750 residents benefit from safety scheme and hundreds more are set to follow

Date published: 24/02/2010

750 Rossendale residents have benefited from a new Community Safety Partnership campaign aimed at tackling burglaries committed by so called “bogus callers”.

And now, thanks to the efforts of the Community Safety Partnership and funding from Green Vale Homes, hundreds of others are set to follow.

The “Safe Neighbour Scheme” was launched in December last year and has involved fitting special crime prevention packs in sheltered housing accommodation in Whitworth, Bacup, Stacksteads, Waterfoot, Rawtenstall, Crawshawbooth, Helmshore and Haslingden.

The packs, which are fitted to the inside of the front door, remind the occupant what to do when faced with an unexpected caller. Amongst other things, they consist of a card with the name & number of a nominated person whom the caller should call if access is required. This could be a friend, family member or neighbour, or in the case of residents living in sheltered housing, someone from the local housing association. The occupant passes this card through the letterbox to the caller.

In addition to getting the special pack, which is fitted and supplied free of charge, the resident also receives a crime prevention assessment and where appropriate, ‘additional locks, security chains and CCTV cameras.

The Safe Neighbour Scheme is designed to deter offenders and arm residents with the confidence and knowledge they need to say no to cold callers.

It has been widely welcomed by those who have benefited to-date and now thanks to additional funding from Green Vale Home’s Bacup and Rawtenstall Neighbourhood Panels, the scheme is set to be extended to a further 600 local residents.

Rossendale crime Prevention officer PC Phil Buck said: “Distraction burglaries are amongst the most heinous of crimes. Targeting and preying on the most elderly and vulnerable in our communities is a truly horrific thing to do and working with other agencies including Green Vale Homes, we are doing our utmost to stop these callous thefts.

“Hundreds of mainly elderly residents have already benefited from the Safe Neighbour scheme and now hundreds more are set to follow. Hopefully this action will help reassure residents that we are looking out for their safety and give them added confidence that local agencies are working hard to address local issues.”

Alison Halstead, Supported Housing Manager for Green Vale Homes, said, “We are grateful to the Local Strategic Partnership, and also the Police – especially the local police officers – and Green Vale support officers for the work that they have done in implementing the scheme. This second phase will extend beyond Green Vale sheltered schemes and reach vulnerable tenants and our Careline customers in the wider community.”