a) Community Policing – local issues and priorities
b) Cyber Crime - Paul Harvey
Minutes:
Community Policing
PC Matt Holland – Community Policing Coordinator gave an update on local priorities and issues.
Non-dwelling burglaries
An increase in offences from November onwards had been identified. This indicated that there was at least one team active. Targeted operations were being carried out. Generally, people had good home security, however the security for outside buildings was not so efficient.
Criminal damage
Last weekend there had been several incidents where damaged was caused to vehicles with catapults. There had been 70 offences since October. People were urged to report all offences.
Purse thefts
Older ladies over the age of 65 had been targeted in a spate of purse thefts in Salisbury City centre. People were urged to keep bags and belongings close when out shopping. Patrols were increased on the lead up to Christmas. There had been some leads but there remained an active group committing these offences.
PCSOs
Officers were out on targeted patrols to monitor vulnerable people within the community.
Community messaging
People were urged to sign up for this useful service. Further information on this was available online at: https://www.wiltsmessaging.co.uk/
Questions received included:
· Elaine Hartford, some years back the PCSO advised of some inexpensive shed alarms costing around £5. Were these still available? Answer: We can still access them yes. You could go to the Bobby Van scheme or direct to your PCSO.
· Keith Rogers Clarendon Park – To my knowledge there had been a few crimes lately which did not appear in the statistics. One where a lady was hit by a car, what happened to that? Answer: It depends on the classification of a crime and whether we are still investigating as to whether it is included in the statistics. A press release would be released relating to that incident shortly and is quite complex and still under
investigation.
Cyber Crime
Sergeant Paul Harvey, Strategic Support Officer for crime and prevention, gave a presentation and circulated leaflets at the meeting.
Some of the points raised included:
· 80% of cybercrime could be overcome, by using a good password, good antivirus software and if something sounds too good to be true then it probably is.
· Cyber Crime was one of the four Control Strategies in the Force.
· The national model against cybercrime was to Protect, Prevent, Prepare and Pursue.
· The Bobby Van and some online safety volunteers could visit victims to teach them the basics to protect themselves in the future. To give a better understanding of the threat, of what was out there and what people could do to protect themselves.
· The ‘Get safe online’ website was a useful place that people could access further information :https://www.getsafeonline.org
· Between April and October 2016, Salisbury people were scammed out of £4.2m
· The Force had employed a Cyber Prevention Officer to work with them in this field.
Questions and comments were then taken, these included:
· Could the leaflet be circulated on pdf? Answer: Yes, this could be sent to the Community Engagement Manager for circulation.
· Tom and Paul would be working together on an Intergenerational Project, as it was important to include young and older people involved.
· This was a national problem, so why was this not solely being handled at a national level? Answer: It is, as when you call 101 it goes straight through to Action Fraud. The national detection rate figure was 10% but in Wiltshire it was 40%. Action Fraud send us leads for work on the ground, which is then pursued locally.
· Some people receive a lot of suspicious emails if they were all reported you would be swamped? Answer – We aim to raise awareness not to respond to those emails.