Neighbourhood Alert System

I LOVE Our Neighbourhood Alert System to Help Prevent Crime in Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme…

Neighbourhood Alert System

Following the recent thefts and break-ins around our villages we think the best way to protect your home is to work WITH your neighbours and the wider community. If we all look out for each other, we CAN make a difference – but more than that, we can really gain a sense of community.

I Love Cheadle Hulme and I Love Bramhall are helping to set up a Neighbourhood Alert System.

This will be an informal group chat on WhatsApp involving just you and the neighbours on your road, where you will be able to share information or any concerns you have. If someones alarm has been going off, or you notice suspicious activity a simple message in the group can make sure neighbours are aware and are alert. This is not about heightening anxiety or to make people more worried about break-ins, this is about bringing the neighbourhood together so that we feel safe in our own homes.

Each road – or section thereof for the longer roads – will have their own ‘coordinator’ who be in charge of the chat, making sure everyone knows about the group forum and how they can get involved. They will also share information with other local coordinators and police – and vice versa.  This will be particularly useful for those times when police can’t attend right away, to ensure everyone’s aware of an incident or potential problem.

The co-ordinator’s role is not particularly daunting, but would involve the following :

• * Visiting each house and canvass neighbours encouraging them to join the WhatsApp We have designed a leaflet for you to download here Neighbourhood Alert System – PDF or you can design your own (Neighbours who do not have a mobile phone can give home telephone numbers)
• * Circulating information received from the police and vice versa
• * Creating a ‘safety net’ with your neighbours to aid faster communication if you are a victim of crime, or alarms go off, or neighbours see suspicious activity on their road /street/lane etc.
• * Attending neighbourhood watch meetings with other coordinators, police and local councillors.
• * We’d also suggest attending local Police Surgeries and Area Committee Meetings

If you want to be a coordinator for your road or just part of your WhatsApp group, we will be updating the list of roads as people come forward to co-ordinate and how you can get involved. We are happy to help each road coordinator set up their chat and if someone from your road would like to join, we will pass on your details. Lets get neighbours talking again!

We will NOT make the names and phone numbers of co-ordinators public, so please get in touch with Wendy for Bramhall [email protected] and Kate for Cheadle Hulme [email protected] for more information.

This is the list so far, so if you are interested in joining your roads WhatsApp group chat please get in contact:

• * Acre Lane
• * Alderdale Rd
• * Aldersgate Rd
• * Bankfield Rd
• * Bath Crescent
• * Cheadle Rd (numbers to be confirmed)
• * Cheddington Close
• * Coral Rd
• * Eden Park
• * Grove Lane
• * Longmeadow
• * Lyncombe Close
• * Lynton Park
• * Marlborough Av (1-30 & 69 -91 & 102- 130)
• * Millwood Close
• * Moseley Rd
• * Newhaven Close
• * Nursery Rd
• * Oakleigh Rd
• * Park Rd
• * Pingate
• * Queens Rd
• * Ravenoak Rd
• * Rushside Rd
• * Sherbourne Close
• * Southdown Crescent
• * Swann Lane
• * The Circuit
• * The Green
• * The Grove
• * Thorn Grove
• * Thornfield Grove
• * Vicarage Av
• * Washington Close
• * Wyngate Rd
• * Yew Tree Park Rd

Please head to the I Love Bramhall website for the list of Bramhall roads

We are also circulating information through the Facebook group Cheadle Hulme and Bramhall Neighbourhood Watch – this is a closed group and invitation only organised by Lee McMurray

Please note that NO contact details with be shared with ANYONE except your co-ordinator.

Always Report. Always.

Wendy and Kate from ilovebramhall.com and ilovecheadlehulme.com were delighted to meet with Inspector Bob Cantrell and Sergeant Chris Evans of Greater Manchester Police. We were joined by local residents, business owners and Councillor Brian Bagnall, to discuss the recent thefts and break-ins around our villages. Thanks to Jane of Future Recruitment for organising this.

Both Jane and Kate have been affected – and it seems as though we all know someone who’s been a victim. Whether it was a shed break-in, bikes taken from back gardens, or even a stolen car we all want it to stop! We’ve all worked hard for our possessions and our homes are our sanctuaries – it can be a truly horrible feeling to know someone’s been in your house, a real violation!

We find it reassuring to know that our policing team DO take any reports of thefts and intruders very seriously. Both Insp Cantrell and Sgt Evans agree with our regular advice that every incident, however small, should be reported to the police. Even if nothing is taken, or if it was just an unlocked car rifled through, the police need to know about it –  so local policing teams can respond to patterns or frequencies. However, both officers were also quick to reassure residents that action IS taken and arrests HAVE been made – although that can’t always be made public. Even the slightest suspicion of anti-social behaviour or criminal activity should be reported on 101 – and ALWAYS 999 for a crime in progress or person in danger. However, please be aware that although all reports are recorded, police may not be able to attend immediately. Budget and manpower constraints mean that calls must be prioritised.

It was also pointed out that while Social Media is helpful for alerting people to problems and discussing prevention strategies, it can also heighten anxiety and almost suggest problems that don’t actually exist – people do mean well but are very quick to ‘share’ information on little more than hearsay. Please, ascertain that something has actually happened, that it’s not just a rumour, or repetition of an earlier post, before sharing – often, the same incident is reported in several groups by several different people, but it’s still just the one incident.

Not All Bad News

It may seem frightening that there’s been an apparent crime spree. Bob and Chris explained that this always seems to happen as the nights draw in – these thieves are opportunists and the darker nights give them more chance and more time. ALL crime is recorded and so figures can often seem worse than they are. Did you know, for example, that knock and run is recorded and added to the figures? Before you poo-poo that, think how scary that could be for an older person or someone living alone… Genuine, violent breaking-and-entering is thankfully rare – most thieves prefer easy targets and won’t draw attention to themselves

There are many common-sense ways in which we can help protect our property. Thieves are looking for an easy job – the more difficult we make it, the less likely we are to be targeted. Ensure everything is locked – Inspector Cantrell suggests security equipment with the ‘Soldsecure’ industry standard. Krooklocks on cars can be a deterrent. Criminals hate bright light, so security lights are a good idea, as are alarm systems and cctv. If you worry about whether a caller is genuine or not, don’t be afraid to have ‘No Cold Caller’ signs on your door. ROK security doors are a massive deterrent, as is laminate, or ‘bandit’ glass – and under no circumstances leave car keys in view. Hooks of 15 foot have been used to successfully fish out keys from letterboxes…

Let’s get something positive from this – build our community spirit and keep Cheadle Hulme and Bramhall as sought-after, friendly places to live and work. Lets get neighbours talking again!!

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