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Neighbourhood Watch Whitehorse Newsletter Email:
[email protected]
February 2011
Phone: NHW Police Coordinator 8892 3383
Neighbourhood Watch aims to create safer, supportive and inclusive communities throughout Victoria.
Are YOUR number plates SECURE? Make sure your number plate is secure and have one-way screws fitted when you visit the Neighbourhood Watch Volunteers on th
Sunday 27 February 10am to 3pm Bunnings Vermont South 606-636 Burwood Highway - adjacent to the Whitehorse Recycling Centre If you would like to volunteer your services at this event, please call Graeme on 9857 9376
Theft from Motor Car (TFMC) Don’t leave the temptation! Laptops, GPS, iPods and cash were amongst the most common items stolen from vehicles. Victims are leaving items in full view or attempting to hide them by covering the valuable with a jacket or a pillow in one recent case. In these cases you’re only drawing the offender’s eyes to the valuable item. Remove the item, remove the opportunistic theft. TFMC incidences have decreased in Whitehorse, particularly within the Whitehorse West area, but the incidents are still very high and an issue for local police. The message doesn’t seem to be absorbed by the wider community. o
23% of offences occurred in car parks, specifically Box Hill Centro, Forest Hill Chase and the Blackburn and Laburnum railway stations.
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32.5% of offences occurred in street locations, with a high frequency of incidents in side streets surrounding Box Hill Centro and Box Hill Town Hall and the vicinity of Rooks and Mitcham Roads, Mitcham.
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Theft of number plates has decreased this month by 54%. The offence is predominately recorded as occurring at the owner’s home address, rather than the offence occurring whilst the vehicle is in a public place.
Emergency - Call 000 or Mobile 112 (no pin numbers required) Email:
[email protected] Phone: NHW Police Coordinator on 8892 3383
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! TFMC Hot Spots o Vicinity of Box Hill Centro and surrounding streets, most frequently occurring Mon & Tues 5pm to 11pm o
Vicinity of Rooks Road and Mitcham Road, Mitcham. TFMC and TOMC (Theft of Motor Car) occurring Mon/Tues 8pm to 6am and Fri/Sat/Sun 9pm to 4am
Arson Wheelie bin fires have caused concern across the Whitehorse East area. Wheelie bins behind shops and halls are those mostly targeted by arsonists. These predominately occur overnight. Burglaries, both commercial and residential incidences, have had significant reductions over the past month, with WHS East showing the largest reduction. Arson Hot Spots o 3 incidents relate to wheelie bin fires in vicinity of shops at Whitehorse Rd/Mitcham Rd, Mitcham and Cottage St Blackburn o
Vehicle fire in Nunawading industrial area. Vehicle set alight in Box Hill using fire starters and fence set alight in Forest Hill.
Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives Many families owe their lives to working smoke alarms You can’t smell smoke when asleep, so smoke alarms are an essential early-warning system to alert you and your family to the dangers of fire and smoke. Building regulations state that every home in Victoria must have a smoke alarm complying with Australian Standard AS 3786. Existing homes may install battery-powered smoke alarms, but all new houses must be fitted with hardwired-in smoke alarms prior to occupancy and hardwired alarms will require a battery for back-up power supply. Despite the regulations research suggests only 45% of properties attended by fire services had smoke alarms and of those, 31 per cent were not working. You can ensure your smoke alarm is constantly protecting your family by keeping it in good working order. o
Test it weekly by pushing the test button with a broom handle to make sure it beeps.
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Dust the alarm with a vacuum cleaner brush. Change the battery at least once per year. It’s easy to remember if you do it when you adjust your clock for daylight saving. If you missed out earlier in April, do it today.
A smoke alarm that is not working is useless and provides a false sense of security. Make the right choice There are two types of smoke alarms – ionization alarms that predominantly detect the presence of extremely small particles of smoke and the newer photo-electric alarms that detect visible smoke. Research indicates that although both types of alarms give occupants time to escape photoelectric alarms are consistently more effective at detecting smoldering fires in homes. o
CFA urges all householders to supplement their existing ionization smoke alarms with photoelectric alarms. For more information, go to www.cfa.vic.gov.au or phone CFA Community Safety on (03) 9262 8444.
Emergency - Call 000 or Mobile 112 (no pin numbers required) Email:
[email protected] Phone: NHW Police Coordinator on 8892 3383
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Scams – Credit Card Care
Courtesy my Mum’s friend!
Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in and paid by using my Visa Debit Card which, of course, is linked directly to my cheque account. The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it, then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval - all pretty standard procedure so far! While he waited, he picked up his mobile phone and started dialing. I noticed the phone because it is the same model that I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then I heard a click that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture. He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons. Meanwhile, I’m thinking, I wonder what he is taking a picture of? Oblivious to what was really going on, it then dawned on me that the only thing there was my credit card, so now I’m paying close attention to what he is doing. He set his phone on the counter but leaving it open and a few seconds later the chime ‘dinged’ telling you a photo had been saved. Now I am standing there struggling with the fact that this boy just took a picture of my credit card. Yes, he played if off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened. Needless to say, I immediately cancelled that card as I was walking out of the pizza shop. All I am saying is be aware. Be aware of your surroundings at ALL times and whenever you are using your credit card, take caution and don’t be careless. Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card. Be aware of phones, because most phones have cameras in them these days.
Charity scams Charity scams take advantage of people’s generosity and kindness by asking for donations to a fake charity or by impersonating a real charity. What to look for Charity scams involve scammers collecting money by pretending to be a real charity. The scammers can approach you in many different ways - on the street, at your home, over the phone or on the internet. Emails and collection tins may even be badged with the logos of genuine charities. Often the scammer will exploit a recent natural disaster or famine that has been in the news. Other scammers play on your emotions by pretending to be from charities that help children that are ill. Scammers can try to pressure you to give a donation and may give false or refuse to give details about the charity, such as their address or their contact details. Not only do these scams cost people money; they also divert much needed donations away from legitimate charities and causes. Luckily these types of scams are not that common. Reprinted from THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SCAMS produced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission www.scamwatch.com.au
Neighbourhood Watch Whitehorse – How To Contact Us. If ever you wish to contact the NHW Whitehorse Committee, please email us at
[email protected] or phone Graeme Elder (President) on 9857 9376 or Allison Summers (Secretary) on 0413 188 049. We would love your feedback, suggestions of how to make things better and general insights into how you see NHW is going in your area.
Emergency - Call 000 or Mobile 112 (no pin numbers required) Email:
[email protected] Phone: NHW Police Coordinator on 8892 3383
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