Text messages that ask for your personal or financial details are a common lure used by criminals. Don’t take the bait. Report suspicious texts by forwarding them to 7726 (it’s free of charge)

Some advice from PCSO Hyder

Bicycles are one of the most targeted items by thieves…

Always lock your bike when you leave it, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Look to spend about 10% of what your bike is worth on the lock. For better security use two or more locks of a different type – a D lock plus a robust chain and padlock.

All bike frames are given a unique serial number. This is normally located underneath the bike and should be written down or photographed and kept somewhere safe.

Security mark the frame. You can use a UV Pen or a property marking solution such as Smartwater. When marking your bicycle use your initials, postcode or another mark that is unique to you.

When possible lock your bike at recognised secure cycle parking area. Wherever you leave your bike unattended please ensure that the area is well covered by good lighting and CCTV, ensure both the wheel and the bike frame is secured to an immovable object.

If your bike is kept in a shed, keep the shed secure with good quality locks and ensure the windows are covered and an alarm is fitted. Remember, even if your bike is stored in a shed or garage, be sure to still use a bike lock in order to prevent anyone from riding off with it should they manage to break in and gain access.

Remember to Insure your bike either on your homes contents insurance or on a separate insurance policy. Double check with your insurance company that your insurance policy does also cover your bike.

The August edition of Our News, the e-newsletter for Neighbourhood Watch supporters, is ready for you to read.

Read about Lottie, the Neighbourhood Watch winner of the Croods 2 treehouse design competition, how crime trends changed during the pandemic and about summer events for volunteers

Received an email or text which you’re not quite sure about? Is it asking you to login to your account, or maybe to “confirm” your payment details?

If you are suspicious, you should report it by forwarding the email to: Report@phishing.gov.uk

A rural crime prevention message from PCSO Mark Hyder:

Farms and Rural properties are often in isolated locations and can be vulnerable to crime if not properly secured and protected. A secure perimeter around your property and its outbuildings can help deter would be thieves and burglars from targeting livestock, vehicles and buildings within your boundary.

Regularly check your fences and hedges in order to identity any gaps or weak spots that could help provide unauthorised access by criminals and secure these where necessary. Consider restricting access to your properties entrance with a gate or other form of barrier system, this will help prevent unwelcome guests and vehicles entering onto your land.

You may wish to consider having an infrared passive tripwire system installed. This type of system projects an infrared beam which when broken would alert you to the fact that there may be somebody on your properties grounds. Remember to install this type of system high enough off the ground so local wildlife such as fox’s and badgers do not accidentally set it off.

Install good security lighting around your home, outbuildings and any isolated locations. This can also deter would be criminals as most thieves and burglars would rather remain unseen in order to help prevent them being spotted by the property owner or any possible passersby or police patrols.

Avoid leaving property in isolated locations or in fields – particularly near roadside or any where they can be easily removed without attracting any unwanted attention.

Items such as motorbikes, quad bikes, trailers and sit on lawn mowers are very desirable to thieves. Consider shackling multiple items together or chain items to a sturdy bracket which is secured to the ground or the wall of a building making them difficult to remove.

For further information on all aspects of security Visit https://www.westmercia.police.uk/crime-and-safety

West Mercia Police are pleased to announce they have joined Operation Galileo, a nationwide plan targeting those engaged in illegal hare coursing, by working with 23 other police forces we will endeavor to curtail this cruel and, quite frankly outdated so called ‘sport’. By working with other forces across the country, we can share information and intelligence on offenders who cause the greatest harm to our rural communities. Prevention will be the focus of Operation Galileo, supported by more sophisticated prosecution and intelligence gathering capabilities.

Hare coursers do not just have a negative impact on farming communities. The people that partake in this cruel pursuit are responsible for other crimes across our rural communities and our road network.

People who live in our rural communities play a vital part in helping us gather intelligence, and we really need your support.

What is hare coursing?

Hare coursing is a bloodsport where dogs are used to chase, catch and kill hares.

It is illegal in the UK under the Hunting Act 2004, which makes it an offence to hunt wild mammals with dogs. Anyone convicted of the offence can receive a fine of up to £5,000 by a Magistrates’ Court.

Legislation also gives police the powers to seize and detain vehicles until the court hearing. Powers to seize vehicles may also be granted under section 30 of the Game Act 1831.

Hare coursing tends to start after harvest when large areas of land have been cleared of standing crops. It usually occurs at dawn or dusk.

Our rural landscape makes it a popular area for hare coursing. It often attracts coursers from outside of the county.

What to look out for

• You can help us fight hare coursing by looking out for activity in your area.

• The most obvious sign is groups of vehicles parked in a rural area, perhaps by a gateway to farmland, on a grass verge, on a farm track or bridle path.

• They will usually be estate cars, four wheel drives or vans. It will be obvious looking inside whether there is evidence of dogs or not.

• They often travel in convoy, with vans at the front and rear containing minders.

• They will often use binoculars to spot hares.

• Coursers will often walk along the edge of a field to frighten a hare into the open.

Report it

• If you see hare coursing taking place, or suspect it is happening in your area contact us immediately on 101. We advise that you do not approach the participants.

• It may help us if you can answer any of the questions when reporting wildlife crime:

• Are the suspect/s alone or in a group?

• Are they trespassing?

• Do they have equipment with them?

• Do they have dogs or firearms with them?

• Where are they going?

• Where have they been?

• What do they look like?

• Have they any vehicles?

• What are the number plates and vehicle models?

• Can you safely get a photograph?

• You can also report it online.

Anyone can become a scam victim. If you, or someone you know, has been a victim of scams find out how to report it here.

Rogue Traders have recently been cold-calling across Worcestershire offering to tarmac driveways. Residents are warned NOT to buy on the doorstep and to report suspicious callers to Trading Standards (Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 or the Police on 101).

Hollie Guard is a free personal safety app that can be downloaded onto any iOS or Android device.

With Hollie Guard, if ever you feel threatened, you can send out an alert by either shaking your phone or pressing the icon button. Once you activate an alert, your location along with video and audio evidence is automatically sent to your emergency contacts via SMS and/or email. Your emergency contacts can then take action to help you quickly. 

There are multiple features which can be used:

• Journey Feature – This ensures safe travel by providing real-time updates as users move between two places.
• Meeting Feature – Meetings allow users to identify when they are going to a meeting with a risk factor. A timer can be set, and an alert is automatically created.
• Man Down – For users in situations where injury or personal immobilisation is a possibility by flagging sudden deceleration, non-movement & impact.
• Reports – Reports allow users to record and geotang incidents within the app. All reports will get saved to the users account, not on the device. 

As well as all the features of Hollie Guard, you can now choose to upgrade your service to Hollie Guard Extra, a brand-new service through which an alert response centre will monitor any alerts you trigger. 

Useful Links:

Website: https://hollieguard.com/

Email:  info@hollieguard.com

iPhone Download: http://tiny.cc/u9pioz

Android Download: http://tiny.cc/l8pioz

Twitter: @hollie_guard

Instagram: hollieguard

Tuesday 6th May, there was an attempted break in around 3.15/3.30pm at Fairfield Court units, intruders were spotted and raced off.

There were 3/4 men wearing COVID face coverings in a blue estate car.

Have you seen any suspicious activity recently or you may have seen these men/vehicle? Please contact the police, tel. 101 or

https://www.westmercia.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/

Somebody has fly tipped in lay-by/access road by Farcroft/Fairfield Court. Did you see anything/suspicious activity? Do report to Bromsgrove District Council, tel. 01527 881188.

It’s here… The July newsletter http://bit.ly/OurNewsJuly2021 featuring the new SLING YOUR HOOK scams awareness campaign, a partnership with Deliveroo to train riders in community safety, discounts from Patlock, & a chance to win a fun-filled Croods 2 inspired family holiday.

Nominated Neighbour scheme is designed to deter cold callers and rogue traders and can help neighbours work together to give cold callers the cold shoulder.

A bright yellow Nominated Neighbour sticker, prominently displayed shows potential callers that their identity will be checked by a trusted neighbour and they will only been seen if accompanied by a known and trusted person. 

All it takes is a neighbour, family friend or family member to agree to be nominated and any callers will be directed to them for their identity to be verified.

The scheme makes it clear to any callers that their identity will be checked, deterring those callers who are not genuine.

The nominated neighbour scheme is funded by West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner to help reduce doorstep crime. It is free and delivered to homes by the North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership represented by Council Community Safety officers or your local police officers.

In addition to the Nominated Neighbour window sticker, a pack containing useful information on keeping safe is also provided as part of the scheme.

Further information and details of how to join the scheme can be made by  contacting Community Safety at Bromsgrove District Council by calling on 01527 534187 or email at community safety@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk

Just 15% of people have heard of a ‘ghost broker’.* Do you know what one is?
Have you ever heard of a ‘ghost broker’? No, we are not talking about things that go bump in the night – this is a lot scarier. ‘Ghost brokers’ are fraudsters who sell fake or invalid car insurance policies. Victims are sold fake insurance documents for a policy that does not exist, or for a genuine policy that has been set up using false details to lower the price of the premium.

How do ‘ghost brokers’ operate?
Fraudsters lure victims in with the offer of cheaper insurance premiums, usually via social media or by word-of-mouth. These individuals or groups pose as middlemen for well-known insurance companies, claiming they can offer you legitimate car insurance at a significantly cheaper price.

This type of fraud is typically carried out either by forging insurance documents, falsifying your details to bring the price down, or by taking out a genuine policy for you but cancelling it soon after.

Often, the victim is not aware that they have been scammed until they are involved in an accident and try to claim on the policy.

Who do ‘ghost brokers’ target?
‘Ghost brokers’ tend to target vulnerable communities, including members of non-English speaking communities who may not have full knowledge of UK insurance and laws, as well as young people looking for cheaper insurance deals.

Last year, Action Fraud received 694 reports of ‘ghost broking’, with almost a third (29%) coming from victims aged 17-29. The reported losses for these victims alone totalled £113,500, with each individual losing an average of £559.

Figures also indicate that over half (58%) of all reports in 2020 were submitted by men.

What could happen if I drive without valid insurance?
As policies sold by ‘ghost brokers’ are either invalid, non-existent or fraudulent, this means that the driver is technically uninsured, meaning that you could face:

• £300 fixed penalty notice
• Six points on driving licence
• Vehicle being seized and crushed

How can I protect myself from ‘ghost brokers’?
There are simple steps that you can take to spot the signs of these scams and avoid being taking for a ride by ‘ghost brokers’:

• ‘Ghost brokers’ often advertise and communicate via social media, online forums and messaging apps. If a broker is only using a mobile phone or email as a way of contact, this can be a sign of this type of crime. Fraudsters do not want to be traced after they have taken money from their victims.
• They may also try to sell insurance policies through print adverts in pubs, clubs or bars, newsagents
• If a deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is. If you are not sure about the broker, check on the Financial Conduct Authority or the British Insurance Brokers’ Association website for a list of all authorised insurance brokers. You can also contact the insurance company directly to verify the broker’s details. You can also check to see if a car appears to be insured on the Motor Insurance Database website.
• If you think that you have been a victim of a ghost broker, you can report your concerns to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.
• You can also contact the Insurance Fraud Bureau via its confidential Cheatline on 0800 422 0421 or on the IFB website.

West Mercia Police have launched Neighbourhood Matters, their brand new community messaging service!

Through Neighbourhood Matters you can sign up for local alerts, receive information about crime in your area, find out about police events and more.

Sign up now https://neighbourhoodmatters.co.uk