Fighting crime in the community

A SPECIAL crime prevention event took place in Culcheth organised by local Police Community Support Officers.
Free bells that can be attached to a purse or bag to deter theft were handed out at the crime reduction and safety advice event.
Almost 100 people attended the event, in Sainsbury’s car park, organised by PCSOs Steve Dodd and Wendy Stanley.
Cheshire Police’s exhibition vehicle was on site. Officers talked to residents about a variety of issues including security in the home, keeping your vehicle safe and
personal safety. They also handed out the free bells, which can be attached to a purse or bag.
Officers security marked valuable items, including approximately 20 bicycles, 30 mobile phones, lap tops and ipods.
PCSO Stanley said: “This event provided the ideal opportunity for people to come along and meet local officers face-to-face and have a chat.
We were on hand to offer key crime reduction advice and community safety advice to members of the public and we also encouraged local people to bring along any
valuable items to be security marked.
“Many people who turned up on the day brought along valuable items that they had been given for Christmas.”
He said valuable items should be security marked so that they can be retuned to the owner if stolen and recovered.
PCSO Stanley said: “We do recover many items, which we suspect are stolen, but one of the issues we have is that we are often unable to trace the owners as there are no security markings on the item. This makes it very difficult for us to trace who the items belong to as there is very little to go on.”
Wardens from Stronger Together also attended. They gave advice to visitors and handed out items including personal attack alarms, shed alarms and door chains.
Pictured: Parish council chairman Helena Campbell with Cllr Paul Campbell and local PCSOs at the crime fighting event.