Page Index:

Local Police Drop-in Surgery
Policing Pledge
IPCC Press Release
Policing
Telephone scam
Bromley Neighbourhood Watch Association

Drop-in Surgery

Although the front desk of our local Police Office is no longer open to the general public, on certain days & times, you still have a chance to have your say about local policing issues.

Saturday 24^th July 3pm-5pm
Albemarle Road SNT office.

Thursday 29^th July 4pm-5pm
Hackington Est. Flat

Saturday 14^th August 3pm-5pm
Albemarle Road SNT office

Thursday 26^th August 4pm-5pm
Hackington Est. Flat

Saturday 4^th September 3pm-5pm
Albemarle Road SNT office

Thursday 23^rd September 4pm-5pm
Hackington Est. Flat

You can phone your local Police office for inquiries on 020 8721 2772 or by e-mail Coperscope. SNT@ met.police.uk

If a crime is actually underway or someone is in immediate danger ring 999.

For all non -emergency matters, call the information centre any time day or night, on 0300 123 1212

Policing Pledge

The policing pledge is a set of promises from the police to you about the services they will provide. All 43 police forces in England and Wales have agreed to keep those promises so the same set of promises apply wherever you are. Find out more about what that means to you.

Click here to view The Policing Pledge

Policing
by Roger Leach

What is going on? Since 1885 we had a police station in Beckenham, which then suddenly closed down in 2003. At the next Police Consultative Group meeting in Beckenham, including myself, we virtually went down on our bended knees to the then Bromley Police Commander, Chief Superintendent David Dillnutt, to reopen our police station. We were told this could only be done if volunteers came forward from the local community to run the front desk.

Under protest from some of us, this came about and we have to thank a number of local residents for all the hard work they did in this respect. In the summer of 2007 the police station was closed down again and the police office was opened in Albemarle Road, with a few of the volunteers still running the front desk. Over the next two years there were a number of complaints from residents about this police office. As I reported in our last newsletter, the front desk of this police office was closed down in September 2009.

About three years ago the Bromley Police Community Consultative Group, which operated very successfully for many years, changed its format to become the Bromley Community Engagement Forum. This group now covers a wide variety of Borough issues, but these meetings are always held in Bromley or Hayes and never in Beckenham.

Those of us who have been involved with the Neighbourhood Watch over the years have of course always been able to obtain some information from Bromley Neighbourhood Watch and their very good Watchword service. Early in 2009 this was suddenly stopped and we were told this was because of some massive computer foul up but it would be up and running again later in the year.

Then in November we were sent an e-mail saying ‘this will now unfortunately not be the case, as the Bromley Partnership now wishes to review bulletin content.’ Now when you phone Geoff Wright, the Borough Neighbourhood Watch Co-Ordinator, he tells you in a recorded message that he is on leave but not coming back to the post and giving you some other numbers to phone. Makes you think, does it not? Just what is going on?

However, there is still a local phone number for police inquiries, 020 8721 2772, but this is not for reporting crimes. Use 999 for that, but only if the crime is actually underway or someone is in immediate danger. For all non-emergency matters, call the information centre any day or time, on 0300 123 1212. Use it to report all anti-social incidents because they then should get into the crime statistics and could lead to the police targeting a certain area.

Over the last three years we have been made aware of a number of scams going on,
by letter, sometimes by phone and now by e-mail, usually asking for you to contact them because they need your help or your bank details to transfer large sums of money to this country, If you do this you will make a large amount of cash for yourself, but this must be done in confidence.

A number of these scams appear to be coming from Nigeria, Ghana and Canada. Various agencies have been trying to deal with these and they have had some success. But of course there are always more coming along. If you get anything like this coming to you, just delete these from your computer or please throw them straight into the bin. Do not under any circumstances follow these up in any way. I have spoken to the police and they get so many of these that they do not seem to want any information passed on to them. But of course if you are concerned you can always contact the information centre phone number above and speak to a police officer.

In October the Nat. West Bank was held up and robbed, but as the robbers’ car shot down the High Street and turned into Manor Road the police were ready and waiting. I understand four arrests were made.

P.C. Chris Higgins, who has been one of our local police officers for about five years, has now left the area to follow his career in a different branch of the police force. Good luck Chris and thanks for all the help you gave to the residents of Beckenham.

Neighbourhood Watch

If you are new to the area or like myself were born in Beckenham, have you ever thought of becoming more involved in our local community?

There are a number of Neighbourhood Watches in the Beckenham area, but we really need a lot more. You could always contact your local Neighbourhood Watch Co-Ordinator to help them out or even better, if you have not already got one, start up a watch in your local area.

Our watch, the Church Drive N.W. which covers The Drive, Church Avenue and The Crescent, has now been going for 20 years and covers 167 houses, but many watches are smaller then this, comprising about 30 houses or flats.

Starting up a watch means you can get together with your neighbours and the local police and help them to take action, which could help to cut crime.

Neighbourhood Watch is one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention initiatives ever and in the last few years, with the start of the local Safer Neighbourhood Police teams and panels, there are more chances for local groups to work together to deal with some of the problems.

If you feel you want to start up a Neighbourhood Watch or just find out more, you can phone The Bromley Neighbourhood Watch office and speak to the Co-Ordinator Geoff Wright 020 8721 4511.

If you just want to contact me about N.W. you can always e-mail me via this website: rogerleach@coperscope.org.uk

Remember, only call 999 if a crime is happening now or someone is in immediate danger, for all non-emergency matters always call the new information centre on 0300 123 1212. You can call this number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Use it to report all anti-social incidents, because they will then get into the crime statistics and could lead to the police targeting a certain area.

You can call our local Police office for inquiries 020 8721 2772, but if you need to hand in some documents, you will have to go to Bromley Police Station.

Please be aware of this BT telephone scam:

I received a call from a 'representative' of BT, informing me that he
was dis-connecting me because of an unpaid bill. He demanded payment
immediately of £31.00 , or it would be £ 118.00 to re-connect at a later
date.

The guy wasn't even fazed when I told him I was with Virgin Media,
allegedly VM have to pay BT a percentage for line rental!

I asked the guy's name - the very 'English' John Peacock with a very
'African' accent - & phone number - 0800 0800 152.

Obviously the fella realized I wasn't believing his story, so offered
to demonstrate that he was from BT. I asked how & he told me to hang up
& try phoning someone - he would dis-connect my phone to prevent this.

AND HE DID !! My phone was dead - no engaged tone, nothing - until he
phoned me again.

Very pleased with himself, he asked if that was enough proof that
he was with BT. I asked how the payment was to be made & he said credit
card, there & then.

I said that I didn't know how he'd done it, but I had absolutely no
intention of paying him , I didn't believe his name or that he worked
for BT.

He hung up.

Did 1471 & phoned his fictitious 0800 number - not recognised.


I phoned the police to let them know , I wasn't the first! It's only
just started apparently but it is escalating.


Their advice was to let as many people know by word of mouth of this
scam. The fact that the phone does go off would probably convince some
people it's real, so please let as many friends & family aware of this.

Real con job, don't get caught

This is good but not that clever. He gave the wrong number - it should
have been 0800 800 152 which takes you through to BT Business. The
cutting off of the line is very simple, he stays on the line with the
mute button on and you can't dial out - but he can hear you trying (This
is because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it).
When you stop trying he cuts off and immediately calls back. You could
almost be convinced! The sad thing is that it is so simple that it will
certainly fool the elderly and vulnerable.
By the way this is not about getting the cash as this would not get
past merchant services - it is all about getting the credit card details
which include the security number so that it can be used for far larger
purchases.

Cheers

Ian A Younger CFE, MABI, MICM
Certified Fraud Examiner
Specialist in Fraud and Commercial Investigation
Member of the Fraud Advisory Panel

(Ian Younger has given his permission to use his name)

From Bromley Neighbourhood Watch Association:

This is a further message from the Bromley Neighbourhood Watch Association regarding the Watchword service.

Please accept our apologies for further delays with the Watchword service.
At the end of August 2009, we wrote to all Watchword recipients apologising for the break in service, and saying that we hoped that Geoff Wright, Borough Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator, could resume Watchword communications in October.
This will unfortunately not be the case as the Safer Bromley Partnership now wishes to review bulletin content.
- If you have any thoughts on this, please let Geoff know at Geoff@BromleyNWA.org.uk

We are due to recieve further clarification on the matter by the end of this month, at which point we will endeavour to update you.

We would also like to thank all those who kindly responded with their updated email addresses and contact details, and apologise that these updates have not been able to be applied yet, but will be made as soon as possible.

Many thanks for your continued support and understanding.

Best wishes,

BROMLEY Neighbourhood Watch Association Executive
e: info@BromleyNWA.org.uk
w: www.BromleyNWA.org.uk

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