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If in doubt keep them out
FOLLOWING a series of burglaries when thieves posing as officials have made their way into people’s homes, police have issued the fresh warning, ‘IF IN DOUBT, KEEP THEM OUT’
A Cheshire police spokesperson said: “This type of crime is despicable; victims of distraction burglary can suffer terribly both emotionally and physically and it can seriously affect their trust and faith in people afterwards.
“I would urge residents to be extra vigilante when answering the door to strangers no matter who they say they are. People should always ask to see identification before letting anyone into their home and should not be worried about offending them.
A genuine caller should not have any problem producing their ID.
“Residents should also make use of door chains if they have them, make a call to the organisation the caller claims to be from to double-check who they are, and if you are still in doubt, ask them to come back another time when you have someone else with you.”
“It is vital people remember to check the identity of any stranger who calls at their home, genuine callers will not mind waiting. Help and support is available from the police, local authorities, and utility companies so please make sure you use it.”
“I would also ask that people keep an eye on who is visiting or knocking of the doors of their elderly or vulnerable neighbours.”
Many people who call at your door are genuine but some are not. Therefore it is vital to take precautions when people call at your home:
· Always make sure visitors to your home are who they say they are by asking to see their identification.
· Do not let people into your property that you do not know. These type of people may pretend to be an official or may just ask for a drink of water or if they can use the toilet. Remember ‘if in doubt, keep them out’.
· Remember to close and lock the back door before answering the front door.
· The best defence against a bogus caller is to have a viewer or spy hole and a stout door chain fitted to your door.
· If the caller claims to be from the electricity, gas or water company, ask them to quote your customer reference number.
· A genuine caller from these utility companies should be able to quote these numbers.
· If you’re not sure who is at your door, don’t open it.
· Check the identity of the caller by calling the company they are purporting to be from i.e. Police, Council or Gas, Electricity, Water companies.
· Use the telephone numbers listed in your local directory or provided independently by your service provider.
· Do not use any telephone numbers provided by the caller, as they may be bogus.
Many utility service providers like gas, electricity and water, provide password schemes for customers, sign up to these.
· When unannounced callers claiming to be from these utility providers call at your door they should know the password if they are genuine.
· ‘Water Boards’ no longer exist, it is an obsolete phrase used only by bogus callers.
· Don’t keep large quantities of cash at home, put it in the bank where it is safe.
· Ensure that if you do let somebody in to your home, that you close the door behind them - distraction burglars often work in teams, where one will distract you whilst others sneak in through the insecure door.
· If somebody asks for your help (i.e. needs to make a telephone call, lost a ball in your garden, needs a drink or pen and paper) refer them to a younger neighbour or assist them through a closed door or call a friend or neighbour to come and help.
Police are urging residents to contact the police if they think a bogus caller has deceived them, don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed - these offenders are convincing liars and anyone can be misled.
Help make sure no one else becomes a victim by telling the police about what happened to you. We can only catch bogus callers with your information.
For further crime reduction advice about bogus officials, please telephone your local Police. The number will be in the phone book and ask to speak to your local Crime Reduction Officers.
Anyone who has information about this kind of burglary is urged to contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Secure your home over the summer
Police are advising residents to keep their homes secure during the warm weather.
During the last two weeks while temperatures have risen and the weather has improved, there has been an increase in burglaries in the area which, police said are the result of household insecurities.
Police have increased both uniform and plain clothes patrols in hot spot areas at key times and are urging residents to make sure doors and windows are locked.
A police spokesperson in Cheshire advised, “We have had a number of incidents where thieves have gained access to homes because they haven’t been locked and personal property has been stolen. Our advice is to keep your home secure, whether you are going out or not. If you are leaving it unattended, use a timer alongside a light or radio to give the impression someone is home. If you are going on holiday, ask a trusted neighbour to check your property as well as open and close curtains in the morning and evening respectively.”
Police also advised that people need to make sure they are putting vehicle keys somewhere secure and locking front doors.
“We don’t want to make people scared in their own homes because the simplest of things could prevent it from happening.”
Offenders have been gaining access through unlocked doors, open windows and taking keys when they are on display or easily accessible to thieves.
Latest crime figures - not all good news
Whilst the latest crime figures for 2008/9 suggest violent crime had reduced and the overall number of crimes reported remained stabled compared to 2007/8, there is an alarming rise in the number of burglaries up 1%, bag snatches up 25% and shoplifting up 10%.
Personal safety and safety awarness should be in the forefront of people’s minds, shop keepers should be vigilant and home owners taking home security seriously, don’t make yourself or your business an easy target.
Downsize your oversize!
From recent press articles, it would appear that the latest fashion for oversize handbags is the latest target for street robberies, these bags full of personal information is a real prize for the criminal element. What can you do to protect yourself?
Downsize your bag and the amount of information you carry, what do you really need to carry about your person?
If you really need that oversize bag, carry the bag in front of you and if you are with someone, then make sure the bag is between you.
Health & Safety crackdown
A new health and safety law due to come into force on January 16th 2009 will give courts greater power to punish directors of companies which breach the rules. The Health and Safety Offences Act, which will be introduced on friday 16th will make imprisonment an option for many offences. It would effectively mean that Directors could be treated as criminals by the courts. The Act raises the maximum penalties which lower courts can impose from £5,000 to £20,000. It also increases the range of offences for which an individual may be imprisoned and makes certain offences, which are currently only triable in the lower courts, triable in both lower and higher courts. What was once considered a breach of regulations could in future become a criminal matter.
The message is that Directors and senior managers can no longer afford to be lax about health and safety. They need to take a systematic approach, ensure risk assessments are carried out and proper procedures and training are in place to minimise risks and help protect their staff and the public at large.
Security Alert As Fraudsters Target Taxpayers
Thursday January 8 2009
Small business owners and the self-employed are being sent fake email messages stating they are owed a tax rebate and asking for bank or credit card details so the money can be refunded. Alternatively, they are asked to call a phone line to leave their details. The line appears to keep ringing even though callers are being charged up to £6 a minute. Revenue and Customs chief executive Lesley Strathie said: ‘This is the most sophisticated and prolific phishing scam that we have encountered. The messages are being sent out as the January 31 deadline nears for self-assessment forms and when many taxpayers will be due a rebate. HMRC said that concerned taxpayers were forwarding 500 of these e-mails to the authorities a day. The messages include the HMRC logo and are sent from such addresses as refundtax@hmrc.gov.co.uk and taxrefund@hmrc.gov.uk
Ms Strathie said: ‘We only ever contact customers who are due a refund in writing by post. We never use e-mails, telephone calls or external companies in these circumstances.
A spokesman for computer security company Sophos said: ‘It’s a trick that works. People are all too willing to enter their details on to websites without thinking twice.’ He advised the public to type in the web address of a site they wanted to visit rather than clicking on links in unsolicited e-mails. ‘Its the most prolific scam we’ve seen’.
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