Neighbourhood Watch encourages people to join to deter crime

By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter

There are calls for people to help deter crime by getting involved with their local neighbourhood watch.

Those behind the country’s largest volunteer-led crime prevention charity say it often suffers from the “somewhat unfair” stereotype of being an “association of curtain twitchers and neighbourhood busybodies”.

But the scheme, which was founded in England more than 40 years ago, is proven to deter burglaries and thefts, they say.

“The aim of Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) was, and is, to reduce the fear of crime and make people feel safe,” a Gloucestershire NHW spokesperson said.

“This was achieved by neighbours talking to each other and keeping each other informed about what was going on in the neighbourhood and worked very well for many years.”

They say today’s society is different from the 1980s.

Online scams, cold callers, rogue traders and email hacks have increased and are a growing feature of crime around the county.

“Both parties in a household work full time very often, people are busy, there are modern security devices and often neighbours do not know each other.

“During Covid, the ‘Blitz spirit’ came to the fore but this now seems to have evaporated.

“People’s natural sense of privacy and detachment seems to have been heightened and the desire to engage with others is less obvious.

“It is difficult for NHW to flourish in this sort of environment.

“However, online scams, cold callers, rogue traders and email hacks have increased and are a growing feature of crime around the county.

“Burglar and car alarms and sophisticated locks and cameras do not prevent this sort of crime.

“Thefts from vehicles and car thefts continue to be ever present. Garden sheds and garages remain a favourite target.”

This where Neighbourhood Watch can help they say by keeping an eye out for suspicious incidents, talking to neighbours, warning vulnerable persons to beware as this all helps to cut down crime.

“It’s a proven fact that where NHW is active there is less crime. There is support, advice and help available locally through a good working relationship with the police.

“This is predominantly via the police community liaison officers (PCSOs) who are the eyes and ears of the police on the street.

“This two-way communication enables information to be relayed before an incident occurs which is better than reporting that a crime has taken place.

“In our location we need to know what is happening in the counties that abut us and NHW facilitates this.

“Also, local schemes are in touch with one another to warn of wider criminal trends, making NHW more effective.

“There is also practical visual help: street and house signs, door stickers, information leaflets, padlocks, alarms etc to buy and a discount on house insurance premiums if you are a member of a registered scheme.

“And the cost of all this? Nothing, no fee involved. What else can you get for nothing nowadays? How does it work?

“Each group runs itself to suit its members; one person is a contact point to the NHW Association locally and that person receives the information/warnings from the police to disperse to members-so easy.”

People interested in joining or setting up a neighbourhood watch group in their area can contact Phil Sullivan the county chair, at sullivanphilip566@gmail.com.

Gloucester News Centre – http://gloucesternewscentre.co.uk