A Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator has praised the survey system on crime that “went far beyond anything of this sort attempted locally before”.
The system encourages residents to swiftly report suspicious activities, to look out for one another and to protect their properties from crime.
Gerald Parkins, chairman of the Lupsham Estate Community Association, Yeltham, said: “As a Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator as well as association chairman, I welcomed this survey, which went far beyond anything of this sort attempted locally before.”
The Federation links 474 Neighbourhood Watches in the most residential areas of Yeltham.
Every co-ordinator has responsibility for a watch covering about 20 homes on average, which means about 9,500 householders are members.
In conjunction with Yeltham Crime Prevention Panel, the Federation undertook a survey in which co-ordinators distributed a questionnaire to their Watch members, almost all of whom agreed to take part.
Jeffrey Steele, Chairman of Yeltham Crime Prevention Panel, said: “The Neighbourhood Watch Federation had our full support for this survey, which was the most thorough of its sort ever undertaken in Yeltham.”
Both of the Federation and Crime Prevention Panel are very concerned about the number of pensioners, who said they were worried about answering the door to strangers for fear of being robbed at home or perhaps being conned or browbeaten into buying something they did not want.
As a result, the two organisations have decided to organise a bulk purchase of 1,000 door safety chains, which will be fitted free to the front doors of pensioners who want them.
Gerald Parkins said: “Pensioners on this estate are very fearful and there are two members of our committee who are skilled workmen and would be willing to provide their time free of change to fit door chains.”
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