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Author: FVCA

Vigilant Resident Reports Possible “Crash for Cash”

Saturday 20th February – A resident witnessed two cars been driven suspiciously around Stoneybridge Island.  It is thought that the drivers of the vehicles were trying to instigate a slow speed rear crash, and it was third time that these vehicles, a silver Mercedes and a black Alfa Romeo saloon, have been seen in the area been driven in a suspicious manner.   The police have been notified.

If you witness any suspicious activity, please report to Home | West Mercia Police

  • February 20, 2021 by

Suspicious Activity Pepper Wood

With the rise of dog thefts nationally, a dog walker has contacted us to share an experience that made them feel uneasy in Pepper Wood recently.

“It was around 5 and I was walking with two dogs down the centre path towards the car park. When I approached the car park I saw a white van with a couple (could have been two women could have been a man and a woman). They were standing outside the van smoking cigarettes and chatting. As I got closer they started to walk towards the path without any dogs. I was turning around anyway to walk back but something just felt uneasy. The woman was not wearing the type of clothes you associate with walking in the woods. I felt quite nervous so started walking at speed and within around 5 minutes they had turned back.”

There is nothing saying that these people have done anything wrong, they may have just been out for a walk.  This experience highlights the need for vigilance at all times, if you do feel threatened or the activity appears to be suspicious please report to the police  CLICK HERE

  • February 20, 2021 by

Are You Blue Light Aware?

Do you know what to do should you be in driving along and you see blue lights and hear a siren?

Solid white line systems and traffic islands often cause confusion for drivers when an emergency vehicle is behind them. Stop? Carry on? Speed up?

Please watch this awareness video and help our emergency services.
  • February 17, 2021 by

Royal Mail Delivery Scam

A resident has received the below email, if you receive similar email do not respond to it, forward it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS): report@phishing.gov.uk and then delete.

Please tell others of this scam.

  • February 16, 2021 by

Thieves target cars for catalytic converters

Thieves and organised gangs are continuing to target catalytic converters from vehicles across West Mercia. This is also an international concern with forces across the world reporting a recent increase in reported catalytic converter theft. The rise in the value of the precious metals they contain is thought to be the reason behind the spike in this offence.

Inspector Andy Tanner said: “Thieves tend to target vehicles such as vans and 4x4s that have a higher ground clearance making the converters more easily accessible. However, all types of vehicles are vulnerable.

“The illegal market for the metals that the converters contain is strong and each converter can make a thief hundreds of pounds, but take only a few minutes to remove from a vehicle and can cost thousands to replace.”

“We are actively investigating several cases and would ask people to please take a few steps to reduce the chances of their vehicle being targeted. One of those steps is to please report any suspicious activity around parked vehicles that you may see or have recorded on mobile devices, CCTV or in-vehicle cameras.”

Tips on how to protect your vehicle:

  • Keep your vehicle in a garage if you can
  • If you park it on a driveway, install motion activated lighting
  • Otherwise, park in a well-lit, populated area
  • Forensic security marking kits are available to mark your catalytic converter
  • Locks are also available that can be fitted to your converter
  • Use high visibility signage to deter thieves

For crimes in progress call 999. For non-emergencies report online at www.westmercia.police.uk/report 

Speak to your Safer Neighbourhood Team and for more information, visit https://www.westmercia.police.uk/

  • February 15, 2021 by

Littering Is No Pooh Joke

Please share, verbally and through social media, and ask your friends to share this message far and wide to all dog walkers:

“If you Bag It, Bin It, Don’t leave It”.

Once again, dog pooh bags have been left on the ground in Pepper Wood; on Monday 15th February 4 bags were picked up from the bottom of the “welcome” sign at the Wood Lane entrance plus a purple bag left adjacent to the bridle path.

Some people say that they leave a bag to pick up later, the purple bag had been left for over two weeks.

It is NOT acceptable that volunteers have to clear up other peoples’ laziness.

We are fortunate that in Fairfield village you are no more than 1/2 mile from a dog waste bin. Also, if your dog does a mess in Pepper Wood off the path you can leave it, Mother Nature will work her magic and in a few days it is gone.

  • February 15, 2021 by

Severn Trent to Replace Water Pipes

Work commences Monday 15th February to replace old water pipes in the Bournheath area, which should take approximately two months to complete.

Teams will start at the junction of Doctors Hill/Rock Lane and Valley Road, work will progress along Valley Road and Cockshutt Lane before finishing at the Cockshutt Lane/Snakes Lake Lane junction by the end of February.

The team will then move and restart work on Dordale Road/Yarnold Lane junction (22nd February) and progress along Yarnold Lane until it meets Warbage Lane by early April 2021.

In order to maintain safety, traffic control or road closures will be in place, with diversion routes sign posted.

  • February 14, 2021 by

News from Pepper Wood

The fundraising campaign to double Pepper Wood is progressing well, if you would like to make a donation to the appeal CLICK HERE
Littering around our beautiful woodland remains at a low level, however, the Pepper Wood volunteers are making an appeal on two items:

1: If you are not prepared to take bags of dog waste to the bins, then please do not bag the stuff – use a stick to flick it into the undergrowth, otherwise it simply becomes a particularly unpleasant item of litter. Pepper Wood and Community volunteers are not there to clear up the mess left.

2: Please do not discard tissues. Their delicacy made persuade you that they are easily biodegradable. In fact, they remain visible for weeks, and some do not degrade at all.

The muddy state of the footpaths around the wood are worse than any of us can remember, and every time we think it cannot get worse it does. Footpath improvements will be high up the agenda when the volunteer teams get going again.

In normal times, volunteer teams work every Sunday and Wednesday from about 10 am until 1:30 pm. You are welcome to join any of the work parties, all tools are provided at work parties, and all you will need are: Clothes to protect you from the elements and rogue plants such bramble and dog rose, strong shoes or boots, something to drink, and a sense of humour.

An essential ritual of all work parties is the cake and coffee break. In colder months this is held around a brazier on which coffee is roasted and brewed.

No experience or specific skills are assumed; a lot of the work is scaled-up gardening.
  • February 11, 2021 by