Lib Dem Councillor Attends a Borough Neighbourhood Watch meeting

I attended an event organised by the Ealing Police to thank volunteers who are neighbourhood watch co-ordinators. The event covered a lot of neighbourhood watch co-ordinators from around the borough of Ealing. There was a lot from Southfield which made me feel proud. The police in my ward were credited as being in the top two of most active wards!

At the evening event, police gave some great advice about:

1. Reducing fraud and other scams

2. How to get legitimate Olympic Games tickets - only via www.tickets.london2012.com

3. What the Licencing police team do - they inspect a huge number of venues to ensure that food and drink sold is not contaminated or counterfit. Some advise was that many cheap vodkas sold in corner shops contain bleached anti-freeze!

4. The local Southfield ward team led by Sergeant Helene Holloway acted out scenes to show how you can avoid being caught out by what is called a distraction crime (a person tricks their way into a property and then steals small items while the owner is upstairs). Often the tricksters pretend to be gas or water inspectors. Always fasten your chain if you have one on your door and demand to see their ID - then call the company using the phone number in your phone book (and not the one on their ID as that is often an associate of the villain).

If you get a leaflet through the door about  Neighbourhood Watch or from the police then make sure you read it as it might contain a lot of great and simple ways to reduce crime in your area.