June 2009

This is a community message from Northamptonshire West Police to NHW members and residents in Northampton, Daventry and South Northants.

Please can we ask NHW members to pass on the following message to all friends, relatives and neighbours....

House burglaries, thefts of vehicles and thefts of property from vehicles can be avoided as with a lot of expense, inconvenience and heartache if a few simple precautions are taken.........

Home Security:

• Please keep all entry doors locked at all times. When you go out, and also when you go to bed at night, remove keys from locks, making sure they are hidden from view but easily accessible to you in case of emergency.


• Make sure downstairs windows, and those accessible via a flat roof, are closed whenever you are out of sight of them. Yesterday, offenders in Northampton stole someone's wallet simply by reaching through an open window.


• Keep house keys, mobile phones, purses/wallets etc out of sight in a safe place which is accessible to you but is not the first place an offender will look.


• Check that your garage access points are locked when it is not in use.


• If you have a house alarm, remember to set it whenever you leave the house and at night when you go to bed. An offender will not hang around long, once an alarm has gone off.

Whenever you leave your vehicle:

• Please lock it and make sure all windows are shut. It doesn't matter how quickly you intend to be back, an opportunist thief needs only seconds to steal your property. Recent incidents have included property stolen from unlocked vehicles in the short space of time it took a man to unload items at a tip and also in the few seconds it took someone to pop back into their house for an item they'd forgotten. IF YOU LEAVE IT....REMEMBER TO LOCK IT. .

Please find below details of a community initiative that may be of interest to you.

In April of last year, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation conducted a survey of 3,500 people. Their biggest single concern, across the social spectrum, was that community spirit is weak and people are increasingly isolated from their neighbours.

'The Big Lunch' is an initiative that aims to help bring communities together. 'The Big Lunch 2009' will be held on Sunday July 19th, this day aims to bring local communities together, to share experiences, stories and generally build better neighbourhood relationships.

The idea is to host a street, village or garden party, invite people from your area to come along and contribute in whatever way they can manage.

'The Big Lunch' is a great chance to get to know people in your area, if you would like to organise a 'Big Lunch' event remember to get everyone in your area involved. One side of the street could be responsible for providing chairs and tables for the event, while others decorate the street, everyone could be encouraged to bring their signature dish, and the talented residents among you could entertain those who attend.

For more information, and advice on 'Big lunch' events in your area log on to www.thebiglunch.com

Thank you.

A vehicle was stolen between the hours of 23:30pm Sunday 14 June and 07:30am Monday 15 June while parked outside a property in Burcote Fields. The vehicle was a metallic blue Peugeot 307 2 ltr rapier, registration VRN KWO2 CZP.

Please remember to park your vehicle in a well lit area. Use alarms, steering locks and other security devices where possible. Lock your vehicle and check that it's locked. Remember instead of hiding your equipment; take 'everything' out of your vehicle overnight.

If you have information on this crime or see this vehicle please report, giving direction of travel, to either the dedicated NHW number on 01604 432436, alternatively Northamptonshire Police or Crimestoppers on the numbers given above quoting ref WB/CMS/125/09

The latest Neighbourhood Watch newsletter:

http://www.northantscommunitymessaging.org/rmwebportal/rm_desktop/files/attachments/Daventry_NHW_WEEK_2009.doc