Neighbourhood Watch News

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Meet your local Policeman

Hello, I am PC Bill Williams, your Safer Neighbourhood Officer. I am currently stationed at Stockbridge Police Station but have worked in the Test Valley area for the last 30 years or so. I left school in Farnborough, Hampshire, in 1977 and joined the Army Air Corps. I was never actually based at Middle Wallop but I did many courses there including my Observers course and the conversion to Beaver fixed wing flying for a tour of Northern Ireland.

I am married to Terry and we have three grown up children, our youngest is just joining the RAF. I left the Army in 1988 and joined Hampshire Constabulary the same year. I have served the county over the last 21 years in Andover, Winchester, Romsey and Weyhill, working in uniform and civilian clothed positions. Between 1994 and 2000 I was the area School Liaison Officer delivering the police and Hampshire Education Authority 'Getting it Right' package to 46 schools in our area.

I have been in the Safer Neighbourhood Team since 2005 and my 'Patch' includes Monxton, Amport, Grateley, Penton, Appleshaw, Redenham, Clanville, Weyhill, Thruxton, Fyfield, Kimpton and Shipton Bellinger. I am currently helping to revitalise 'Farmwatch' in our area.

If anyone would like to see me or speak to me, I can be contacted at Stockbridge Police Station via 0845 045 4545 - you can telephone me on the above number and ask to be put through to my radio, if I am on duty, or you can contact me by e-mail via bill.Williams@hampshire.pnn.police.uk. I will endeavour to reply to all forms of contact but please be patient, I look after a large piece of Hampshire and I also take leave and rest days so you won't always get an immediate reply.

Bill Williams, PC 1039, Safer Neighbourhood Team, Stockbridge Police Station, 0845 045 4545

March News

Crime

The quiet period in the 4 Parishes over recent weeks was shattered on 13 February by the burglary of 2 cottages in Grateley during daylight hours. PC Bill Williams reports that there has been a general increase in rural dwelling burglaries in our surrounding villages and that heating oil thefts have increased too. Once again we are reminded that the absence of recent crime should not lull us into complacency!

Melody Manning, Crime Prevention Officer for Test Valley, has organised crime prevention events at Wickes, Andover, on Saturday 13 March and Thursday 18 March between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Melody will be available for queries and advice on crime prevention and Wickes will be allowing a 10% discount on all security products on these days.

Unsolicited Phone Sales Calls

We hear many complaints about the nuisance of unsolicited sales or marketing phone calls. One defence is to register with the Telephone Preference Service. This is a free service in which your phone number is recorded on a central opt-out register: it is then a legal requirement that all organisations do not make calls to you unless they have your consent to do so. However it is worthwhile to reflect that registration will also exclude telemarketing from charities even though you may be sympathetic to such approaches. Whilst the bar refers to marketing calls it does not exclude genuine market research (perhaps a loophole?) nor calls initiated from outside the UK. Registrations may be made through the automated telephone line on 0870 070 0707 or on line at www.tpsonline.org.uk .

Scams

Most junk mail and email comes from legitimate companies and has no more than nuisance value. However some comes from criminal “scammers”. Some is so clumsy that it stands out a mile, but some represents a modern version of the clever confidence trickster and offers attractive propositions in very professional and convincing ways. If their ploys were so obvious they would not ensnare so many victims!

For those with internet access the (surprisingly named) website www.thinkjessica.com offers worthwhile and salutary reading. I would be happy to provide extracts of this information to residents without internet access if they request it.

ICE – In Case of Emergency

In cases where victims of accidents or medical trauma are unable to talk to the emergency services, it can be helpful if their mobile phones carry a specially designated contact number that can be used to contact their next of kin or to obtain important medical information. A solution conceived by paramedic Bob Brotchie is growing in usage. It encourages mobile phone users to enter the number to be used in these circumstances in their phone’s address book under the name “ICE”. If a person wishes to list multiple emergency contacts they can use “ICE 1”, “ICE 2” etc.