Neighbourhood Watch

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The Scheme

The Weston on the Green Neighbourhood Watch Scheme aims to give home and neighbourhood safety advice and to help to deter crime in the village.

Membership

The scheme has members from up and down the village. Membership is free.

We hope that more villagers will join us by emailing:wotg.nhw@gmail.com

The scheme is in the process of being developed for a re-launch, further information will be available shortly.

Villagers are encouraged to sign up for Thames Valley Alert (https://www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/) which will send out geographically relevant alerts via phone, text or email. If these methods are not appropriate, in most cases their street coordinator will pass on relevant messages in some other way.

Marking Items

The scheme can also lend a pen to invisibly mark your valuables with house number and postcode, which could help to reunite you with your possessions, should they be recovered following a burglary.

For smaller items, “SmartWater” is available - this is a liquid solution which can be used to protect your valuables within the home from criminals.

Each bottle of SmartWater contains a different mix of chemical ingredients. Once dry it is virtually impossible to remove from your valuables and it will glow under ultra-violet light. Each bottle of SmartWater is registered to its owner and their details are kept on a National Security Register.

You can also register your valuable belongings, such as mobile phones, jewellery and games consoles at The UK National Property Register.

Thames Valley Police Contact Information

Please be vigilant in the village and if you wish to report a crime or have any concerns that do not require an emergency response please contact the Thames Valley Police's non-emergency number on 101 or via their website www.thamesvalley.police.uk

If you don't want to speak directly to the Police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Please call 999 for immediate assistance if it is an emergency such as:

  • a serious offence is in progress or has just been committed
  • someone is in immediate danger or harm
  • property is in danger of being damaged
  • a serious disruption to the public is likely

Home Safety Advice

For more advice on how to keep your home safe please visit the Thames Valley Police website.

Further information can also be found via Thames Valley Police's 'HomeSecurity Guide' and 'Home Security Advice Leaflet'.

Handy checklist from Thames Valley Police to help keep you and your home safe: placeholder

Please see the following link for a crime prevention advice notice regarding Catalytic Converters.

If you feel particularly vulnerable the Community Police are able to undertake a home crime prevention visit - please contact the clerk for the contact information.

Lighting Up Time

With darker evenings, a house with no lights showing could alert a criminal to an empty property. Below is advice sent out by Thames Valley Police with further information.

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No Cold Caller Zone

In recent times there have been a number of reports regarding cold callers in the village, if you at all concerned please contact the Police's non-emergency number on 101.

Cold Calling or Doorstep Trading is defined as traders who call but have no previous contact with the resident.

The Neighbourhood Watch and Parish Council have declared the village a No Cold Caller Zone so that villagers can easily turn away anyone who tries to sell at the door. These traders are often scammers intending to sell goods and services of poor quality at inflated prices, or to return later with intent to burgle.

What if a Cold Caller does Ring or Knock?
If a trader you are not expecting does call, villagers should turn them away. The signs at the entrances of the village and door stickers mean traders should not ring or knock. If one does, residents should tell them to leave, after which returning is a crime.

IF YOU FEEL THREATENED:
Close the door on the caller and call 999
If you think a Rogue Trader has called at a door in Weston on the Green, report it immediately by calling the police on 101 if they are still in the area, or Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133.

Please contact the clerk if you wish to obtain a No Cold Calling leaflet and sticker for your door.

Oxfordshire Trading Standards and Thames Valley Police poster which you can also place in your window to help prevent cold callers.

Trading Standards also has some useful information about doorstep crime.

Utility Companies have Priority Services Registers for eligible groups including those of pensionable age. To get on the register, contact your energy supplier.
Details are on your energy bill.
Callers from the company will then use identification and a password when they visit.

Accredited tradespeople will have appropriate photo ID. Always use the chain on your door.
Always check IDs, but look up the company phone number - do not trust the number on the ID, it may be bogus.

East Cherwell Rural Community Forum

The East Cherwell Rural Community Forum meets with the police twice a year to raise issues of concern, develop local community projects, give advice and raise awareness through sharing information. If you have any issues you wish raising please contcat either the Neighbourhood Watch (wotg.nhw@gmail.com) or Parish Council.

Thames Valley Police: Bicester and Kidlington Rural Neighbourhood Police Team Report 2021-2022