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Police Home Security leaflet
- please click
here to download the leaflet
Over the last 18 months we have
sent out three warnings about a scam that
is providing criminals with a steady income. We are constantly
being challenged by new technology and happily accept help
if it is offered - resetting our central heating clock, retuning
the telly, using a smart-phone, and overcoming perceived problems
with a computer. The following is a case study of an incident
yesterday in our local community.
A telephone call was received from a well-spoken gentleman
claiming to be from 'Microsoft Technical Support', and after
a convincing pre-amble about the "problem" the householder
agreed to allow them to 'check for errors on his computer
system'. An email was then sent with the instruction to click
on the link supposedly for Microsoft.
Having taken control of his PC, they displayed a log file
(which they themselves had most likely just put on the machine)
purportedly showing innumerable 'errors' and 'security violations'.
They then convinced him to let them install two 'Lifetime
Security Packages' for a one-off fee of £40 - and obtained
his bank details (Debit card number, account number, sort-code)
to make the payment.
The next thing the householder knew about it was a call from
his Bank (Lloyds) asking him to confirm several payments of
increasing value - which he was fortunate enough to be able
to stop and to cancel his cards. It also transpired that they
had set up PayPal account - which again he eventually managed
to cancel once he contacted their support in Dublin.
He also noticed that they were attempting to use the access
to his PC to set up a Western Union Money Transfer - which
would have allowed them to make untraceable transfers of cash
to obscure places around the world via back-street travel
agents etc.
Had it not been for the Lloyds security system this story
would have had a different outcome. By handing over the control
of the computer the criminal was able to take the householders
identity and respond to the email checks that follow cash
transactions/account openings.
We do get circulated hoax messages but this activity is a
live SCAM. Our computers are secure, providing we have an
effective firewall, and that we do not allow on-line access
to our computers.
Keep safe
Mick Jones
West Mercia Police
NBHW Co-ordinator
Tel No 0300 333 3000 ext 5717
Microsoft themselves have useful advice on the subject:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/online-privacy/avoid-phone-scams.aspx
Protect Your Property
As your farm buildings will be used to store expensive items,
they need to be secure:
Invest in an alarm and display signs to let intruders know
that an alarm is in operation.
Consider CCTV
Fit high quality locks and keep doors locked when not in
use.
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Security Marking
Items that have been security marked are harder to sell on,
making them less attractive to burglars. It will also help
the police to return them to you if they are found. You can
mark property in the following ways:
Permanent marking
- using an engraving tool and a stencil.
Invisible marking
- using an ultra violet (UV) pen to write on your details.
Forensic marking
- using DNA technology to mark property with a special code
which is unique to the owner.
We also recommend that you take photographs of valuable items
and keep them alongside a record of any serial numbers or
markings and a description.
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Suspicious
Activity
Many rural communities operate a Rural Watch or Neighbourhood
Watch scheme, which enables them to share information about
local crime quickly and efficiently. Visit our website to
find out about schemes in your area.
If you come across someone acting suspiciously, make a note
of their description and vehicle registration and report it
to the police. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
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Rural Security
West Mercia is a safe place to live and Crime levels remain
low. However, isolated properties, farm buildings and agricultural
machinery can be attractive to thieves so it’s important
to take some simple steps to keep them safe and secure. Read
on to find out more.
Vehicles, Machinery and Tools
Make sure you:
Remove the keys and valuable equipment from vehicles and
machinery when they are not in use.
Lock tools away when they are not being used. As well as
being stolen, they could be used to gain access to surrounding
buildings.
Avoid keeping vehicles, machinery, tools and diesel tanks
in visible or isolated locations.
Boundaries
Strong boundaries to your property and land will help to
keep livestock in and criminals out. Our advice is to:
Install a gate at the public entrance to your property, ensuring
that it can’t be lifted off the hinges. Good quality
shackled padlocks can provide additional security.
Check fences and hedges to identify points that could provide
access to unwanted visitors and secure as necessary. Thorn
hedges and deep ditches are particularly effective.
Make sure you are alerted to any visitors. Install security
lighting around yards, outbuildings and isolated locations
and consider building and perimeter alarms.
Use temporary obstructions to block gates that are not being
used for a period of time, or to control large openings. Remove
all gates and entrances that you no longer use.
Livestock
Livestock is a valuable asset, so it’s important to:
Make regular checks of the fences and hedges in fields where
animals are kept.
Use a marking or tagging system so your animals can be easily
identified.
Take photographs of animals that are particularly valuable
or attractive to criminals.
Rural Arson
Be aware of any potential arson locations and try to:
Remove hay and straw from fields as soon as possible after
harvesting. It should be stored separately from other buildings
(particularly those housing fuel, agrochemicals and machinery)
and in stacks of reasonable size, spaced at least 10 metres
apart.
Store fuels, such as petrol and diesel, fertilisers and pesticides
in secure areas and use padlocks for storage tanks.
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Catalytic Converter Theft
West Mercia is a low crime area and we are committed to reducing
crime even further. There has however been a recent increase
in the theft of catalytic converters from vehicles due to
an increase in the value of the precious metals they contain.
Thieves tend to target vehicles such as vans and 4x4s that
have a bigger gap between the ground and the underside of
the vehicle, making the converters more easily accessible.
There are steps you can take to reduce the chances of your
vehicle being targeted:
Garage your vehicle if at all possible
If you don’t have a garage, park in a well lit, populated
area
Install motion activated lighting if your car is parked
on a driveway
Security mark your catalytic converter
Keep an eye out and make a note overleaf of anything you
consider suspicious.
Communities play an active role in the fight against crime
by providing us with valuable information about what is happening
in their area.
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Renovating? Empty house or business? Don’t
let thieves get their hands on your copper!
Metals such as copper and lead are valuable and a
tempting target for thieves. With thefts on the rise, take
precautions to protect your empty property.
Keeping An Eye Out
¦ Ask
neighbours to keep an eye on your property.
¦ Tell
them who your contractors are and when they are due to be
on site.
¦ Urge
them to report any suspicious persons or vehicles to the police.
Security Measures
¦ Ensure
sturdy, high quality locks are fitted to all doors and windows.
¦ Install an
alarm and/or security lighting.
¦ If possible,
do not store metal items on site.
¦ Security
mark any metal with a UV product that will identify it as
yours if stolen.
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Don't give thieves 'shedloads' of opportunities!
Most sheds are not strong enough or secure enough to withstand
a determined effort to break into them.
Don't provide easy pickings for thieves by leaving items
such as strimmers, mowers or your favourite spade or fork
in your shed.
Put this sign up to let people know that all valuables have
been removed.
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Heating & Diesel Oil Security
Defensive planting
Defensive planting is nature’s way of helping to reduce
crime. Thieves will not want to force their way through or
over a prickly hedge. The smallest trace of blood or shred
of ripped clothing could help the police identify the offender.
West Mercia Police has produced a ‘Nip Garden Crime
in the Bud’ leaflet which gives more information about
defensive planting and a list of shrubs suitable for this
purpose. These shrubs can, if planted around your tank, provide
an effective and decorative thief proof barrier. To obtain
a copy, contact your local crime risk manager or download
it from the Advice Centre on the force website.
Securing your oil tank
Following on from the defensive planting tactic, fences and
walls can also make life difficult for thieves. A wooden or
metal fence, wall or trellis can give significant protection
to the tank but remember that the oil tanker driver needs
access to fill the tank! The wall or fence should be as close
to the tank and as high as possible. A metal grill or cage
with a lockable access point across the top of this wall or
fence can further improve security. Don’t forget, a
trellis can be decorated with defensive planting. Oil tank
security products, such as metal enclosures, could also be
used to increase security. They often cost less than one tank
full of oil and will last for many years.
Closed circuit television
The use of CCTV as a crime prevention and a crime detection
tool has grown massively in recent years. It could play a
part in the protection of oil tanks but before you spend lots
of money on equipment make an assessment of your needs.
Ask yourself:
1 What do I hope to achieve by using CCTV?
2 How much am I prepared to spend?
3 Is there a reasonable level of light where the cameras
will be operating or do I need to think about using cameras
with low light capability?
(Most thefts take place at night).
4 What am I going to record the captured images on? Digital
recording is best.
5 How am I going to provide the police with any evidence
I may capture?
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Heating &
Diesel Oil Theft
Theft of heating and diesel oil has been a problem
for many years and this crime often increases whenever the
price of crude oil rises. A rise in the price of fuel at the
petrol pump inevitably leads to a rise in the cost of heating
oil. This makes oil a more attractive proposition for thieves
and they are now actively targeting fuel tanks at farms, transport
depots and domestic properties. The thief may be using the
oil for their own central heating or selling it on at a handsome
profit.
These tanks can contain thousands of pounds worth
of oil and it therefore makes good sense to take a few precautions
to protect them. The purpose of this leaflet is to give you
a few ideas about what can be done to make life more difficult
for thieves.
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Control switches
Control switches that control the flow of oil should be turned
off and the electricity supply isolated when the tank is not
in use.
Padlocks
A thief will usually come equipped with a limited range of
tools to attack your tank so it’s worth spending a little
more on good quality locks.
Close shackle padlocks are the best as they offer most resistance
to the most popular of burglar tools: the bolt cropper! It
is advisable to use a padlock on a surrounding cage or fence,
rather than on the tank itself. There have been occasions
where tanks have been drilled by thieves, so a cage or fence
provides an extra level of defence (see the ‘Securing
your oil tank’ section for more details).
Oil level gauges
Remote electronic oil level gauges are now available which
will set off an audible alarm if the oil level in the tank
suddenly drops or falls below a quarter full. These gauges
can be located in the kitchen, or perhaps a utility room to
warn of any potential problem.
Security lights
Security lights can have a very positive effect and make
any property a much harder target for thieves. It’s
not always necessary to floodlight the area with high power
beams, as a more subtle level of lighting may be all that
is needed. Low energy ‘dusk ‘til dawn’ lights
positioned close to the tank should, in most cases, provide
sufficient light to illuminate any suspicious activity. This
type of light can be both effective and inexpensive. High
powered lights can be used but care should be taken not to
cause any nuisance to neighbours or road users.
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Other matters
Current Activities: Your local police team are engaged on
regular multi agency vehicle checks which take place a the
truck stop, Prees Heath. These involve police from West Mercia,
Cheshire and Staffordshire as well as outside agencies: VOSA,
Trading Standards, Her Majestys Customs & Excise, Smartwater,
Shropshire Council benefits fraud agency. These have born
good fruit with vehicles impounded for no insurance, fines
for red diesel, countless vehicle defects dealt with by VOSA,
known criminals targetted and searched as well as known 'rogue
traders' targetted by trading strandards. These checks will
continue to be carried out as will night time checks under
the name of Operation Vulture, targetting cross border travelling
criminals.
We are also involved in youth diversion projects including
fishing and football activities diverting potential young
offenders. This work targets identified 'at risk' youngsters.
School Parking:
We often get complaints about vehicle being inconsiderately
parked outside schools on the yellow 'zi zag' clearway markings.
Clear Kerb - Clear Conscience
Parking restrictions outside schools are there for the safety
of pupils, pedestrians and staff – not for the drivers’
convenience.
Three things you should know about zig–zag lines outside
schools:
FACT – It is illegal to park or stop
outside schools
FACT – If you position your vehicle
on the yellow zig-zag lines, you face a £30 Penalty
Charge Notice
FACT – Your vehicle may be impounded
and will cost a further £150 to retrieve.
Police Surgeries
We currently hold a police surgery every 2nd Wednesday at
the livestock Market between 10am and 12 noon. Please, come
along and chat to us about whatever is concerning you, pick
up some advice and information about a host of crime prevention
matters.
In the near future, we will be staging a mobile road show
around the area, to give you a chance to come and see us and
voice your concerns. Watch this space for dates and venues!
Finally: Please be alert for suspicious persons or vehicles
in your area. Feel free to report anything you're not happy
with and don't worry if this turns out to be genuine. We'd
rather be told about something that turns out to be genuine
than deal with a crime after the event.
Further police reports will be posted onto this website so
please keep checking back.
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Contacts
PC Mick Sturland
CSO Sharon Creber
CSO Mike Ellis
Tel: 0300 333 3000 ( non emergency )
07792 774 058
marketdraytonruralnorthlpt@westmercia.pnn.police.uk
www.westmercia.police.uk
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