Saint Joseph's Neighbourhood Watch (Upper Norwood, London, U.K.)

The following members attended our meeting on Thursday, 15th January, 1998 at eight o'clock: Cyril King, Enid Kelly, Anne France, P.V.A. Scoble, Kay & Derek Smith, Stephen Tarling, Wendy Brown, Ron Dawe, Roland & Joan Burch, Kathleen Lampitt, Kathy Mifsud, Maureen Vener, Marion Fletcher, Margaret Cobb, Sergeant Stephen Hughes of Norbury Police and Hugh Norwood Collins.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr. & Mrs. Blake.

We began our meeting by regretting the departure of Mr. & Mrs. Russell Carpenter, who have moved from London and shall be much missed by their many friends here. However, we are fortunate that Mr. Mark Gilmartin has agreed to step into Russell's place as co-ordinator for his part of this Nieghbourhood Watch. We are grateful to him.

The Crime Report: Sergeant Hughes reported that in the whole of Upper Norwood Ward, during 1997, there was an increase of burglary of 30% against the figure for 1996. The figures are that, between 25th September and 15th January, there were 49 burglaries against 38 for the same period the year before. In our Neighbourhood Watch area, between 25th September, 1997 and 15th January, 1998, there have been two burglaries and one attempted burglary. This latter was foiled by the householders' burglar alarm and the burglar fled with only an inkstand of no great value. The Police attended. A car was stolen in Gibson's Hill and £7000.00 worth of tools were stolen from a vehicle in Ryecroft Road in November. Sergeant Hughes urges us to have really good locks fitted to all doors and windows and burglar alarms, where possible. Alarms straight through to Central Station are excellent and not so costly as is widely believed. He also told us that 56% of crimes are committed within one mile of the criminal's dwelling - we have some choice neighbours!

One of our members was burgled on Christmas Eve. She was out at the time but was delighted by the immediate response of her neighbours, who summoned the Police at once. She feels that this is a tribute to Neighbourhood Watch. The burglar was frighted off without taking anything of great value.

It is clear that we are doing well but we really must remain on our toes and continue to be vigilant at all times. If you think that a crime may be in progress dial 999, without hesitation.

We agreed that we must do all we can to encourage the local shop-keepers to join forces with us and to that end I agreed to visit them to discuss this.

The Neighbourhood Watch Week starts on Saturday, 20th June. We may discuss how we might contribute at our next meeting in May.

Our Garden Party will take place at the same venue as last year, in early June by kind permission of Mr. & Mrs. France. Mrs. France has offered us the use of her splendid, heated indoor swimming pool. Therefore, all ardent swimmers should bring their swimsuits. We are going to ask our Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr. Collins and Mrs. Sue Yoxall, M.B.E., the National Neighbourhood Watch's Chief Executive. I am sure that both these luminaries will be pleased to answer any questions that you may have for them. [The usual extra security arrangements will be in place and we are grateful to Norbury Police for their assistance].

Our gratitude was expressed to the Norbury Police for photocopying this Newsletter and to Mr. & Mrs. Burch for inviting us to hold our meetings in their house.

Our next meeting is on Thursday 14th. May at 8p.m. at the usual venue. All details are in the printed copy of the most recent NEWSLETTER (or ask your neighbours or local co-ordinator). Please make a note in your diary.

This meeting closed at 8.40 p.m.

*** Residents of Leafield Close and Norbury Hill have recently been bothered by bags of rubbish, garden refuse and various items, such as a bike, being dumped in the alleyways behind their houses. This is not only illegal but extremely selfish as many of the residents are elderly and have no means of disposing of the "mess" left outside their properties ***

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