Stoke & Wyken - End of week update.

Dear Residents and Local Businesses, here is your weekly update from your local neighbourhood Policing Team, Stoke and Wyken. 

This week, officers from the Stoke & Wyken neighbourhood team have been actively patrolling the retail parks and green spaces. However, the heavy rain has restricted the number of foot patrols conducted. During the drier intervals, officers have continued their foot patrols, engaging with residents and offering reassurance through crime prevention materials. Among these materials are faraday pouches, which assist owners of keyless cars. 

If you would like to be given one of these pouches, please send us a message and we will be in touch. 

Now that Christmas is getting closer, generally the amount of retail crime will increase, equally this means we will be increasing our presence around the area to ensure the safety of our businesses and residents. 

Speedwatch operations have been very successful this week, our presence is being noticed and drivers have been adhering to the law and its speed limits, we have only had to give words of advice in regarding to speeding motorists this week – these Operations will never be announced to what location or what time they will be happening, however rest assured Officers will be continuing these in order to keep our streets safe. 

As the nights get darker - Lock Up 

As we near the end of summer, and head into darker nights, it's important to take extra precautions to keep your home and vehicle safe. We often see a seasonal rise in burglary and car crime across the West Midlands through the autumn and winter months. 

Criminals will use the cover of darkness to act. Most burglaries happen through insecure doors and windows, so where you can close them, and lock them even when you’re in. If you have elderly or vulnerable neighbours, ask them if they would like some help with their home security.  

Here are some key steps you can take to protect yourself: 

Home security: 

1. Use timer switches for lights: Set indoor lights on timers to make it look like someone is home, even if you’re out. 

2. Secure doors and windows: Double-check that all entry points, including porches and sheds, are securely locked—even when you're home. 

3. Activate house alarms: If you have an alarm system, ensure its activated when you leave and use any zonal functions during the night. 

4. Consider smart lighting: Motion-sensitive outdoor lights can help deter burglars by lighting up when someone approaches your property. 

Vehicle safety: 

1. Keep keys away from windows and doors: It’s easy to leave your keys in the lock or by the front door in plain sight. It only takes seconds for a thief to take advantage of this opportunity.  
2. When leaving your vehicle at home, or out shopping, be sure to check your fob has done its job. Criminals can block the signals from your key fob to your vehicle so look out for other signs your vehicle is locked, such as folded in wing mirrors, flash of head lights, or the manufacturer app on your mobile. 

3. Steering wheel locks: Consider using physical deterrents such as steering locks for added protection. 

4. Keep valuables out of sight: Ensure that valuables, including car keys and fobs, are kept out of sight from windows and doors to reduce the risk of theft. 

General Advice: 

- Be aware of your surroundings: Whether you’re at home or out, remain alert to any suspicious activity and report it to the police via 101 or 999 in emergencies. 

- Delivery safety: As parcel thefts increase in the lead-up to the festive season, provide specific instructions for delivery drivers to leave packages in a secure location if you’re not at home. You can also opt to pick up parcels from a locker or newsagents. 

- Look over your insurance policies: It’s important to regularly check and update your home and car insurance details to ensure all your valuables are covered in case of a burglary or theft.  
- Fireworks and bonfires can be enjoyable and a great opportunity to bring people together. However, setting off fireworks or spontaneous bonfires can also cause stress and disruption to residents, wildlife, and household pets. Fireworks can be used in the UK any time from 7am to 11pm with exceptions on Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve, and Diwali. 

These tips can help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of burglary or vehicle crime during the winter months. For further crime prevention advice, check out our dedicated ‘darker nights’ crime prevention page https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/police-forces/west-midlands-police/areas/campaigns/campaigns/darker-nights/   

Please join Officers at Caludon Castle park next week on the 27th of September between 8am and 12pm for some ASB awareness, you will be given the opportunity to discuss any concerns. 

Snipe Sighted in Wyken’s Marshy Patches  

There has been an influx of people in the area becoming very excited about the recent weeks and the updates regarding animals of the avian variety, and more people have been out and about (weather dependant) and seeking to find more wildlife, and so this week local bird enthusiasts have reported yet another exciting visitor to the Stoke & Wyken area this month – the elusive common snipe. Residents enjoying the green spaces around Caludon Castle Park have spotted the bird in the marshy patches, with some believing it may have been seen in flight heading towards the River Sowe – however this is unknown. 

The sighting was first reported by an avid birdwatcher, who noticed the bird’s distinctive behaviour and markings. Unlike many waders, the snipe has a characteristically erratic, zig-zagging flight and is equally recognisable on the ground by its stealthy, bobbing walk while probing soft soil with its long bill. 

Although rare to glimpse up close, the snipe is no stranger to Coventry during the colder months. As temperatures drop, these birds are drawn to our wetter habitats, particularly marshes, damp grassland, and river edges. Their superb camouflage makes them tricky to spot, but with a keen eye, residents may be lucky enough to notice one. 

Local birdwatchers are encouraging walkers in the Wyken and Stoke area to keep their eyes peeled over the coming weeks. With the River Sowe acting as a natural corridor, there is every chance of further sightings as the season progresses. 

For now, this rare appearance is a reminder of the hidden wildlife thriving on our doorstep – and the importance of preserving the wetlands and parklands that attract such special visitors. 

How to identify 

Snipe are medium sized, skulking wading birds with short legs and long, straight bills. Both sexes are mottled brown above, with paler buff stripes on the back, dark streaks on the chest and pale under parts. They are widespread as a breeding species in the UK, with particularly high densities on northern uplands but lower numbers in southern lowlands (especially southwest England). In winter, birds from northern Europe join resident birds. The UK population of Snipe has undergone moderate declines overall in the past twenty-five years, with particularly steep declines in lowland wet grassland, making it an Amber List species. 

As per with other bird sightings so far, the common snipe was formally described and named “Scolopax Gallinago” by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758. 

Above portrait of Carl Linnaeus est 1775    

If Birdwatching is something that interests you, please visit Coventry Birdwatching Site - BirdGuides and get in touch with your local birdwatching location.   

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