Blythe 20th – 24th August 2025 Please do accept our apologies for this late crime update. Burglaries There have been no burglaries reported. Vehicle Crime Between Tuesday 19th August at 4:00pm and Thursday 21st August at 7:00pm, a theft from a motor vehicle occurred on Coppice walk, Cheswick Green. Offender(s) have stolen the front and rear license plates. Between Thursday 21st August at 5:00pm and Wednesday 20th August at 09:00am, a theft from a motor vehicle occurred on Houndsfield Lane, Dickens Heath. Offenders have stolen the front license plates. Between Thursday 21st August at 6:30pm and Friady 22nd August at9:15pm, a theft from a motor vehicle occurred at the red lion hotel on lady lane. Offenders have stolen the front license plates. Other crimes A number of other crimes have been reported us over this period such as assaults and criminal damage. GOOD NEWS On Thursday 21st August officers held a community meeting was held at Mortons kitchen in Dickens Heath. We had a positive turnout of members within the community who have raised concerns for their area with us. We have increased our patrols around Dickens Heath & hillfield park in response to residents’ concerns around ASB. CRIME PREVENTION If your vehicle is keyless entry then consider using a FARADAY pouch to put your keys in. These block the signals that are picked up by scanners. With the nicer weather and lighter evenings, more of us will be keen to get back on our bikes. Please ensure that you have a good quality lock if you plan on leaving your bike unattended. A D lock is one such type of lock. Bike theft generally increases with the better weather as people start to get out on them more. Always check your FOB HAS DONE ITS JOB and has locked your vehicle. Offenders are out there at night trying the handles looking for insecure vehicles. Don’t leave valuables in unattended vehicles. Please consider a good steering lock for your vehicles, and check that your vehicle is locked before you walk away from it. If you are going to be out when it gets darker please consider timer switches for your lamps. There are also other devices that do the same job that can be linked to WIFI. Don’t leave your house in darkness, this is a clear sign that the house could be empty. Remember, crime prevention is all about making it difficult for offenders to break in to your property or steal your vehicles. If they have to spend more time or make more noise than they want to they may give up and look elsewhere. Please consider anti-snap locks to all outside doors. Look for at least 3 stars and the Kitemark when purchasing them. Put wheelie bins at the rear of your property away from gates and fences if you can. These can be used as a means to get over your fence and into your rear garden. If you have a side gate or a fence bordering your garden then think about something called PRIKA STRIP. This is strips of hard rubber spikes that can be run along flat surfaces such as gates, fences and roofs, anybody attempting to climb on or over will find it difficult to put their hands on the surface due to these spikes. Tamper proof screws for number plates are a good idea to protect number plates from being stolen. Pickpockets and purse dippers are active in the town centre. Always make sure handbags are zipped up, never leave your handbag or purse unattended on a shopping trolley, pushchair or wheelchair. Always be aware of your surroundings and the people around you when withdrawing cash. A simple tactic against this type of crime is to attach small bells to your purse so that they jingle when purses are being moved. Please take 5 mins to read about ways you can prevent burglary and vehicle theft www.westmidlands.police.uk/search?q=Burglary www.westmidlands.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/ Follow us on Twitter @stalphegewmp | 
