Little Somerford Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) was formed in 2009 with the simple objective of helping to make residents aware of events in the village that may be criminal in nature.
The group is ran by volunteers; Mike Jones is currently the local co-ordinator for Little Somerford and acts as the point of contact for other village groups in the Malmesbury area and the local Police.
Each part of the village has a NHW co-ordinator and a summary of this will be posted on the Parish Council website.
It’s not about sitting staring out of the window from behind a curtain(!), but spotting something that appears to be different to the norm around your house and area, e.g. cars parked in a strange place, people acting suspiciously, cold calling suggesting unnecessary work on your house, or attempted distraction burglaries. These examples have all happened in the village since the group was started and have been used to help the police catch criminals going between villages looking for items to steal or properties to enter.
The group is made aware of neighbours who are on holiday so that extra vigilance can take place. Simply moving bins when neighbours are away, having neighbours use your drive when it’s empty, or using security lighting can protect your property from unwanted guests.
Information is received regularly from the NHW Malmesbury Sector Co-ordinator and the Wiltshire and Swindon Community Messaging service. Relevant items for Little Somerford are passed around the emails registered with the NHW group.
There are Neighbourhood Watch signs around the village to deter opportunist burglars! These are renewed and replaced when needed with the support of the Parish Council.
We are always happy to welcome new members and you can join the mailing list by sending an email to mikejones@hotmail.co.uk.
We are also looking for a new village co-ordinator as Mike would like to step down after 8 years.
Remember – you should call:
– 101 to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response, for example after a burglary has occurred or damage of your property has been found.
– 999 when it is an emergency, such as a crime in progress, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life, or when violence is being used or threatened.