The Crime Prevention Website

Share:

   Celebrating 888,888 visits to The Crime Prevention Website and over 1.5 Million Page Views!

Wednesday 22 July 2015

Dear Friend in Crime Prevention

Thank you for taking Newsletter Number 16 from the The Crime Prevention Website (TCPW)

It's been a really busy time on TCPW and this issue brings your attention not only to our latest statistics, but also to a large number of new pages we've added to the site since April and introduces you to two new innovative crime prevention products and three companies who have recently joined our Directory.

Thank you for all the support you've given us; it is HUGELY appreciated!


 

   The Crime Prevention Website – how are we doing?

Visitor numbers

As of 9 July 2015 (three years and three months since launch) we’d received 888,888 visits from 768,350 people who have looked at 1,534,886 pages.  April this year broke all previous monthly records seeing 42,085 visits, up 17.9% on the same month last year.  Although trends suggest that the site is going to see visitor growth of between 15 and 20% in 2015 I'm the first to realise that at some point this growth is going to ease up as I simply run out of the sort of people who visit a site like mine! Hopefully that's some distance away!

One pattern to emerge from the wealth of data I collect are the peaks and troughs in visitor numbers throughout the year. I can, with some certainty, now forecast when these peaks and troughs will occur and that's something that's useful for you to know as well, especially if you're working in crime prevention and want your messages to reach a greater audience.

June and December are my site's quietest months of the year and I suspect that's because of the Xmas holidays and the grown-ups (who do the DIY) taking their holidays before the schools break up. July and August are also fairly quiet to middling and coincide with the school holidays. Activity on the site peaks in March, April, May and November.   No real surprises there maybe, but at least I'm able to confirm that springtime is the time that people are thinking about their home security and using the improving weather to put things into practice and November is the month when the nights really start to draw in and burglary begins to rise. 

Just thought you'd like to know that! 

HELP WANTED

I've mentioned before that it is a real struggle to get more police forces and Neighbourhood Watch websites to link up with TCPW, so I can always do with some help.

Here’s what you can do: 

  • If you work for a police force or other organisation that is not linking to The Crime Prevention Website please could you approach the boss and/or the people in charge of your media and see if you can make this happen. We would obviously reciprocate and link back and we would be happy to publicise any crime prevention campaigns they might be running.
  • Follow us on Twitter and re-tweet our tweets
  • Like our Facebook page and please share some of our stories, which takes just a couple of clicks
  • Encourage people to take our free and confidential Home Security Survey
  • Send us some words of encouragement, which we can post up on our testimonials page
  • Have a go at contributing to the advice content on the website by using the ‘Feedback on this page’ in the top-left of every page
  • Include a link to The Crime Prevention Website on your emails and newsletters
  • Sell cookies with TCPW iced on them at car boot sales and fetes and just see how many people will ask you what TCPW means!

Thank you very much!

Page ranking

Still No.1 for Google searches for ‘crime prevention’ and ‘crime prevention news’ and on page one for lots of other searches people might make for home security advice. There’s been a little slippage with some rankings brought about by changes in the way Google rates the performance of websites on mobile phones. Ben’s moving the whole site onto a new system at the end of the year, so this will help us a great deal.

New Links to the Crime Prevention Website and Medals Awarded

Here’s a list of the medal winners and the new links acquired since I last wrote to you. Awarding medals is our way of saying thank you very much to our Partners and recognising the fact that our mission to spread the crime prevention message is reaching those parts that other websites and lagers cannot reach!  Although the forums listed below and some of the companies are not strictly ‘Partners’ they nevertheless contribute to TCPW’s overall visitor numbers.  I only link to a choice few other websites, but there is actually a total of 1,377 websites sending or potentially sending visitor traffic to TCPW at the moment, which is up 130 from last time.

If you can spare a few moments you might like to visit one or two of these sites.  All of our linked sites can be found on our Partners page. 

STAR

No Star medals this month I’m afraid 

GOLD

SILVER

  • Bedfordshire (UK) Street Watch These trained volunteers help the police by patrolling the streets and do a great job! NHW
  • Isle of Wight Neighbourhood Watch Association One of ten Watches in Hampshire and Isle of Wight that link to TCPW NHW
  • Belsize Village Association One of the first websites to link to TCPW back in 2012 and still sending through the odd referral. COMMUNITY
  • West Yorkshire Police We have an internal intranet link with West Yorkshire Police, which means that the referred visits have been from police and police staff rather than the general public. It’s a shame the link’s not on the public side of their website, but I’m still grateful for the contact. POLICE
  • Hong Kong Police Force This is an intranet link, which has been in place since April. These links from police services abroad never cease to surprise me POLICE NEW LINK
  • Wayne County Sheriff's Office This link to a police service in North Carolina went in last year and we’ve emailed each other back and forth a few times. Crime Prevention is the same the world over POLICE  
  • Stargazers Lounge.com A two-year-old link to a forum of astronomers who want to keep their telescopes secure FORUM 

BRONZE

OTHER NEW LINKS

Linking to The Crime Prevention Website

Reciprocal links are really important for us and so if you work for the police or are a volunteer for a Neighbourhood Watch group that has its own site or you otherwise have some influence over a website that might benefit from linking with us do please get in touch.  The benefits work both ways for both ‘page’ and ‘authoritative’ ranking and is easy to do – just go to our ‘link to us’ page


   Members of the Security Products and Services Directory

Current Directory list

Radium Security Systems

When a top rated company like Radium Security Systems chooses to join up with The Crime Prevention Website we know that sticking to our principles of recommending products and services that meet recognised security standards pays off.  We want our site to be a trusted one-stop-shop for all aspects of home and business security and for that to happen we must associate ourselves with the very best of security suppliers.

Radium Security Systems Ltd, who are based in North-West England and, importantly, are members of the SSAIB, specialise in installing ‘Type A’ alarm systems, which are both insurance and police approved. Their systems meet with the police’s policy for monitored alarms and include the additional insurance requirements of the Loss Prevention Certifications Board’s standard LPS 1277 (Enhanced performance of alarm transmission equipment). In other words their qualifications are exactly what this website recommends!

Radium Security Systems was established 33 years ago under the leadership of their Director, Paul Robinson. Since incorporation Paul has used his many years of experience in the industry to build a successful and well-respected company with a customer satisfaction level currently standing at an impressive 96.8%!

So, if you live or have a business in the North-West of England and North Wales and are looking for a new or replacement alarm system or perhaps are looking to introduce CCTV or access control do please take a look at Radium Security Systems at this link. They're actually listed in Alarm Systems and CCTV.  They also supply CCTV and access control throughout the whole of the UK to corporate businesses, small businesses, domestic property owners as well as industrial and commercial sites.

All of their systems are installed by fully-vetted and qualified engineers to meet the current European standards of EN 50131, PD6662 and DD243 – requirements of the SSAIB and insurers and, importantly, they only use their own qualified engineers allowing Radium to constantly monitor, assess and inspect all installations to maintain the highest quality workmanship.

I should also add that Paul is an avid supporter of TCPW and often re-tweets and likes our messages for which we are extremely grateful

DAD UK Ltd

DAD UK Ltd, which is part of the Decayeux Group was established in 1996. They have a sales office in Ashford in Kent from where they look after their customers in the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands and other English speaking countries. Today, they are the leading distributor of mailboxes in the UK with sole distribution of Brabantia products and they are the UK’s first and only manufacturer of a certified Secured by Design Post box, the DAD009.

More recently, they have launched an executive range of designer steel security doors under the brand Decayeux Security, which are certified to EN1627, the European security standard for doors and windows, supported by this website.

I’ve known DAD for a long time, in fact since I worked for the police initiative Secured by Design, so I was very much aware of their development of the first individual secure mailbox that is certified to Grade 2 TS009: 2012.

TS009 is the Door and Hardware Federation’s important Technical Specification for the testing of letter boxes. It’s full title is: TS 009:2012 ‘Enhanced security and general requirements for letter box assemblies that are free standing or surface mounted and where mail is retrieved from the same side as delivery’.  A PDF version of the standard is available from DHF Online at this link 

DAD's DAD009 secure mailbox is made from electro-galvanised steel and available in any powder coated RAL colour. It’s designed to be surface mounted, recessed (or freestanding). The patented locking mechanism is activated using a DAD 6 pin security rim lock conforming to EN1303:2005 Grade 4. It measures 325x380x330 and has a volume of 41 Litres, so plenty big enough to take a few day’s worth of mail!

Those of you who know me know that I have an aversion to letterplates in doors – because of the many crime risks they present – and so you can imagine my delight when I was approached by the one manufacturer of an independently tested secure mailbox that can be fixed to your house wall.

I’ve been referring people to DAD for a secure mailbox ever since my website went live, so it’s very exciting for me to be supporting them more formally from our Directory of products and services, where they are shown under Doors and Letter boxes and secure mail delivery. Of course they have a large range of products for you to choose from and so I do hope you pay their site a visit.

Kelly Coupling

The most recent member of our Directory is Kelly Coupling. A full description of the Kelly Coupling anti-climb device can be found in the Crime Prevention Products Section below:

Joining the Directory

The process of getting onto our Directory couldn’t be simpler as the whole thing is dealt with online. We're very aware that we have a responsibility to our users so we only accept directory listings from reputable companies with products and services that meet relevant standards where these apply and that we approve of. Our most important aim is to make the directory useful to our visitors.

Because we’re still small we’ve kept the costs to a minimum, but just because we’re small doesn’t mean that we haven’t got a big punch!  8,500 - 10,000 visits a week is a lot of visits!

If you’re interested in advertising with us do please contact us at this link or if you know someone who might be interested please forward them this link and we'll get in touch

Website advertising.

The banner ads displayed on the right hand side of most of the website pages are from Google’s AdSense. The adverts you will see are selected by Google's special algorithms, so sometimes the advert will be relevant to the content of the particular page and at other times they may be targeted more to the interests of the individual visitor. This is why you'll often see different adverts to me.

So, just to make it clear, Ben and I have no control over the adverts that appear and therefore do not know anything about the companies, their products or their services.  Please bear this in mind when you are using the site.

The companies that we support are in our Directory and should you be looking for a service or product to improve your security we would urge you to take a look there first.


 

   Website Updates  

I've added A LOT more pages of advice to the website this last quarter, which are listed below and I've continued to make amendments and additions all over the place.

Problem Solving

I mentioned last time that our section on Problem Solving has now been completed and I’m pleased to report that the section is getting a lot of views.

Commercial Premises and Security

This new section on the site is taking me a lot longer to write than I thought it would – sorry about that. I have though recently added External Lighting and am currently working on the building shell. It’s a case of watch this space!

So far then here’s a list of completed chapters:

The Strange World of Insurance Security Requirements

This is a quick and dirty guide to insurance security requirements trying to ram home the message that you absolutely must (with brass knobs on) check your security against the requirements of your insurers.  Leave nothing to chance etc.

Letterbox burglary (letter plates) and mail delivery

I’ve updated this page and added a link from it to our Directory, now that DAD UK Ltd have joined us.

What does 'certificated' to PAS 24 actually mean?

I’ve updated this page and mended the broken links to some of the organisations listed

Caravan Security (Motor homes and trailers)

I added this new page in June and I was delighted when the Caravan Storage Site Owners Association (CaSSOA) approached me asking for a reciprocal link between our sites. I jumped at the opportunity and they also provided me with some additional information for the new page. So thank you to CaSSOA for their interest and support!

Securing an open window on a hot night

I’d been meaning to write this page for some time, so when we got those record hot temperatures about six weeks ago I decided that then was the smart time to write it.

You’ll find the new page in the Windows section, but as it could still warm up a bit before the summer is out it is reproduced below for your enjoyment:

Every year, when the weather starts to warm up, the police will start to see a rise in burglary reports. This is because, in an attempt to stay cool, we start to leave a few windows open. In the UK these spikes in what are termed 'unforced burglaries' begin around May and carry on until the end of September, depending on the weather, of course. A large number of these burglaries will occur with the victims asleep in bed – naturally, because of what I’ve just said!

Remember: Open windows and doors are opportunities and opportunity is one of the main drivers for crime.

Now, first off, there is nothing wrong with opening a window at night, but there are ways of doing it that won’t increase your risk of becoming a victim of night-time burglary.

Here’s my thoughts on the matter, which also considers what you might do if you like to leave a door open during a hot day.  Neighbourhood Watches might like to copy and paste this information into their late Spring newsletters each year and if you’ve heard of some other tricks you can use to deter the open window burglar then do please get in touch using Feedback at the top of the page.

Windows

  • If you can, only open windows that are inaccessible from outside. By definition this will exclude windows in the basement, ground floor and those on floors which are accessible by climbing. Accessible windows by climbing would include those next to a soil or rainwater pipe and those onto a flat or climbable pitched roof. It might also include windows that can be climbed up to via a garden structure or perhaps a climbing shrub growing against a wall. If you leave an insecure ladder in the garden then many other windows will be at risk
  • If the window you want to open is accessible then follow the guidance below. You will have to determine the level of extra security you might need bearing in mind that if the window is onto a fat roof then the thief will be able to exert the same forces as if he or she were standing on the ground
  • Some casement windows are fitted with a secondary locking point, enabling you to have them slightly open for a little ventilation. Lock them fully when you go out
  • You can fit sliding sash windows with additional lockable sash stops to allow a 10cm ventilation gap. Lock them fully when you go out
  • If it’s a child’s bedroom then there should be child safety locks (for ventilation) on the windows anyway and most times these will be sufficient enough for night-time security where climbing up to that window is going to be difficult or simply not possible. Lock them fully when you go out
  • To ensure maximum security for an open-at-night accessible window fit a security grille on the inside. Take a look at my section on security grilles. A grille can be used during the day too, so long as the home is occupied. If you go out these grilled windows should still be closed and locked

Doors

  • Locked door gates fitted on the outside or inside of an external door (depending on the opening direction of the latter) are also sometimes used and are a common sight in some Mediterranean countries. This allows you to leave a door open for air, but maintain the security, although you should fully lock the door at night when you go to bed or when you go out. Remember your means of escape in a fire. It would be prudent not to lock the gate at night, so that you only have the final exit door to unlock. Delays cost lives!

Some other thoughts:

  • Stick a sign on your final exit door to remind yourself to close and lock the windows when you go out!
  • Follow my KOPCAR locking up routine when you go to bed at night
  • Do you open the windows in hot weather because you are simply in the habit of doing so? I’ve found with my well-insulated house that keeping the windows closed with the vertical blinds shut keeps the inside of my house a couple of degrees cooler compared with when I have opened the windows and let in the extra warm air (34°C in the shade of my back garden one day in July 2015!). This is especially true when there is no breeze. Try it for yourself by experiment. Take two days on the trot with the same outside shade temperature and use a thermometer to measure the temperature at the same spot in a room on both days, one day with the windows open and one day with them closed and the curtains/blinds drawn. See the difference and decide.  You won’t know what to do unless you experiment and you could be needlessly opening the windows – just a thought!
  • Portable air conditioners are normally only effective if they are used in a small room with the doors and windows closed. Some people don’t realise that! Non-condensing types need to expel hot air out of a window, so you’ll have to ensure that window is secured.
  • Moving air is cooler than still air so think about getting a standing fan or having a ceiling fan fitted. Both this and the previous point may negate the need for you to open a window. And the fewer windows open the lower the chance of burglary.
  • If there is a climable rainwater pipe close to a first (or above) window that you like to leave open at night you might like to consider making the rainwater pipe un-climbable. This can be achieved by fitting a device known as a 'Kelly Coupling'. A Kelly Coupling incorporates a stainless steel compression spring within a long lasting rubber sleeve, which replaces a small section of an existing or new rainwater pipe.  When a thief attempts to climb up the pipe the spring compresses and the pipe to which it is attached decouples from the joint above. After a failed attempt to climb the pipe, the pipe can be easily refitted. Warning notices (supplied) must be displayed. See Kelly Coupling in our Directory

Buying stuff online - Security Checklist

I thought I’d go all modern, so have added to new advice about shopping online in the personal security section. Here’s what I say on the matter:

Whilst this website focuses on home and personal security we thought it might be useful to include some limited information on avoiding fraud whilst shopping online as we receive numerous emails about this problem throughout the year.  We highly recommend you visit www.getsafeonline.org  if you want to know a great deal more.

Most of us buy things online these days and you won’t be surprised to learn that a significant number of us have been duped by online fraudsters. The following checklist provides some basic guidance to help you avoid the fraudulent sites.

  • Do not reply to unsolicited emails from sellers you don’t recognise
  • Payment by credit card offers greater protection against fraud than other payment methods
  • Before entering your card details on a website, ensure the link is secure: Check the following:
  • There should be a padlock symbol in the browser window frame, which appears when you attempt to log in or register. If the padlock is on the website’s page this will probably indicate a fraudulent site
  • The web address should begin with https://. The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’
  • If you are using the latest version of your browser, the address bar or the name of the site owner will turn green

Also

  • Ensure any third-party payment services (such as WorldPay) are secure before you make your payment
  • Keep safe and remember the password you have chosen for the extra verification services used on some websites, such as ‘Verified by Visa’.
  • Should you choose to buy stuff from an individual (for example on eBay), never transfer the money directly into their bank account but use a secure payment site such as PayPal, where money is transferred between two electronic accounts
  • Check the seller’s ‘privacy’ and ‘returns’ policies
  • Always log out of sites when you have finished with the site. Closing your browser is not enough to ensure privacy
  • Keep receipts
  • Check your credit card and bank statements carefully to ensure that the correct amount has been debited, and also that no fraud has taken place as a result of the transaction
  • Ensure you have effective and updated internet security software and firewall running before you go online
  • If you think you have been a victim of fraud you should report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre by calling 0300 123 20 40 or by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk  
  • For further advice on how to stay safe online go to www.GetSafeOnline.org

Music Festivals Security Advice

It’s currently the time for outdoor music festivals (I go to a lot of the one-day events) so in May I put up a new page to help people. Here it is

Hundreds of thousands of people attend music festivals and events throughout the warmest months of the year and most of them have a great time and experience no problems, except perhaps for a bit of mud and a little rain!

The ones who aren’t so lucky have usually provided an opportunity for a crime to be committed against them and so this short guide is simply a collection of things that we know will make a difference.

Do take heed, because to have your (maybe first) experience of an open air music festival ruined by some scumbag is not the memory you want to be left with:

Alcohol

  • Don’t start too soon:  Drinking too much on the way to the event could mean that the security won’t let you in, ruining your day even before it’s started!                    
  • Beware of rounds:  Drinking in rounds often means keeping pace with the fastest drinker in your group and a nightmare if you’re trying to cut down on alcohol. Stay in control (and save cash) by opting for smaller rounds with only a couple of friends within your group or giving rounds a miss. Agree this with a couple of friends at the beginning of the event and don’t be worried about saying that you can’t keep up with the one who drinks like a drain
  • Eat up:  Having a good meal and snacking between drinks can help slow down the absorption of alcohol, helping you stay in control.  (Recently, my friends and I have been going to a restaurant around 7pm before going to the pub.  With a full stomach we’ve found that you simply don’t drink as much as doing it the other way round)
  • Small is better:  Make the daily unit guidelines go further by having bottles of beer or halves instead of pints and choosing a smaller glass for your wine. Buying spritzers or shandies will also help. (A pint of bitter shandy is my saviour on a late night out.  With a pint in the hand I don’t feel like the odd one out and enjoy myself just as much.)
  • Pace yourself:  Sipping a soft drink between alcoholic drinks slows down the rate of your drinking and helps prevent dehydration. If you’re out in the strong sun drink plenty of water.  Opt for a non-alcoholic alternative, soft drink or even a glass of water for a change. 
  • Remember the event: Drinking to a sensible limit leaves you in control and you’ll have free recall of the events the following day. Drinking to excess can make you unpopular amongst your friends and the new people you might meet, and has a tendency to wipe your memory of the behaviour that led to your unpopularity. Not at all cool!

Personal security:

  • Be aware of your surroundings, stay close to your friends and be alert to what is going on around you
  • Be discreet with your belongings. Don’t display valuable jewellery, which might attract the wrong sort of attention
  • Although you’ll want to take photos, send messages and make calls keep your wits about you at all times when using your phone and camera and look out for each other
  • Avoid walking and using your phone at the same time – you may not agree, but your brain is only good at doing one thing at a time!
  • If you can leave the bag at home, excellent! If you need it keep it zipped up, carry it close to the body and to the front of you; not over your shoulder or on your back. Think about taking a bum-bag instead
  • Carry purses and wallets in front pockets if you have them, otherwise make sure they’re not visible
  • Agree a meeting place with your friends and or family so you can meet up again should you get separated
  • At one-day events many people bring camping tables and chairs. Although it is unlikely that such property will be stolen when left unattended it is always wise to visibly mark the items as described in the next section. If you leave your picnic place to get closer to the stage make sure you take your money and other valuables with you! (I've noticed that some people are now marking their nests of tables and chairs with a flag to help them find their way back - seems like a good idea!) 

When camping at an event

  • Only bring with you what you can afford to lose. There is no way to make a tent secure, so only bring what you absolutely need. Use on-site lock-ups, if available
  • Don’t be tempted to leave valuables in your vehicle. Empty the glove box and leave it open to show thieves there is nothing of value inside
  • Don’t challenge people looking through tents. Report them to event security, staff or police immediately
  • Keep cash and possessions on you. Don’t keep all your money, bank cards and valuables together. Keep them in different pockets
  • Don’t leave your backpack or handbag unattended in or around the tent
  • Before going to sleep, place valuables in a bag and hide it in your sleeping bag with you
  • Camp near friends. Introduce yourself to people in the neighbouring tents to build a community feeling and provide greater security around your tent
  • Mark your property. Label your belongings, including your tent, with your house number and postcode. Thieves are after unidentifiable property. Make sure the markings are obvious and indelible. Before the event, register property such as mobile phones and cameras for free at www.immobilse.com. This will help the police to return stolen items to their rightful owner
  • Protect your mobile phone. Do this now: on your mobile phone, key in *#06# and your unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number will be displayed. Make a note of this number so that if your phone is lost or stolen you can contact your service provider to have the phone disabled. While on site keep your phone in a buttoned or zipped pocket, a secure bag, or use a lanyard to keep it secured to your clothing
  • Report crime at the time. There will be security officers at all events and often police officers as well

Finally

  • Have a great time, but don’t drink so much that you lose your grip on reality, your phone and your money! 

Government's Action Plan

I thought it might be useful to list the 37 Manifesto commitments made by our newly elected Conservative Government. The crime section of their manifesto is entitled ‘Fighting Crime and standing up for Victims’

The Library and Links

Slowly, but surely I’m updating the Library page by page. Boy, it takes ages! I’m having to mend broken links and add a whole lot more new references, so please be patient.

Police Guidance

I’ve added a new subsection in the References Section called ‘Police Guidance’. As the name suggests it’s aimed directly at police services, especially those that don’t employ specialist crime prevention people any more. To be honest though the content will also be useful to Neighbourhood Watches.

I put the ‘Domestic Burglary’ page together specifically to help Lancashire Constabulary and thought that it would be useful for all the other forces too.


 

   The Home Security Survey – the results

As I write this bit we have had 4,304 surveys completed since launch. The daily rate has dropped to 3.61, which is the lowest it’s been since last year. This is because we haven’t been running a competition alongside it, which always increases the rate by around 20%. I checked out the figures against those facts I gave you last time and they are all still roughly the same. Here they are again in case you missed them.

Police and neighbourhood watch people) might find it useful to quote the below statistics when promoting your crime prevention initiatives. Do please quote the source, i.e. 'According to The Crime Prevention Website's Home Security Survey..........' 

  • 41.8% DO NOT have a door viewer or clear glazing in their entrance door to enable them to see a caller at the door
  • 66.3% DO NOT have a door chain or limiter to enable them to control the opening of the entrance door
  • 21% DO NOT have a light outside the front door to illuminate a caller
  • 38.5% have a shed in the garden that is poorly secured
  • 80.8% DO NOT mark their valuable property
  • 11% of householders have their mail delivered into a lockable mail box - 85% continue to have their mail delivered through the door
  • 5.8% ONLY have a front door certificated to an enhanced security standard (Up from 5.5%)
  • 5.8% ONLY have front windows certificated to an enhanced security standard (Down from 5.9%)
  • 3% are still hiding keys in the front garden or under a flower pot!
  • 9.9% display items of value through their front windows (Up from 9,7%) 

Please, please promote the Home Security Survey. It’s totally free and confidential, we don’t use the person’s email address ever again and we think it’s a really good way of introducing someone to the dizzy heights of crime prevention.

Since 1 October 2014 I’ve been keeping tabs on which counties return the most surveys.  This helps me identify the places in the UK where the site is being supported. Here’s a league table showing the current positions and what they were back at the end of December and end of March

 

April to June 2015

January to March 2015

October to December 2014

1

London

Buckinghamshire

London

2

Lancashire

London

Lancashire

3

Berkshire

Berkshire

Hampshire

4

Buckinghamshire

Glamorgan

Kent

5

Essex

Essex

Buckinghamshire

6

West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire

Berkshire

7

Hampshire

Cheshire

Essex

8

West Midlands 

West Midlands 

West Midlands

9

Surrey

Hampshire

Surrey

10

Derbyshire

Lancashire

North Yorkshire

11

Bedfordshire

Midlothian

Nottinghamshire

12

South Yorkshire

Kent

West Yorkshire


 Crime in the news

Here follows my most read news items (and advice pages) during this period. Please feel free to copy and paste our news items into your newsletters as you see fit, but do show the origin of the story, which may be someone or something other than the Crime Prevention Website.

Please note that several of the news stories were not written during this period (April to July 2015) and a couple of them are quite old. It's odd how some old stories keep doing the rounds!

Most read News Stories

  1. Multipoint locking doors – close the door, lift the handle, turn and remove the key!
  2. Carpet gripper is not the answer to fence security
  3. Met Police warning over firm's cold calling
  4. Warning about Courier Fraud
  5. Well done DAD Ltd; manufacturers of the first independently certified secure letter box!
  6. Feeling relaxed on holiday
  7. Heat wave Crime wave
  8. Take heed of those car park warnings!
  9. Steering Clear of Cycle Crime Conference 2015
  10. New rules for the use of private CCTV cameras on the way 

Website pages most viewed via Twitter (In order)

  1. Taking care at cash-points
  2. Ten Principles of Crime Prevention
  3. Home page
  4. Warning about Courier Fraud
  5. Felines to go after Felons
  6. Holiday checklist for your security
  7. When to use 999
  8. Home Security Survey - DIY
  9. Have you carried out the Home Security Survey?
  10. Postal workers to be trained to identify scam mail victims

Website pages most landed on this period (In order)

A landing page is the page someone first arrives at when they click on a search result. The visitor may then go on to visit further pages. The most visited page on the site is always ‘UK law concerning fences, walls and gates’ and then the next six positions are usually pretty similar each quarter. It’s not until you get to position 8 that the pages start to differ each time I take a measurement. ‘Multi-point locks’ appears for the first time probably because I gave the page a bit of a push over Xmas; especially reminding people to use the multi-point lock correctly.  There’s specific guidance about this at this link.  

  1. The UK law concerning fences, walls and gates
  2. Defensive plants, shrubs and trees (shrub fences)
  3. Anti-climb measures for fences and walls
  4. Burglar Alarms Advice
  5. Home Page
  6. Security for the garage
  7. Glazing for domestic security
  8. Security shutters, grilles and door gates
  9. Multi-point locks
  10. Locking sliding sash windows
  11. The meaning of PAS 24 doorsets
  12. More things to improve door security

   Crime prevention products

 

The Kelly Coupling is the new anti-climb-crime product on the market

If there is one thing I really love about running The Crime Prevention Website is that on occasion I get contacted by someone who has thought up a brand new way to defeat the criminal!

David Jones from West London is the latest innovation-meister who has come up with a novel way to prevent thieves climbing rainwater pipes.

I cannot give you the precise number (police data is not released to the public in this format), but it is a certain fact that a significant proportion of first floor window break-ins involve the use of a climbable rainwater pipe next to an open window. In addition to this there are numerous other burglaries that have involved pipe climbing up to balconies and flat roofs. What David has done is to invent a DIY fit device to render the pipe useless for the purpose of climbing and what's more you can find it in our Directory

How it works: The Kelly Coupling incorporates a stainless steel compression spring within a long lasting rubber sleeve, which replaces a small section of an existing or new rainwater pipe.  When a thief attempts to climb up the pipe the spring compresses and the pipe to which it is attached decouples from the joint above. After a failed attempt to climb the pipe, the pipe can be easily refitted.

Technical Information: The coupling is available in two strengths; one for plastic pipes and the ‘Kelly Plus’ for cast iron pipes. The stainless steel springs are grade 302 which include similar quantities of chromium and nickel to grade 304, and with more carbon for tensile strength and ductility; a perfect combination for springs. Both grades are suitable for inland industrial use and easily cope with rural situations. The rubber sleeve is made from EPDM rubber, a material that is widely used for roof coverings and pond and canal linings. Like stainless steel, EPDM rubber has good atmospheric resistance and doesn't pollute water (important if you’re harvesting water into a butt).   The couplings are made from PVC with a performance life of over 30 years. These couplings separate the spring from the pipe, so if your pipe is a metal of a different noble value, there will be no galvanic corrosion brought about by chemical reaction. You’ll need to replace a couple of the standard pipe brackets with Kelly clips, which are designed to hold the pipe to the wall under normal stresses, but will release the pipe should someone attempt to climb it. The component parts are sourced from British companies, and the coupling is assembled in London.

The Kelly Coupling is supplied with full fitting instructions and warning signs. The warning signs should be placed where a potential climber can see them, such as at eye level on the ground floor or possibly close to a window that may be used as a place from which to climb out of a building. Using the warning signs is a must in terms of compliance with the Occupiers Liability Act. The signs will also act as a deterrent to attempt climbing in the first place.

If you need assistance when fitting you can contact Kelly Coupling at kellycoupling@gmail.com

You can also view the instructions on the Kelly Coupling website at http://shop.kellycoupling.net/

At Last! Extra security for your French Doors using Patlock!

So, there I was talking about innovation when TWO new products come along. This one, called Patlock, is a security device for French Doors, and has successfully achieved police recognition through the police Secured by Design project.

Patlock is a clever piece of kit, which will greatly improve the security of the majority of double doors, such as French and Conservatory Doors and because it’s a retro-fit device that sits around the internal handles of the door it will be a great visual deterrent too!

The inventor of the product, Craig Knott, came up with the idea of an additional lock for French Doors five years ago when he was going on a family holiday and was concerned about how easily the doors fitted to his own house could be breached.

He’d been made aware of the issue of lock-snapping by a police officer after an attempted break-in earlier the same year and couldn’t find a product on the market to secure the doors.

So, after much thought and invention he got together with a product development company to develop his ideas and produce initial drawings allowing him to submit a Patent application and then create a product that would be safe and secure for the purpose required, but also keeping a clean design to look good inside the home.

The financial outlay for patent costs, design, development and manufacturing meant that it took over four years to produce their first batch of Patlocks for sale.

The Patent was eventually granted in April 2015.

The Patlock works by removing the risk of lock-snapping by securing all shoot bolts and levers, ensuring that the doors remain in the locked position. This stops the exterior handles from being operated and removes the option to open the doors from the outside.

To enhance the security that Patlock provides a pair of tamper resistant replacement spindles are supplied with each unit. Once fitted, they hold the internal handles secure in the event of the exterior handles being removed.

Patlock appeared on BBC1’s “Break in Britain” programme in the autumn of 2014 and will hopefully be in the second series later this year.

Craig recommends that you use the services of a Master Locksmith for the initial fit of the Patlock unless, of course, you are confident that the instructions provided can be followed successfully. He also points out that the Patlock is intended as an additional security device for French Doors and not as a replacement for the existing locks.

The Crime Prevention Website’s Home Security Survey has discovered that only 5.8% of the 4,300 respondents have an enhanced secure front door to PAS 24 and of these only a very small number will have the latest version (2012), which includes protection for the handles and a Kitemarked cylinder. We suspect then that the numbers of double doors to this standard will be even fewer and so it follows that nearly everyone who has a pair of French or Conservatory Doors will benefit from this innovative security product. You can literally double the security of your double doors!

I think we’ll be seeing a great deal of Patlock!

Patlock’s website: http://www.patlock.co.uk/ 


And finally.....

I was told this story recently by a bloke I met at one of those bacon butty caravans in a lay-by off the A44.  I don’t know if it’s true, but it did make me smile.... 

One winter’s night somewhere in Herefordshire a burglar was stealing stuff from an unoccupied brand new house, including the gas boiler. In his attempt to rip the boiler from the wall he fractured the gas pipe.  He became so overwhelmed by gas that in his panic he phoned 999 to report the gas leak and then collapsed. 

After treatment he was, of course arrested. 

This reminded me of a true story that I know about that occurred in Acton in the 1980s.  

One summer's evening a burglar climbed onto a conservatory roof to reach an open window of a house that had been left unoccupied while the owners were away on holiday.  Unfortunately for the burglar he slipped and fell through the glass roof. He hit the floor tiles with some force and broke both his ankles. He’d also cut one of his arms pretty badly and had sprayed a fair amount of blood over the conservatory floor and furniture. He attempted to force open the conservatory door and the door to the house, but his injuries were too great for him to manage. 

The next day he was still there as the conservatory warmed to an unpleasant 38°C. The following day he was ‘rescued’ by the owners who returned from holiday. 

It turned out that he’d fallen through a roof before, this time a factory roof in nearby Park Royal. 

You’d think he would have got the message. 

Until the next time.....

Keep 'em peeled!