We receive regular updates from our local Police Community Officer about local and national items we need to be aware of. T This page details the latest updates. If you know of any that should be included in this list do let us know so we can add them.
Following concers raised by residents regarding doorstep sellers in the area I made contact with the Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT - who have been very helpful), our local Councillors, OWL, other Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators in the area and requested help from the NSMRA committee. The levels of help offered varied.
The two known complaints about aggression by the sellers, plus the fact some of the visits have been after dark and also during lockdown which have driven this concern.
My communications with the council led me to Trading Standards. They were very helpful. From Neighbourhood Watch nationally I found there is the concept of “No Cold Caller Zones” which are meant to deter such pedlars from trading in the area. However, Richmond Council does not utilise these zones. The reasons were explained to me by Trading Standards along with their views on the people we are seeing at our doors and what we, as residents, should do with them.
Doorstep selling is legal. Anyone who resident in an area for at least a month can apply for a Pedlar's Certificate. The process can be viewed here. A pedlar’s certificate is a document authorising the bearer to sell goods or services door-to-door anywhere in the UK for up to 12 months. When issuing a Pedlar's Certificate the issuing officer has to perform a thorough search into the applicant’s background to be satisfied that they do not pose any risk to the public.
In normal times it makes no difference if the person is from Feltham or Featherstone, they can legally knock on a door in St Margaret’s to try to make a sale as long as they have the certificate.
This makes it very important to check the permit of the person knocking at the door should you answer it. If they do not havea valid certificate, they are not legally entitled to come to your door to sell.
Following previous newsletters we now have a resident who made note of the documentation the pedlars carry on them. This information is important as the authorities can then verify their organisations or check if they are acting legitimately. I have forwarded the information and video to the police and I am hoping the resident will make a formal complaint as he believed the certiciate to be invalid.
It was suggested previously that an “Ex-offenders” charity isinvolved. The SNT have checked with their licencing team. They are not aware of any charity that specifically deals with ex-offenders operating as door-to-door pedlars. The link here is to a website that has links to numerous charities that help ex-offenders with work opportunities but not specifically related to a pedlar.
SNT suggests that if a door-to-door pedlar is stating that they are operating as part of an “ex-offenders’ charity” then the police should be called as they would suspect this to be a scam. There have been reports of scams operating as pedlars reported in Richmond via "Nextdoor" during the last week of February which back up this view.
The recommendation is that if a pedlar is being aggressive then the residents should call police on 999. Police can then attend and obtain details from the seller so these can be confirmed that they are a legal pedlar or not.
A Pedlar's Certificate is renewed on an annual basis and can be withdrawn if circumstances justify. So, it is important that residents report concerns to police and they can then send those concerns to the area where the pedlar's licence was issued which can then be taken into consideration when granting, renewing a licence or withdrawing a certificate. This is the way to stop a problem at source.
When pedlars are seen in the area we recommend notifying our neighbours of their presence. This can be done via Twitter (tweet to @NSMRANW), post on your street Whatsapp group and let us know on neighbourhoodwatch@nsmranw.org. We will post onto the other street WhatsApp groups to ensure all our area is aware and can avoid answering doors to them. Police advice was to not engage with them and it has not changed.
There are residents who do buy from them and I ask those that do so to consider their neighbours who are not comfortable with these visitors to their door. Making purchases will only attract sellers, not deter them.
WIDEN is a new Neighbourhood Watch national campaign aimed to help homes less vulnerable to burglary.
Research shows two thirds (67%) of people are worried about their home being broken into, yet there are simple, proven measures that can be taken to reduce our chances of becoming a victim of burglary by up to 50%. Neighbourhood Watch are sharing the simple, evidence-based WIDE actions that can be taken in any home on various budgets.
We also know that if someone has been burgled recently, they are more likely to be targeted again. Criminals have familiarity with the home and may come back knowing new replacement items will likely be purchased. In this case burglary victims are best to act quickly, following the WIDE(N) advice to avoid being retargeted.
Details can be found here.
WIDEN is a mnemonic relating to 5 things to focus on:
WINDOWS: Keeping windows locked, more ideas can be found here.
INTERIOR: Look at home even when not, more suggestions can be found here.
DOORS: Double lock or deadlock your doors, more detail here.
EXTERIOR: Put outside lines on sensors plus more options here.
NEIGHBOURS: Keep and eye out for each other. Read more here.
Please remember if you are not in to let a neighbour know or arrange an alternate delivery address as doorstep parcel theft is happening in our area.
Our local newsagent, MG News, carries a number of package collection and despatch services. You can drop or pick up UPS, DPD or Wish parcels instore.
You can also use the box service they now have outside to send and receive parcels. Hermes offer send and receive as do a number of retailers. You can see them by checking www.inpost.co.uk
When bicycles are recovered by the police it may be difficult to return them to their owner if the bicycle is not registered. You can register yours on a national database which will increase your chances of getting it back if the worst happens. Click here to find the register.
Please read the leaflet attached here. It is an option for you to consider if you have a catalytic converter of your car.
Our Police have organised a partnership with Richmond Kwik Fit who will mark your catalytic converter with a unique forensic security marking fluid and register it for free.
This marking will assist police in identifying catalytic converters when they are found with a view to returning them to the lawful owner and identifying victims. It will also assist with the pursuance of a conviction against the thieves.
This is worth doing for those with cars that may be at threat.
Kwik Fit Richmond Branch
Manager: Tony
48 Sheendale Road
Richmond TW9 2JJ
020 8948 4179
https://www.kwik-fit.com/locate-a-centre/richmond-sheendale-road
Thefts from cars are regularly reported to the Police and on websites like NextDoor. To help cut down your chances of being a victim of this one simple thing is not to leave any valuables in the car. The definition of “valuable” a criminal has may not be the same as yours. For example, baby clothes have been reported as a reason to break into a car, likewise loose change in the car. It does not need to be an expensive computer to make someone break in.
As a result, the recommendation is to leave nothing, or as little as possible, visible in the car.
Many company security policies also say leaving something valuable in the boot, even for a short time, would be breaking the rules. They are generally referring to company data or assets, but it shows that putting an expensive item in the boot rather than taking it with you or into the house carries a risk. You could be seen putting it in there and marking your own vehicle as a target. An example from NextDoor shows £5,000 of expensive camera kit taken from a boot.
So please remember not to leave valuables in the boot overnight.
The use of electronic keys to open up cars for your convenience is fairly common, but it has led to a vulnerability in car security. The key sends a signal to the car to open when you press, or sometimes are just close. The key communicates to the car using a radio signal. It has a limited distance so if you go away from the vehicle, they lose contact. The signal can no longer reach from the key to the car.
However, there is a thing known as SARA, which is a Signal Amplification Relay Attack. In principle it is very simple and in IT Security the term “Man-In-The-Middle” is used. Whilst your key fob signal cannot reach the car, it may reach your door or outside of your house. The thief will get closer enough to the house to pick up your signal and use an amplifying tool to push the signal out to the car, which reacts as though the key is next to it. No different to many of the WIFI repeaters in home in this area.
This video from the West Midlands Police shows it in action.
To avoid this happening, you need to ensure the signal does not reach outside your home. This can be done by moving the key as far from the car as possible, which may work but is not certain. Or to use a Faraday bag or tin to block the signal. To help place this container as far away from the car as you can again in case of signal leakage.
This video is from the USA and covers some of the issues and resolutions.
With home working and schooling we are aware that children may have more access to digital devices than normal and maybe using internet, apps and social media to keep in contact with their friends.Please take steps to monitor their online use and inform them of the risk that the internetpresents.
Advice about staying safe online is available at the following websites:
https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/fa/fraud/online-fraud/cyber-crimefraud/
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety
Finally, it has been uplifting to see the kind acts and thanks we continue to get from the publicand our partners. We thank you for your continued support and wish you well.
Pupils in Richmond Borough submitted questions to local police on topics such as stop and search, protests and discrimination.
Stop and search is never used lightly and police officers will only exercise their legal right to stop and search children or adults when they suspect that doing so will further their investigations into criminal activity – whether that means looking for weapons, drugs or stolen property.
Force is only used as a last resort and should be proportionate and necessary. If you are stopped and searched, the police officer will ask for your:
Name and Address
Date of Birth
Ethnicity
You don't have to give this information if you don't want to; unless the police officer says they're reporting you for an offence.
Whilst you do have an option to provide details or not, the search is not voluntary. You are detained for the purpose of a search and if you don’t cooperate the officer can use reasonable force to conduct the search.
The officer will record the stop and search on their body worn video so that they are accountable for their actions, in addition to recording any evidence.
For more information about the stop and search process, click here: https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/st-s/stop-and-search/stop-and-search-process/
Your Neighbourhood Watch representative is STEPHEN LLOYD. Contact him by email at neighbourhoodwatch@nsmranw.org
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