Security in Clifton

Maggie Shapland
For litter, rubbish, fly-tipping, graffiti, vandalism, street drinking, drug dealers etc- all anti-social behaviour, ring 0845 605 2222.
Please remember that you can report illegal activities such as drink driving, drug dealing and suspicious behaviour anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you have information about any crime, phone the police on 0845 456 7000 or you can call anonymously to CRIMESTOPPERS 0800 555 111 or wendy.hull@avonandsomerset.police.uk

Chesterfield, Clifton Hill

27 Jan: We are extremely concerned that lead has been stripped from the roof of the former Chesterfield Hospital allowing rain to penetrate the interior. We have asked the Conservation Department to ensure that the owners, Nuffield Hospitals, take steps to protect the structure of this Grade II* listed building against further vandalism.

PACT meeting

The date for the next Clifton/Clifton East PACT meeting is to take place on Wednesday 21 Aprl 2010.

The meeting will be held at Clifton High School, College Road in the New Hall building between 1900 hrs and 2100hrs.

From April 2008, every community in England and Wales benefitted from a new approach to reducing crime and the fear of crime in our communities to build safer, stronger neighbourhoods.
We now have a dedicated Neighbourhood Team comprising police officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and Special Constables (volunteers). Clifton and Clifton East Neighbourhood Policing Teams are based at Redland Police Station Our Neighbourhood Team works closely with council services, key local agencies, volunteers such as Neighbourhood Watches, and the community itself to identify the issues and the best solutions that matter most to you.
This new approach called Partners and Communities Together (PACT) gives you the chance to meet the team and influence priorities in your neighbourhood.

Police re-organisation

Avon and Somerset Constabulary have re-aligned the police response on Bristol District to reflect the different needs of Neighbourhood Policing and response policing. Officers will now be split into either response teams, answering emergency calls and dealing with ongoing investigations or Neighbourhood Policing teams, working with communities and partners to find local solutions to local problems. CID teams, Community Safety units and a range of other roles based around the district will also remain.
Response teams will be based at four key locations around the city - Trinity Road , New Bridewell, Southmead and Broadbury Road Police Stations and will be responding to calls from their specific areas ensuring that all areas and all members of the public receive the best possible coverage and response to emergency calls.
Neighbourhood Teams, groups of police officers, police community support officers and special constables, will continue to work from all nine police stations across Bristol District, serving their neighbourhoods and increasing community contact.
The patrol plan put in place across the district will mean there are specific teams covering specific areas, rather than having every car crossing each others path several times a shift.

Redland Police Station

The Neighbourhood Policing Team will still be based at Redland PS. The team is made up of a Sgt + 5 PC's + 5 PCSO's. However response policing will be based from New Bridewell Police Station.

Water Supply check scam

Sept 09:There has been an increase in distraction burglaries across Bristol. The offender has been calling at homes supposedly on behalf of Bristol City Council to check the water supply. The male does have some form of Bristol City Council style ID badge which he will show. He is described as a white male aged in his 40's, approx 5'9" tall of broad build, smart dress wearing a shirt and tie. Please ensure that unless your members have an appointment for a Council worker to attend their house, to refuse admittance and call the Council. Please also ensure that they report any related incidents to the police on 0845 4567000, and ask for any calls to be tagged NHW.

Money for petrol scam

Aug 09:I wish to bring to your attention a probable scam which has been reported to PC Nick Shaw by several sources.
Over the last few weeks a man has approached people on the street, and in some cases traders in their shops as well , claiming his car has run out of petrol and he is short of cash. He then asks for money to buy petrol but interestingly enough he has used another unusual ploy. He states he has run out of petrol and hasn't quite got enough to buy the can to put the petrol in and is 90 pence short. Of course, people give him a £1 and tell him to keep the change. Now if you ask 25 people each day and most pay up ( which in all the reported cases I know of they do ) then you have got yourself a nice little earner.
Now he is either terribly unlucky to run out of petrol every day or he is a fraudster. I believe he is the latter. He is a white man in his late 20's, 5'11" tall and short cropped black hair. Should anyone know who he is Nick would appreciate a call on 0845 456 7000.

Sponsor scam

July 09:There was also another scam in the village but Nick has since identified the offender and nipped it in in the bud with that particular individual. A girl in her late teens was approaching people in Clifton village asking to be sponsored to run 3 miles round the Downs in aid of MacMillan Nurses. She produced an A4 piece of paper in a leather wallet with what looked like lots of names and sums on it as though she had collected a lot already. She would then ask for money up front to save her coming back and collecting it so she could hand it in sooner.

My advice is - never sponsor anybody in this fashion unless you personally know them or had them recommended. Ask the sponsor to show some documentation from the charity proving the event is taking place and never pay up front.

Squatters

Squatters are legally allowed to live in an empty property if entry is not forced and there is no criminal damage. One needs get court orders to boot out unwanted occupants. In March 09, this is what happened at Mortimer House. Fortunately they left peacefully, after holding a "weekend conference".
Warning- do not leave windows open if you have an empty property.
squatters

Paving fraud

February 2009: In recent months there has been an increase in reported fraud offences across Bristol. These are mainly associated with paving and driveway companies. There is also a large increase in leaflet drops and cold calling at locations throughout the force area asking if occupants wish to have work carried out on their driveways.
Please be aware of these companies and if you wish to have any work completed on your porperty, please use a reputable firm or take recommendations from friends and families.
If you do have any unexpected callers at your home, always put the chain on your door and ask for ID. If in doubt keep them out! Never invite them into your home.
If you encounter any problems please call 0845 4567000, ask for your call to be tagged NHW, and give as many details as possible especially if a vehicle is involved, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Distraction burgleries

Feb 09: We are experiencing a spate of distraction type burglaries where callers are stating they are from the Water Board or kitchen fitters and need to check water pressure. These males have forced their way into the properties and whilst one was checking the water in the kitchen with the owner, the other male was searching the house.
They are described as following:

1. White male early 20's wearing a pale grey patterned jumper and dark jeans.
2. White male early 20's wearing dark clothing, with curly dark hair.

A gold BMW vehicle may have been in the area at the time of the burglaries, and had dice or something similar hanging from the interior mirror.
If anyone has any information regarding these incidents, please call 0845 4567000, ask for your call to be tagged NHW and quote reference number BS9665 02022009 04.
Please ensure all your Watch members are made aware and do not allow anyone to enter there property without property ID and if in doubt do not let them in.

phishing fraud

Jan 09: This is a Police HQ message to all Ringmaster registered email recipients in Avon and Somerset This is a warning of a high number of fraud attempts (phishing) supposedly from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). The offer seems to be informing people that they are due a tax rebate. We have been asked to let you know that HMRC would not inform customers of a tax rebate via email, or invite them to complete an online form to receive a rebate of tax. Do not visit the website contained within any email or disclose any personal or payment information. We have been informed that the following email addresses used for this phishing include:
notify2@hrms.co.uk, refundtax@hmrc.gov.co.uk, TaxRefund@hmrc.gov.uk, service@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk, claims@hmrc.direct.gov.uk, notice@hmrc.gov.uk, hmrc@hmrc.gov.uk, admin@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk, info@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk, no-reply@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk
HMRC does not send out emails using these email addresses. The correct website to contact HMRC is shown below: www.hmrc.gov.uk

Burglaries

October 2008 We are experiencing an increase in burglaries across all areas of Bristol which are happening at all hours of the day and night. Entry is being gained by forcing windows or doors and in some cases by putting hands or implements through letter boxes and opening doors from inside. A variety of property is being stolen including jewellery, electrical equipment, mobile phones, cash and credit cards. Also vehicle keys are being taken and the vehicle stolen. Please pass on the following advice to your members:

Protect your letterbox possibly with a cage.
It is important to double lock your doors, particularly if your front door has a handle to lift to disable it being opened from outside.
Lock it with the key and keep your keys out of sight.
Don't leave vehicle keys downstairs.
Take your vehicle keys to bed with you overnight.

Peugeot thefts

October 2008: There has been a recent increase in motor vehicle crime across the district, in particular a rise in theft from Peugeot cars. Please be mindful if you have a Peugeot car to park in well lit areas and not to leave valuables on display. Various forms of entry have been used from bending the door frames back to smashing the windows.

selling cars

September 2008 Please warn friends, neighbours and anyone who might be selling cars that a male has come to police notice who is stealing cars using very plausible technique such as asking to test-drive vehicles on his own. Several cars have been stolen both from official motor traders and from individuals selling cars through their local press or websites. Please ask anyone with suspicions to report with as much information as possible to PC 3275 Jo Wright of the Bristol Vehicle Crime Team on 0845 4567000, and ask for your call to be tagged NHW.

Probation cold calls

July 2008: Although this scam has not yet been reported in our area, I have been asked to pass on this warning message as several areas across England and Wales have reported the following:
Individuals cold calling looking for a donations or to sell something as part of a rehabilitation scheme run by the Probation Service. The Probation Service does not run any such scheme. The individuals often call in the evening and say it is part of their probation work. We had reports of similar scams running in other parts of the country a few months ago and did receive complaints from Bath although nothing recently. Anyone approached with this story, should contact the police on 0845 4567000 and report it, remembering to quote Ringmaster message reference BN 8404 09.07.08 02 and to ask for you message to be tagged NHW.

Leaflets

July 08: There has been a leaflet drop in the area, advertising a 'Trusted Quality Cleaning Service for your Home' The leaflet did not state an address for the company, and only gave a freephone or mobile number, no landline contact number was given. Even the Website address leads to something which appears not to be a standard Website and does not give the address of the company.
A Trading Standards Officers advice is:

1] Don't deal with traders if you don't have the name of the owner, the geographic address or a landline number where they can be contacted - How will you contact them if there is a problem?
2] The website appears to be unobtainable - any trader website must, by law, carry a geographic address to enable customers to make contact.
3] Both phone numbers only offer answerphone messages
4] You are taking a great risk if you contract with any trader whose name and address you don't know, especially where the type of service they provide means they are likely to be in your home when you are out. How do you know you can trust them?

Upstairs burgleries

Could all resident please be aware of a burglary trend that may be arising in the Clifton area. Entry to premises is being gained though open windows above the ground floor. The offender is climbing up the outside of the building and then shuffling across to open windows to gain entry. This has been overnight and people have been in the buildings at the time of the offence. With the warmer weather I realise it is hard to keep windows closed but please keep this in mind. Please call in any suspicious incidents through the usual channels - 999 if you think that a crime is taking place, is about to take place or has just taken place, otherwise call 0845 4567000. Please always remember to ask for calls to be tagged NHW.

Fraudulent Male

4 Jan 08
This offender has previously been quite prolific. Two deceptions have been reported to the Police so far this week. Should the offender call on you please ring 999 immediately he leaves, if possible giving his direction of travel.
The first offence ccurred on Wednesday morning 2nd January at around 11am in Oakfield Road, Clifton and the second yesterday Thursday 3rd January at around 7.30pm in Belgrave Road. From previous experience the same method / story is always used with only slight variations. In recent incidents a male knocked on the occupants door, saying he was Mr Hussain and stated that he had recently moved into a house three doors up. He asked to borrow an extension cable. When the occupants produced one he stated that it was not right / not high enough voltage and could he just borrow a few pounds to charge his electric card. He claimed to be asthmatic and was using an inhaler. He said he had money in his house in a safe and needed to have electricity to open the safe. He stated that he would return in a few minutes to repay the money borrowed once he had opened his safe.
This method of attempting to gain money has been used by this individual several times before. Last year a male was arrested and charged with multiple accounts of this in the Cotham and High Kingsdown area. The previous year he was arrested for the same type of offences in the Horfield and Ashley Down areas.
The male committing the recent deception in Clifton matches the description of the male previously arrested. He is known to knock on doors at all times of the day and night.
The male is described as being of Asian / Indian appearance and 30/45 years of age, of average build with dark brown hair. In the first incident he was dressed in a suit and in the most recent he was wearing a striped neutral coloured woollen cap, a jacket with a horizontal stripe on the back and dark coloured trousers. On both occasions he was wearing glasses, described as having rectangular dark metal frames with a slightly tinted lense. He told one occupant that he owns the curry house in Westbury village.

Credit card scam

13th December 2007
Numerous people have e-mailed the Neighbourhood Watch coordinator regarding a credit card scam which is circulating. It is possible for a scam such as this to take place, but it is unconfirmed therefore unknown whether it has actually occurred. It does however confirm how important it is to shred all banking type documents.
A call is received purporting to be from the Security & Fraud Dept. of Visa or MasterCard stating that your # card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern which they need to verify. They then quote a sum of money around £500 drawn on your Visa card issued by, they then quote the name of your bank, paid to a company and ask you to confirm that this is a purchase which you have made. You of course say no. They state that a credit will be issued to your account before your next statement is sent. Then they read out your address and ask if that is correct and state that a fraud investigation will now be started and should you need to refer to this at any time you will need to quote a Control Number. They then give you a 6 digit number and suggest that if you have further questions you should call the 0800 number on the reverse of your card and ask for Security.
The important bit comes next. They state that they need to verify that you are still in possession of your card, so ask you to turn your card over and tell them the last three numbers on the strip on the back of the card which are sometimes asked for when making purchases over the phone or internet. This you do and they state - that is correct.
This is the last bit of information the caller needs to access your money. Within a very short time a purchase will be made on your account. Remember, in all this time you have said very little and they had at no point asked for your card number - they already had it. Please remember to protect all your personal details and NEVER give out any banking information over the phone, however legitimate the caller may appear.

Burglaries

Wednesday 31st October 2007. There have been a number of reports from residents in North Bristol who have had children around 8/10 years old call at their door, sometimes alone or other times accompanied by a friend or on occasions an adult. They knock on the door and use an excuse to get inside the house. When most people think of a bogus caller it tends to be of someone posing as a water board official or a builder but not normally a child, but children are also committing these offences. They are picking on vulnerable and elderly people, who are more likely to believe them and offer various excuses to gain entry to the property. Some say they need a drink of water or they need to use the toilet whereas others say they've kicked their ball in to the garden or lost a kitten. Once inside the house the children are stealing cash, jewellery and credit cards. The Police advice is to be more suspicious than usual if a child turns up on the door with a seemingly innocent request, and to to use the doorstep code - 'Stop, Chain, Check' - when answering the door to strangers. If you live next door to an elderly person or have elderly relatives, please warn them of these dangers as they are most at risk. Remind them they should always keep strangers out - even children.
Monday 22nd October: This has been confirmed by Royal Mail. The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the following scam which has raise it's head at this time of year for the past couple of years: A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a premium rate number). You are advised NOT to call this number, as this is a mail scam originating from Belize. If you call the number and listen to the recorded message you will be being charged at premium rates. If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 02072396655 or ICSTIS (the premium rate service regulator) at www.icstis.org.uk www.icstis.org.uk
27 March 2007: There have been several reported incidents of an Asian man calling on properties in the Redland and Clifton areas. The story almost word for word each time goes: He calls at a house, usually but not always at around 9.00pm. He says he is a neighbour and that he has no electricity. He asks if he can borrow a long extension lead so that he can get electricity from the house next door. He often mentions that he's spoken to a neighbour who he names, which adds weight to his claim that he is a legitimate neighbour. In previous incidents, when the householders have either found an extension lead or said they didn't have one, he asks for money to charge up his electricity key or card. He says he has no money on him because it's all in his electric safe that he can't open because there's no power! He asks if he can borrow a few pounds, then goes on to say he want more, saying that he will return the money when he has opened his safe, which of course never happens. The male is described as: Asian, in his late 30s/early 40s, approx 6ft tall, of slim build with thinning dark hair. He looks remarkably like Salman Rushdie. Sometimes he wears a beanie hat, and sometimes gold rimmed glasses. This is an exact copy of a series of incidents which took place precisely a year ago in and around the Wellington Hill area of Horfield, and the description of the offender is almost identical to last years incidents.
Wednesday 7th February 2007 by Wendy Hull, NW Administrator at Newfoundland Road.
Could all residents please be aware of an increase in residential burglaries in the Clifton area. The most common form of entry has been by forcing or slipping a single front door lock. The times that these thefts are occurring are predominantly overnight. I would urge all residents to use second locks or dead locks on front and back doors and where applicable set alarms and check that security lights are in full working order.

Fireworks

Current legislation regarding fireworks. It is against the law for:

Anyone under 18 to possess a firework
To let off fireworks between 2300 and 0700 ( except Nov 5 when fireworks can be let off until midnight)
To cast down or throw a firework in a public place.

Should any of these rules be broken please make a report to 0845 456 7000, as failure to comply is dealt with by a £80 fixed penalty. Please advise callers to try and give us the best location possible when reporting in, so that we have a better possibility of locating the offenders.

Wheel thefts

On Thursday 28th Sept 2006, a BMW M3 Sports Cabriolet had the frontwheel nuts removed from one wheel in a botched theft in Canynge Road. The driver did not notice until the wheel nearly came off the vehicle. The car had been targeted for the valuable alloy wheels and only the one remaining locking nut saved the driver from possible serious consequences as the wheel began to loosen.
Please advise anyone with a BMW, Mercedes, Porsche or other luxury vehicle with alloy wheels to fit two wheel-locking nuts, put on diagonally to each other rather than side by side and to check around their vehicles before driving them. A gang is working in the Clifton area, mostly after dark, so please be extra vigilant and report sighting of suspicious activity on 08454567000, remembering to ask for your call to be tagged Neighbourhood Watch.

Tree Felling scam

August 2006: There is a growing problem regarding people cold calling for tree felling across the Redland sector. The way the scam works is that someone knocks on the door stating that a tree on the property needs cutting. They offer a low price for that tree and then whilst doing the work they also cut another tree. The occupants are then asked for a sum going into hundreds of pounds. In some cases the callers become aggressive when asking for the additional money. I would advise anyone requiring work on trees to use a known company. Do not be lured into the prospect of a 'quick, cheap job'. Ask around if someone else has had work done and if the work was satisfactory and follow their guidance.

Crime

To report a crime rung Avon and Somerset Police Tel: 0845 456 7000.
If you have any information which may help officers dealing with these crimes please contact the police on 0845 456 7000, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU REMEMBER TO ASK FOR THE CALL TO BE TAGGED ‘NHW' (NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH) and quote Ringmaster message number BU 099 of 010705. Alternatively you could contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A presentation on ID theft is now be found on the force Avon and Somerset Police website - follow links through Community Safety to Neighbourhood Watch and the Scheme Members page where you will find the presentation. No password is needed. The most important facts to remember are to dispose of any personal documents with care and not to respond to any unsolicited requests for information about your passwords or account details.
Commonly referred to as phishing, emails are also sent by fraudsters in an attempt to collect sensitive personal or financial information from the recipients. Fraud prevention specialists are working 24/7 to help protect you and enable the community to stay safe.
Log in to your account only from the website. Do not use links provided in any email. Forward any suspicious email asking you to check your account to the appropriate address given on the official website eg spoof@paypal.com to help them catch the fraudster.
If your bag of rubbish left out over night is stolen, as mine was last Friday, do not bother ringing the police. You will just get a lecture about not using a dustbin, and be told that the police have no time to make a note. Fat chance of getting any help if someone subsequently tries to steal my identity, or perhaps someone was trying to find the latest letters written to the Council! Do shred your utility bills and bank stuff.

Security

Inspector Tarrant looks after the policing of Clifton. Tel: 0117 9454403. She is based at Redland Police Station and has started to hold regular clinics in Clifton Library.

Nick Shaw is our community policeman with phone number 9454453.
Neighbourhood Watch for North Bristol Area Administrator - Wendy Hull, Newfoundland Road Police Station , 83 Newfoundland Road , Bristol BS2 9LU
Tel: 0117 9529738
Mob: 07825 531153
E-mail: wendy.hull@avonandsomerset.police.uk

Mark your property with a security pen. Write your postcode followed by your house number. This will not damage your property and once dry is invisible to the naked eye.
Keep a note of all of your serial numbers (a good idea is to keep a list / photos with your house insurance documents)
Take photos of unusual items
Mark anything that is worth stealing including individual CD's / DVD's / computer games.
Last summer, residents were amazed to see dog vans and other vehicles in Princess Buildings, when Millwall football supporters decided to have a drink at the White Lion. We are glad the police averted social disorder, but I have never seen such a heavy police presence in Clifton before
Peak times for offences are wide, but evening through to the early hours have been highlighted. Entry methods vary, but slipping the latch is often used. This can be done by using a piece of plastic, sometimes cut from a plastic bottle to form a loop, reaching in through the letterbox, placing the loop around the door latch and pulling it down to open the door. In some cases, plastic can also be forced between the door frame and the door, in the area of a Yale type lock, to push the latch open.
residents must ensure that their house security is adequate, to deadlock doors where possible or use a mortice lock. Leave lights on when out and a radio on, preferably tuned to a talk channel. Please help yourself to keep your property safe.
Peak times for vehicle theft are 9pm - 6am. Where possible, do try to park your car off of the street, and do remember to remove all items from the vehicle. Remember, residents leaving items in their vehicles are attracting criminals to your area.
A third of all burglaries happen because a door or window has been left open. If you're in a private home or flat, lock up whenever you go out - with deadbolts if you have them.
Make sure everyone in the flat/house knows when the property is going to be empty and ensure that the house is well secured during this period. Perhaps speak to a neighbour and ask them to keep an eye on the property whilst you are away. Ensure the last person who leaves for Christmas double-checks all the locks and windows.
Ask your landlord to fit deadlocks to all outside doors - burglars hate them because you need a key to open them from the inside as well as the outside. And ask them to put key operated locks on all downstairs or accessible windows - burglars don't like having to smash windows because of the noise and the danger of cutting themselves.
Lock up goods in your garden - including ladders, tools and bikes - not only are these are at risk from being stolen, but burglars can also use them to break in.
If you live in a flat, be careful who you let in - or who follows you into the building. Lock your bedroom door even if you are only going down the corridor.
Be careful about putting your name against each bell on a multi-occupancy flat. A recent scam has been for a burglar to note the names, and tailgate by saying they were visiting one of those names.

Useful links

Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter,
new and only official National Neighbourhood and Home Watch website
BBC web page on Anti-Social behaviour
Network of Residents' Association (includes section on anti-social behaviour)
Bristol City Council My Neighbourhood information Community safety; Begging campaign; Cleaning our streets; Pest control; Dog wardens services; Pollution control; Gypsies and travellers; Abandoned Vehicle on-line reporting; Street Light Faults on-line reporting
Avon and Somerset Police website Neighbourhood Watch for North Bristol Area Administrator - Wendy Hull, Southmead Police Station, Southmead, Bristol BS10 5DW. Tel: 0117 945 4545

Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society (CHIS)