Braeside and Mannofield Community Council: December 2019

This is the first report from Sgt Richard Dickens regarding policing activity in the Community Council area and covers the period 1st to 30th November 2019.

Community Policing Priorities

Antisocial behaviour, Violence and Disorder:

There have been two instances of minor vandalism to motor cars reported during the period, assessed as linked to drunken/anti-social behaviour. There have been no reported assaults during the period.

Acquisitive Crime:

There has been a report of a theft from a garden shed during the period whereby pedal cycles were stolen. Unfortunately whilst both bikes were secured in the shed there were tools easily available within to overcome the security of those locks.

There was a report of entry gained to a motor vehicle however nothing was stolen.

Please lock your property and keep valuables out of sight, and see the following pages for further advice in that regard.

Road Safety & Road Crime:

Officers will soon be participating in the Festive Drink Drug Drive campaign, engaging with drivers and imparting the message of the severe implications of drink/drug driving.

We continue to work with partners in response to specific complaints in terms of road traffic offences and to make use of antisocial behaviour legislation. Residents in the areas affected by antisocial driving are encouraged to contact Police on 101 at the time to report incidents in order for us to take positive action.

Community Engagement & Reassurance

Last month we mentioned our ‘After Dark’ campaign in terms of ensuring your house doesn’t look unoccupied if you are out, and keeping valuables out of sight. Our officers have delivered leaflets throughout the area in relation to this. This is particularly relevant in the run up to Christmas when we are purchasing and storing presents. Increasingly gifts become more technology based and these make them more expensive!

Please take these simple steps to prevent becoming the victim of opportunistic crime:

 Make sure your tools, garden equipment are locked away (saws, screwdrivers etc. that could be used to overcome security)

 Ensure presents you have bought and stored are not easily seen through windows/doors

 Keep cash in your home to a minimum

 If you’re going away over the Christmas period don’t advertise it on social media, and ask a neighbour or friend to keep an eye on your house whilst away

 Cycles should be locked to something in a garage or shed (if using a combination lock please use a code that cannot be easily guessed). Bikes left unattended in front or back gardens are easily stolen.

 Look at the locks on your garage and shed, could you get past them easily if you needed to?

 Are your security lights still pointing in the right direction? Do their sensors need cleaning?

 Double check your car is locked before heading into your house

You can find further festive safety information on the Police Scotland website at

https://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/festive-safety/

Now that we are well and truly into the winter months it is also worth highlighting winter road safety:

The weather in Scotland is notoriously unpredictable at the best of times and none more so than winter. We aim to provide you with all of the information you need to be fully prepared for a typically cold, icy and wet season. Whether you are a cyclist, driver or pedestrian, the information below should give you an understanding and awareness of what you should be doing to ensure that you are ready for winter.

Being prepared for winter can be as easy as a few simple steps before planning a journey on the road:

 Check the weather forecast and road conditions

 If the weather is poor or the road surface is dangerous, consider whether you need to travel right now or if you can wait until the situation improves

 Consider alternate routes

 Consider alternative modes of transport

 Allow extra time for your journey

 Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged

 Let people know where you are going and when you expect to arrive.

Consider keeping an emergency kit in your car for severe weather, this should at least include:

 An ice scraper and de-icer

 A shovel for snow

 A torch and spare batteries

 Warm clothes, boots and a blanket

 Some food and a warm drink in a flask

 A first aid kit

 Battery jump leads

 A map or device with offline maps for any unplanned diversions.

You can find further details on the Police Scotland website at

https://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/road-safety/winter-road-safety

This includes a video on conducting your winter car check, driving in bad weather and additional advice for cyclists and pedestrians.

The following links may also be useful:

https://www.transport.gov.scot/

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

https://readyscotland.org/

What to know more about how we measure up, this is where to find out:

http://www.scotland.police.uk/about-us/our-performance/