Local
Contact: Joan Pattison, Church Cottage
14 April 2011
I
would like
to make you all aware that we have experienced a spate of crime in
the
Coleford and Mells area in the last few days.
Overnight
11/12 April - Coleford
BEACON
VIEW & STOCKHILL COURT 3 x
vehicles were broken into - 2 in Beacon View
and 1 in Stockhill Court. The same night a garage was also
broken
into in the Stockhill area and tools stolen from within.
Overnight
12/13 April - Mells
SELWOOD
STREET 2
x sheds were broken into and property stolen from within .
Please
can
you remind all your members to take extra measures to secure their
sheds and
outbuildings and to leave vehicles secure, in particular do not leave
anything
on show inside. All the vehicles targeted in Coleford had
property on
view inside.
See
below for a crime reduction article called "sheducation" which
offers
a few useful hints on how to secure your shed/garage which I hope
members will
find useful.
If
anyone
has any information regarding these crimes or if you notice anything
suspicious, please report to Police on the general enquiry number
0845
4567000.
Kind
regards
SHEDUCATION
Burglary of Garden sheds and the theft of
gardening
equipment is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country –
Frome is no
exception - we are currently
experiencing a rise in this type of crime.
Make no mistake - YOUR property is at risk.
Here are a few simple steps you can take to
protect your
property.
1. Think about your outward security. If access
can be
gained to your rear garden via communal pathways, open land, roads then
extra
measures need to be taken to secure your storage areas - think gates,
fencing
and protective planting.
2. Lock all tools away, do not leave in insecure
greenhouses. Garden tools are often used to assist the burglar breaking
into
your home. A spade is a very good lever and can force locks or open
windows of
a house.
3. Fit a window grille or frosted window film to
your shed
to stop a thief seeing if you have anything worth stealing.
4. Mark your power tools and garden equipment with
your
postcode. Alternatively permanently mark
them by scratching or painting. This
will also reduce their value to a thief. Make a note of Serial and
model
numbers.
5. Chain together items such as pedal cycles and
lawnmowers
and secure to a solid structure.
6. Replace standard hinges with strap hinges
secured by coach
bolts or use security screws on existing hinges. To strengthen bolts
supplement
them with a metal backing plate so bolts cannot be wrenched through.
7. A Hasp and Staple fitted with a strong padlock
secured
with coach bolts is an effective way of securing a shed door. As above, strengthen bolts with a metal
backing plate so bolts cannot be wrenched through. Fit good, close
shackle
padlocks (enclosed in the box section if possible).
For more information on security visit our website
www.avonandsomerset.police.uk
or contact 0845 4567000
Yvonne MEARS
PCSO7744 Coleford Beat