South Leeds
January 2015
On the beat on city centre streets See page 2 Out onSouth the Leeds town? So are we! Continued patrols in the city centre at night
Out in Leeds this weekend? If so, say hello • DON’T leave your phone or bag lying to your local Officers. about on bars or tables. Keep it with you. We are there to show a visible presence • DON’T walk home alone late at night. and on hand to offer you advice and • DON’T take short cuts on the way home. assistance if you wish to speak with us. Stick to well-lit busy streets. On Fridays, our street briefing starts at • DO consider carrying a personal attack 10pm on Albion Street (near to the Maluko alarm. bar), however officers are in the area until • DO be aware of surroundings when at a 3am if you wish to speak with them. cash machine. Always shield your pin and On Saturdays, we will be at the Corn be wary of people distracting you there. Exchange near Reds BBQ at 11pm. Again, • DO use a tracking app on your mobile we will be on patrol nearby until 3am. phone. They are useful and can help us to If you can’t make it along to see us, here recover mobile phones if lost/stolen. are some simple tips that may prevent you • DO use a screen lock. A pin code makes it from becoming a victim of crime: harder for thieves to unlock, wipe and sell. • DON’T accept a drink from someone you • DO make sure you stay with your friends don’t know. Use a ’spikey’ (a plastic and they know where you are at all times. covering) for your glass or bottle to stop • DO make sure you always pre-book a your drink from potentially being spiked. private hire vehicle or use a licensed taxi. PCSOs possess pedal power
PCSOs in Garforth have been displaying some ‘wheel’ skills recently after receiving new Police bikes. The new sets of wheels has allowed them to cover the whole area in a much faster time to get to all your calls and also provide a wider presence to the local community. PCSOs are a vital visual addition to the Force and help us in making West Yorkshire a safer place to live, work and visit by providing a visible uniformed on-street presence, helping to improve the quality of life in local communities and offering greater public reassurance. Don’t forget to wave if you see them! They’re here to help! Minimising anti-social matters in Middleton We have been working alongside Leeds Anti-social Behaviour Team to tackle issues on the Thorpes and various streets and parts of Middleton. Here is what we have done so far: 2 x ASBOs applied for (Anti-social Behaviour Order). 3 x ASBO warnings given. 1 x tenancy warning issued. 1 x housing caution given. Patrols with partner agencies carried out. CCTV is being gathered. House-to-house enquiries made in the Eaton Square and Middleton Park area in attempt to identify others involved. We will continue to work hard to address your concerns and further action is planned throughout 2015. Beating bad bike behaviour
Officers continue to tackle anti-social The bike was unregistered and behaviour in the South Leeds area. uninsured. We are pleased to report PCs in Morley recently seized an that it was recovered and taken off the off-road motorbike from Springbank road from causing further nuisance! Avenue, Gildersome. The bike had If you witness this kind of anti-social earlier been seen by a PCSO being behaviour, please call 101 so we can ridden along public roads. investigate and take action. Thank you.
Shed light on security
South Leeds residents are being reminded • What condition are the windows in? Are • Remember to lock everything away in to keep their sheds secure after several they held in by inefficient fixings? Consider your shed or garage once you have secured reported break-ins. We would like to offer a strong grille or heavy wire mesh to it. you the following crime prevention tips: increase window security and the use of net • Don't be tempted to leave things out curtains to deter casual viewing. overnight or while you just 'nip to the • Check the general fabric of your shed and shops'. Remember, it only takes a minute garage - are there any signs of decay, that • Post-code items that you store in the shed for someone to walk off with your may provide an opportunity for a thief? or garage. Use a visible method of belongings. marking where possible such as permanent • Fit a ‘Shedbar’ that meets Secured by marker pen. Design standards. • Keep a record of any serial numbers. • Is it possible to strengthen the door and For further advice, please contact your local frame? Outside door hinges should be • Use a chain to secure valuable items Crime Reduction Officer by secured with coach bolts or non-return within the shed or garage, so even if telephoning 101 or send an email to screws. Use strong padbars and close someone does break in they won't be [email protected] shackle padlocks. able to walk off with your valuable items.
Are you being served?
Officers have conducted test purchases at 14 licensed premises in the Morley area. Four of these premises failed the test purchase after selling alcohol to people under the age of 18 and as such were reported for summons to Court. Surrendered knives put to positive use
DCI Paul Fountain and sculptor Alfie Bradley
A massive haul of knives handed in during Detective Chief Inspector Paul Fountain of Clive Knowles Chairman of the British the West Yorkshire weapons surrender are the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, Ironwork Centre in Shropshire, the being put to positive use to remember the said: "The response we had during the organisation behind the Save a Life victims of knife crime. weapons surrender was fantastic with a Surrender Your Knife, said: Over 150 knives and swords were taken off total of 154 knives and other weapons "Without West Yorkshire’s positive the streets during the ten-day weapons surrendered as well as 96 guns. Those guns support this National memorial Statue could surrender held across the county in and knives can now never be used for never be created, its Police forces like West November last year. criminal activity or to hurt or at worse kill Yorkshire that we owe our gratitude too. And now they are being returned to the someone. "We will be forwarding an official invitation community to form part of a statue being "I am delighted that the knives and other to West Yorkshire Police, to visit and sculpted by Alfie Bradley as part of the Save bladed instruments will now be put to good symbolically weld a knife on to the statue, a Life, Surrender Your Knife campaign that use in something that benefits the whole thus ensuring West Yorkshire is always will represent love and hope and honour community. remembered as part of this unique and people that have lost their lives to knife and "The weapons will be dealt with securely historic project." street crime. until they are ready to be sculpted into the statue."
Driving in bad weather Motorists in South Leeds are being If you must travel in wintry weather encouraged to pay due care and attention remember to: on the roads after some snowfall and ice in January. Slow down and leave plenty of room to Even the most experienced drivers can find stop. You should allow at least three themselves getting into difficulties when the times more space than usual between roads are icy so we would like to offer the you and the car in front. following advice: Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels lock, ease of the brakes. Before you set off on your journey: Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists and always Make sure your vehicle is in winter clear all ice and snow off the car roadworthy condition. windows before setting out. Check that your tyres meet the legal Drive slowly on snow in the highest requirements. Tyres that do not have gear possible. the legal tread will seriously affect your Never overtake snowploughs or gritting car’s traction and steering. lorries. The drivers have limited Clear your windscreen properly of ice visibility, and you are likely to find that and snow. the road in front of them is worse that Check brakes, lights, and oil and washer the road behind. fluid levels. Do not assume your vehicle can handle Carry water and de-icer in the car with all conditions. Even four-wheel drive you. vehicles can encounter trouble on If you are going on a longer journey, winter roads. make sure you bring food, hot drinks, Carry wellingtons or other strong boots warm blankets and a fully charged and weatherproof clothing in case your mobile phone. have to get out and walk, or push a car.
Christmas might well and truly be over but here is PCSO Dave Dale trying not to look like a snowman whilst on patrol in Morley in January. Despite this bleak weather, the ‘snow must go on’ for your local Officers!
Crime prevention tips
Officers have been patrolling the Rothwell • When you leave your vehicle please make • Don't leave coats or bags on display. area recently, posting leaflets through sure there is no sat-nav or cradle left on Thieves may think they have purses or letter boxes to remind residents about display. If you have used a cradle with a wallets inside and break in to check. deterring theft from motor vehicles. suction cup wipe the mark off the • Walk around your vehicle and look in - can Whilst on patrol, they spoke to numerous windscreen (a tell-tale sign to a thief!). you see anything on display? This takes vehicle owners about property that had • Don't leave property on show or hide it in seconds and could save you hours in been left on show in their cars. Property obvious places like under the seats or glove arranging repairs or replacements for spotted by PCSOs included sat-navs, a box. Take it with you. If you leave any property. laptop, money, an mp3 player and a tell-tale signs there might be something Get into a routine each time you leave number of bags. Easy pickings for a thief! of value in your vehicle these are the first your vehicle and make the checks. Don't Please follow these simple steps which places thieves will look. give thieves an easy ride! may prevent you from becoming a victim: Brew up with the Brownies Local Officers surprised a group of young Brownies recently during a visit.
6th Garforth Brownie leaders had approached the local Neighbourhood Policing team to ask them to assist their Brownies in completing one of their badges. To achieve their ‘challenge badge’ they were tasked with having a cup of tea in a strange place. So they got a surprise visit from us when a van large, enough for them all to sit in, turned up to help them. The young Brownies then got the opportunity to have their questions answered and to look at some Police equipment including riot shields, handcuffs and batons. It was a fun time for all!
The bobbies you can ‘bank’ on
West Yorkshire Police have been delivering the goods in another way recently. Officers and staff from Leeds District have personally donated lots of boxes of food to a number of vulnerable and elderly residents in the Belle Isle area. To find out more about the scheme and how to donate, please visit www.leedssouth.foodbank.org.uk Burglary feels the bite with Operation Viper
A targeted operation to limit the activity of As well as cars and vans, officers were "These results are great but we want to West Yorkshire's most prolific and deployed into student areas across the reduce the number of victims even further. persistent criminals resulted in 26 arrests, county to prevent burglary by identifying We will continue to target prolific thieves 25 vehicles seized and the recovery of 8 and arresting those intent on committing who break into people's homes, making it stolen vehicles over one January weekend. crime. Student areas are often a target for clear that they are not free to operate Operation Viper is one year old and West burglars at this time of year as people around West Yorkshire and we have many Yorkshire Police marked the occasion with a return to university with new gifts from tools at our disposal to limit their weekend of activity to arrest criminals that Christmas and shared student homes as it movement and their criminal activity. use the county's road network to ferry increases the chance of stealing a large "Please help us to make life hard for them stolen property from burglaries. Since it number of expensive electronic items in by securing your home - lock doors and began, Viper has resulted in 566 arrests, one go. windows, leave a light on if you are out on 900 fewer burglaries and the recovery of 87 Superintendent Pat Casserly, who lead the darker nights and hide valuables from view stolen vehicles. operation, said: "Once again we have such as laptops, handbags and car keys. West Yorkshire Police vehicles - including stopped criminals in their tracks with a "Together we can keep bothering burglars marked and unmarked units - were show of force and sent a clear message to so they know that we are watching them deployed onto the roads at the same time; burglars that we are watching them and will and we will continue to make it harder and more than doubling the amount of vehicles deal with them robustly. harder for them to steal from the hard normally in use at any one time and "In the last 24 hours there were only 21 working people of West Yorkshire." targeting those actively involved in crime. burglaries reported across the whole Supporting the deployment of police county, which is significantly lower that we vehicle were a team of ANPR (automatic would have had if we had not mounted this Since Operation Viper began number plate recognition) experts working operation. Since Operation Viper began we we have recorded our lowest from a specialist control room at police have recorded our lowest ever burglary “ headquarters in Wakefield. The cameras, figures with a reduction of over 12% for the ever burglary figures with a which can read number plates and are majority of last year when compared to reduction of over 12%. located across the county, enabled officers 2013 - this equates to almost 1000 fewer Superintendent Pat Casserly to track vehicles suspected of being burglaries. involved in criminality. ”
City: Leeds City Centre Outer East: Crossgates, Whinmoor, South Leeds Temple Newsam, Garforth, Swillington, Inner South: Middleton Park, Beeston, Kippax and Methley. Neighbourhood Holbeck, outer City and Hunslet. Find out more about us at Policing areas: Outer South: Rothwell, Ardsley, Robin www.westyorkshire.police.uk/leeds Hood, Morley South and Morley North.
• West Yorkshire Police - Leeds City • West Yorkshire Police - Leeds Inner South • West Yorkshire Police - Leeds Outer South • West Yorkshire Police - Leeds Outer East
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