Tuesday 20th March marks the first day of spring and with the days getting noticeably longer people are keen to get out and about.

As the weather heats up, opportunist thieves will start to look out for open windows, insecure sheds, gardening tools left out and new bikes purchased at Christmas.

If people don’t know you have a valuable bike or equipment in your shed, they are unlikely to put much effort into breaking in. Install as many security measures as possible. The harder you can make a thief work, and the longer it takes them to break in, the more likely they are to give up.

The Chiltern and South Bucks Community Safety Partnership are keen to help residents protect their property and offer these simple tips:

• If your shed has a window – cover it up / obscure the view or blank it out.
• Lock valuable items together to prevent them being removed easily.
• A security light fitted with a movement sensor can also be a deterrent.
• Toughen up the door hinges-choose one with a hinged cover for securing or take out the screws, replace the screws with nuts and bolts or security screws.
• Use a good quality padlock or mortice lock on the door of your shed.
• Consider using Bike Register www.bikeregister.com which is the UK’s leading online bicycle identification and registration initiative aiming to reduce cycle theft and used by every UK Police Force.
• Register your valuables at www.immobilise.com including photos and serial numbers and distinguishing features. Should your items get stolen, they may be identified by this information and returned to you if recovered.

As the “Beast from the East” makes its presence felt please do take a moment to think about any elderly or otherwise vulnerable neighbours you might have and check that they are ok.
If you’re out and about, remember to take warm clothes and some snack and drinks, as well as appropriate footwear – and a snow shovel if you have one.
And stay at home if you don’t need to be anywhere.
It is nearly Spring, honest…

South Bucks District Council and Chiltern District Council are actively promoting new and revitalised Neighbourhood Watch Schemes, especially in areas which have experienced incidents of recent burglary. Neighbourhood Watch is one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention initiatives.

Behind it lies a simple idea: Getting together with your neighbours to take action can cut local crime. Everyone knows that the police are there to fight crime, but they need your help to do an effective job. Neighbourhood Watch is all about an active partnership with the police and other agencies.
Neighbourhood Watch schemes can:

•  Cut crime and the opportunities for crime
• Help and reassure those who live in the area, especially those who are vulnerable.
• Encourage neighbourliness and closer communities.

Create a better place to live, work and play

Neighbourhood Watch is not just about reducing burglary figures – it’s about creating communities who care. It brings local people together and can make a real contribution to improving their lives. The activity of Watch members can foster a new community spirit and a belief in the community’s ability to
tackle problems. At the same time, you feel secure, knowing your neighbours watching out for you and your property.

What can Neighbourhood Watch schemes do?

These are the key steps to targeting and reducing crime and the fear of crime in an area. In consultation with your local police:

• Get a picture of local crime
• Conduct a ‘fear of crime’ survey
• Target crimes you can have a real impact on
• Identify the opportunities for crime
• Form an action plan to tackle the problem
• Block or reduce opportunities for the criminal.

If you are interested about getting involved in Neighbourhood Watch and live in the South Bucks District Council or Chiltern District Council areas then contact:
Community Safety on 01494 586535 or email communitysafety@chiltern.gov.uk
Follow us on twitter for community safety updates and crime prevention advice @csafetycdcsbdc

The ever-increasing popularity and sophistication of gardening has not
gone unnoticed by the criminal. Garden crime is a reality. According to
police statistics, the most likely items to be stolen are mowers, strimmers,
chain saws, hedge trimmers, garden furniture and plants.

Nature herself provides one of the best solutions to many garden crimes.
With careful thought and planning you can reduce the risk of becoming a
victim of garden crime, whilst at the same time creating an attractive
garden. For instance you can create an impenetrable hedge, which looks
far more attractive than security fencing but is just as effective.

Planting prickly shrubs around vulnerable windows can also serve as a
deterrent to the burglar. By careful planning you can produce a beautiful
garden and reduce the risk of being the next victim of garden crime.

Criminals do not like climbing through prickly plants and hedges. They
know that a small item of ripped clothing or blood can help the police
identify them. For a full list of defensive plants please visit: http://www.chiltern.gov.uk/homesecurity or
http://www.southbucks.gov.uk/homesecurity

You can also contact Chiltern District Council and South Bucks District Council’s Joint Community
Safety team on 01494 586535 and for further crime reduction advice you can visit:
https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/advice/ www.chiltern.gov.uk/crimereduction or
www.southbucks.gov.uk/crimereduction or follow us on Twitter @csafetycdcsbdc