Crime Prevention Bulletin October

Crime Prevention Bulletin October

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Bogus Traders

Hampshire and IOW Constabulary have been working alongside partner agencies to target bogus traders. 

Stop! Think Fraud when someone knocks on your door, drops a leaflet through your letterbox or advertises on social media offering to do work in and around your home.

Please don’t leave it to chance, if you need work doing on your home or garden, consult “Buy With Confidence” the list of Trading Standards checked and vetted tradespeople: https://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/ or for residents living on the Isle of Wight, the Trader Approval Scheme: https://digitalservices.iow.gov.uk/tas/

Halloween ‘No trick or treat’ posters

Hampshire and IOW Constabulary’s ‘No trick or treat’ poster is available for display if you don’t want trick or treaters at your door this Halloween.

This poster can be displayed in your home, or homes of any neighbours or relatives. It should be displayed in a prominent position either on the front door or front window. 

You can download the poster from our website here.

Big Conversation Survey

The OPCC Youth Commission brings together young people aged 14 to 25 from across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to support, challenge and inform the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner. 

Through their annual Big Conversation survey, they identify what matters most to young people and make recommendations to policing and partner organisations to help create positive change. 

Please do share with the young people in your life – youth voice matters!

Click here to take part in the Big Conversation.

Spiking Awareness Campaign

You have the right to feel safe and have fun when going on a night out. To those with other ideas, we’re watching you and we do not tolerate any form of spiking.

If you or a friend is spiked with drugs or alcohol there are things you can do to stay safe. Remember to:

We’re also urging any bystanders to speak up and report anything suspicious. 

Find out more here: Spiking | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

Remember it is illegal to:

Blue Lamp Trust Safe Home visits

The Blue Lamp Trust offers free Safe Home visits for older people, vulnerable residents, and victims of burglary in Hampshire and IOW.  Their trained, police-vetted Safety Technicians carry out a full home security and fire safety assessment and, where needed, install items such as:

Fraud by Abuse of Position

This type of fraud involves an individual in a position of trust or authority (this could include a family member or someone acting in a professional capacity, like a nurse) who intentionally abuses that role to make a personal gain or cause a financial loss to someone else.

Here are some practical steps you can take to protect vulnerable family members or friends against financial abuse by someone in a position of trust:

Reviewing financial statements: review their financial statements with them on a regular basis to identify any unauthorised transactions. 

Watch for warning signs: speak with them about any unpaid bills, missing possessions, sudden changes to a will or account. 

Act quickly if something feels wrong: if you suspect abuse, speak to the person privately if safe to do so. You can also raise a safeguarding concern with the local authority's adult social care team, if a solicitor or deputy may be misusing their role, concerns can also be reported to the Office of the Public Guardian.

Deer Vehicle Collisions

We are raising awareness of Deer Vehicle Collisions (DVC), as we tend to see an increase during the rutting season, which runs from September to November. So far this year we have had 492 reports of deer being struck on Hampshire roads. If you hit a deer please do not approach or handle the animal – call 999 immediately.

Watch the video below we have produced alongside The British Deer Society, to learn a bit more about these animals and DVC, and for more details on how to be deer aware whilst driving please visit our webpage: https://orlo.uk/yLNbU

Knife Surrender Bins in Hampshire & IOW

You can find knife surrender bins across the two counties listed on the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary page. Designated surrender points are situated in Aldershot, Andover, Basingstoke, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, Lymington, Portsmouth, Southampton, Winchester, and Park Gate.

Trusted Adults

The Trusted Adults Campaign aims to raise awareness that every adult has a role to play in protecting children and young people from serious violence and exploitation. Sometimes, noticing that something is wrong, listening without judgement and showing you care, can make all the difference to a young person in crisis. 

A trusted adult is someone a child or young person chooses to confide in. They listen without judgement, offer reassurance, and help young people access the appropriate support. A trusted adult is not a job title or a qualification. It can be anyone from a youth worker to a parent or a sports coach. Simply put, it could be you.

The Campaign films bring together the voices of young people and trusted adults to explore what these meaningful relationships look like in real life, as well as their personal advice. Film 1 can be found HERE. Film 2 can be found HERE. Find out more: www.hampshire-pcc.gov.uk/trustedadults

Deep Fake and AI Scams

A deepfake is a fake video, voice or photo of a real person, made using artificial intelligence (AI). It can show someone saying or doing things they never did. AI can also invent people who don't exist at all. These fakes are cheap and easy to make. A criminal can copy someone's voice from a few seconds of a video posted online. Criminals also use AI to write scam messages in perfect English, by the thousand. These fakes are very convincing. Research shows even careful listeners cannot reliably tell a cloned voice from a real one. Being blindsided by one says nothing about your intelligence. This factsheet by Friends Against Scams and the Deep Truth Project shows you how criminals use them, and the simple habits that beat them.