News : North Devon Insight

Happy New Year

Your Local Police Team would like to help you start of 2012 by reminding you that you live in one of the safest places in the UK. Your Local Police Team work hard in conjunction with various agencies to ensure that the situation stays the same or improves over the coming months.

THEFT OF METALS
Metal & Copper has always been a target but with the current financial climate Devon & Cornwall Police are requesting everyone to be extra vigilant. Please take a look below for security advice that can be adapted for you needs.
Make theft more difficult by removing any easy access onto building roofs, such as water butts, waste bins and tall trees located near to the building.
Store ladders in a secure place.
Keep any gates locked and restrict vehicular access to the site.
Maximise surveillance levels, including cutting back tall trees and vegetation which could otherwise provide a screen to hide criminal activities.
Apply anti-climb paint to drain pipes and roof guttering to restrict access to roofing.
Security mark metal goods.
Consider installing security lighting, particularly at roof level where metal roof coverings are present.
Anti Social Behaviour
ASB is a blight on the lives of millions who are directly affected; on the perceptions of millions more for whom it signals neglect in their neighbourhoods and the decline of whole towns and city areas. The core difficulty in developing a coherent response to ASB is the breadth of the term and the fact that it means different things to different people and organisations. For victims of ASB, the experience tends to be a cumulative, corrosive issue that undermines their ability to live in peace.
The reality is that ASB is a mixed bag of crime, disorder, and their precursors, with rowdy/disorderly behaviour being the overwhelming majority of reported events.

Of the various different police approaches and processes in relation to ASB, our analysis have found that there are effective ways to help your local police team deal with ASB.
By approaching the issue in a problem-solving capacity that the neighbourhood policing teams use on a regular basis they are able to understand what other agencies need to be involved. By working with Safer North Devon the named offenders can be started on the Anti Social behaviour Order (ASBO) process. This gives us the power to stop the offender enter certain streets or being in the company of another offender but this is a process that does not happen overnight & evidence is needed to progress.
Various agencies are available to advice and help you as well as your Local Police Team.

PCSO Hannah Denton 30094
Whiddon Valley, Landkey, Bishops Tawton &
Swimbridge
Telephone: 08452 777 444

Email:
Hannah.denton@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

General Enquiries, to report a crime and for
information and advice:
08452 777 444

Hi Everyone

Firstly, both Rich & I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year.

Have you ever wondered what information is stored on the magnetic key cards that are used in some hotels, travel lodges etc??
I found the article below and thought that you might find it interesting!

Information courtesy of: Metropolitan Police Service.

ABOUT HOTEL KEY CARDS
Ever wonder what is on your magnetic key card?

Answer:
a. Customer's name 
b. Customer's partial home address 
c. Hotel room number 
d. Check-in date and out dates 
e. Customer's credit card number and expiration date! 

When you turn them in to the front desk your personal information is there for any employee to access by simply scanning the card in the hotel scanner.
An employee can take a hand full of cards home and using a scanning device, access the information onto a laptop computer and go shopping at your expense.

Simply put, hotels do not erase the information on these cards until an employee reissues the card to the next hotel guest. At that time, the new guest's information is electronically 'over-written' on the card and the previous guest's information is erased in the overwriting process. 

But until the card is rewritten for the next guest, it usually is kept in a drawer at the front desk with YOUR INFORMATION ON IT! 

The bottom line is: Keep the cards, take them home with you, or destroy them. NEVER leave them behind in the room or room wastebasket, and
NEVER turn them into the front desk when you check out of a room.
They will not charge you for the card (its illegal) and you'll be reassured that you are not leaving a lot of valuable personal information on it, that could be easily lifted off with any simple scanning device card reader. 

For the same reason, if you arrive at the airport and discover you still have the card key in your pocket, do not toss it in an airport trash basket. Take it home and destroy it by cutting it up, especially through the electronic information strip!

Another way to remove the data is to pass a small magnet, such as a fridge  magnet, across the magnetic strip several times. Then try it in the door, it will not work, as it erases everything on the card. 
Please pass onto your family & friends!

This old chestnut has reared its ugly head once more!

Postal Scam:

It has been confirmed by both Royal Mail & The Trading Standards Office, of the following scam:

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a Premium rate number).

DO NOT call this number as this is a mail scam originating from Belize .

If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £315 for the phone call.

If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 020 7239 6655.

Regards,
Tony & Richard

LOCAL POLICE SURGERIES:
Woodville: The second Tuesday of each month and is held in the Children’s Centre (which is located in the grounds of Sticklepath Community School) from 2 – 3.15 pm

PC 11010 Richard Preston / PCSO 30093 Tony Charles
Contact Telephone Number: 08452777444, Barnstaple
Neighbourhood Beat Office

Email addresses:
Richard. PRESTON@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk, Terry.HODGSON@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk, Anthony.CHARLES2@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk
Jessica.MEAKER@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

'If you have been a victim of crime and would like assistance, please contact Victim Support on 0845 676 10 20.