named PCSO for Benhall and Reddings community has been getting stuck in to the local issues affecting the local people in the area.  In particular PCSO Hurcombe has been ensuring she meets the most vulnerable members of her community, she has been helping those with assistance dogs to ensure their safety and offering practical crime prevention advice, specially tailored to their needs.

In addition PCSO Hurcombe has been paying particular attention to those members of the community who find it difficult to get out and about, and if you have a relative who you think could benefit from her popping around from time to time please contact us via this email link.

Leckhampton SCT - Student Crime Prevention Advice

Leckhampton Safer Community Team know that Cheltenham is generally a safe place to live and work, and want to help student keep their possessions and reduce their risk of becoming a victim of crime.  These simple steps can make it much easier to stay out of harm's way.

Personal Safety

• Don’t walk home on your own
• Don’t take short cuts
• Avoid underpasses and routes that are poorly lit or hidden from view
• Use busy well lit routes
• Try and use ATMs in the day, preferably those located inside the bank

Personal Safety, drinking

• If your friends have drunk too much, stay with them
• Cooking food when drunk is dangerous. House fires started in the kitchen can kill!
• Being drunk makes you an easy target for any type of crime
• Drinking also makes you more prone to accidents

Your Possessions

• Don’t carry expensive kit such as PDAs and laptops unless you really need to
• Carry your laptop in a different bag rather than the standard black laptop case, many manufacturers now make different styles and colours
• Don’t leave valuable items unattended (like your wallet left in a jacket pocket)

Home Security

• Don’t leave the place insecure, lock doors and windows (don’t just assume your house mates are home) and lock your own room up as well
• Keep side access gates locked (most burglary occurs from the rear or areas that are hidden from view)
• Keep expensive items hidden from view
• Make the place look lived in by keeping the odd light on
• Mark your property with your parents postcode and house number or name (by engraving, permanent marker pen or ultra violet pen) you can also use commercial marking systems such as Smartwater
• Make sure you are insured

Parking Enforcement

Please be aware that Cheltenham Borough Council are now responsible for enforcing most parking offences.

In order to report a vehicle parked illegally please use the contact methods below -

Tel - 01242 264114

E-mail - parking@cheltenham.gov.uk