Bolton Neighbourhood Watch News - September 2025

Bolton Neighbourhood Watch News - September 2025

Darker nights are often associated with increased burglary, vehicle crime, and theft as criminals use the cover of darkness to operate, but home security measures can be taken to deter them. Police and Neighbourhood Watch advise taking precautions such as using timer switches for lights, securing all doors and windows, using motion-sensitive lighting and CCTV, and pruning hedges to improve visibility. People are also encouraged to keep valuables and car keys out of sight, lock vehicles even for quick stops, and hide electronic device packaging.

Why Darker Nights Increase Crime

Cover of Darkness: Criminals prefer to operate under the cover of darkness to avoid being seen.

Increased Opportunity: Longer nights provide more opportunities for opportunistic theft, especially for burglaries and vehicle crime.

Home Security Tips

Lighting: Use timer switches to operate indoor lights, creating the illusion that someone is home.

Lighting: Install motion-sensitive outdoor lights to deter intruders by lighting up when someone approaches your property.

Doors and Windows: Double-check and securely lock all entry points, including back doors, even when you are inside the house.

Alarms: Activate your house alarm system when leaving and use the zonal functions at night.

CCTV: Consider installing a good quality CCTV system.

Pruning: Keep front hedges and shrubbery pruned below 1 meter to remove hiding places for burglars.

Visibility: Ensure your front door is well-lit and visible from the street.

Vehicle Security Tips

Lock Your Vehicle: Always secure your car, even if you are only stopping for a short time.

Hide Valuables: Never leave valuable items, such as tools, bags, or tech, visible in your vehicle.

Prevent Keyless Theft: If you have a vehicle with keyless entry, keep the fob in a Faraday bag or shielded container.

General Tips

Don't Advertise: Carefully dispose of packaging for new items, like electronics, to avoid signalling to burglars that you have new valuables.

Be a Good Neighbour: Ask vulnerable neighbours if they would like help with their home security.

Report Suspicious Activity: Be vigilant and aware of your surroundings.

For personal safety during darker nights, police often advise walking with friends, avoiding strangers, and carrying a personal attack alarm.

Walking Safety On Dark Nights

To improve your safety when walking on dark nights,

stay alert, choose well-lit routes, and increase your visibility to others. Taking proactive steps and knowing how to react if you feel unsafe are key strategies for personal security.

Before you leave

Plan your route: Stick to well-lit, busy streets, even if the walk is longer. Avoid shortcuts through parks, alleyways, and deserted areas.

Inform a trusted contact: Let a friend or family member know your route and your expected arrival time. Use a location-sharing app so they can track your journey.

Charge your phone: Ensure your mobile phone has a full battery in case you need to make a call for help.

Dress appropriately: Wear comfortable shoes that allow you to move quickly if necessary. Avoid wearing high heels or footwear that restricts your movement.

While you are walking

Stay alert and aware: Put your phone away and keep your headphones out of your ears so you can hear approaching vehicles or people.

Walk with confidence: Keep your head up, walk at a steady pace, and make brief eye contact with people. Appearing confident can make you seem like a less vulnerable target.

Increase visibility: Wear light-coloured clothing or, for maximum visibility, wear reflective accessories or a high-visibility jacket. You can also carry a flashlight or use a phone's light to make yourself more noticeable.

Walk facing traffic: If there is no sidewalk, walk on the side of the road facing oncoming traffic. This allows you to see vehicles as they approach.

Protect your valuables: Keep your phone, wallet, and other valuables in a secure pocket. If carrying a bag, wear it across your body.

If you feel unsafe

Trust your instincts: If a situation or an individual makes you feel uneasy, trust your gut feeling and act on it.

Avoid confrontation: Do not engage with people who seem suspicious. Simply cross the street or change direction to create distance.

Head for a safe location: If you think you are being followed, do not go home. Instead, make your way to a busy, well-lit public place like a shop or restaurant, or to a police station.

Make noise: If you are in immediate danger, make as much noise as possible by yelling or using a personal safety alarm. The loud noise can startle an attacker and attract attention from others.

For added security

Consider a personal alarm: A personal alarm is a small device that emits a piercing siren at the press of a button. The loud noise can deter an attacker and attract attention.

Have your keys ready: As you approach your home or car, have your keys in your hand and ready to use, minimizing the time spent fumbling with your bags.

Enrol in a self-defence class: Learning basic self-defence techniques can provide you with a sense of empowerment and the skills to protect yourself in a dangerous situation.

78,000 people had their phones snatched in the past year - that's more than 200 thefts every day.

Your phone isn't just a device - it's your memories, messages, contacts, emails, and often a gateway to your finances too. When it's taken, it's not just inconvenient - it can feel very stressful.

Mobile phone theft can happen in seconds, but there are many simple things you can do now that could save you money, time and heartache:

Use keypad lock/biometrics (fingerprint/face ID)

Set up tracking apps

Turn off message previews

Back up your data regularly

Know your IMEI number (dial *#06#)

Set up a SIM PIN

Register your phone

You can register your mobile phone free and improve your chances of getting them back if lost or stolen. Visit Immobilise for more information.

What to do if your phone is stolen
It is a horrible feeling to have your phone stolen and it can be really stressful. Here is some advice on what to do if it has happened to you.

If you can, access, lock and even shut down your device remotely on a laptop, tablet or using another phone. Different manufacturers use different systems, but they all operate in a similar way. Here are links for iPhone and Android.

You can also use those services to track your device remotely. Its location can then be shared with the police to help them recover the phone.

Alert your network provider so they can block the phone

Tell your network provider that your phone was stolen and give them the IMEI number. If you don’t have it, you might be able find the number on the box the phone came in, or by using online services like Find My Device. UK network operators can stop a stolen phone from working across their networks with its IMEI.

If your phone is stolen, it is possible that you will have to pay the cost of any unauthorised calls or texts. Some providers cap these costs at £100 outside of your phone allowance - but only if you report your phone as missing within 24 hours,

Let your bank know

They can disable payment methods like Apple Pay or Google Wallet and suspend banking apps.

In some cases, victims who went to the police but didn’t alert their bank have lost thousands of pounds after their phone was stolen. For example, Niall McNamee, a musician and actor living in London, had his phone stolen on the London Underground and two days later discovered about £21,000 was taken from his accounts.

Report the incident to police

It’s always worth reporting the incident even if you don’t think the phone will be recovered. You’ll need a crime reference number if you want to claim insurance, and it helps the police build a picture of where crime hotspots are located.

You can report by calling 101, going in person to a local station or online. Give the police your IMEI number as it can help them track down the device.

Change the passwords to your accounts and apps

This is important for online banking and any accounts containing sensitive information, like your emails. Change passwords for your social media, shopping apps and subscription services like Netflix or Spotify.

Contact your insurance company

If you have mobile phone insurance, call their claims line when you have your crime reference number. If you don’t have separate mobile phone insurance check whether the phone is covered under your home insurance policy.

The National College of Policing shared data with ITV news that areas where police work closely with Neighbourhood Watch groups see a significant reduction in crime. Neighbourhood Policing focussed on reducing anti-social behaviour, burglary and car crime. Several Neighbourhood Watch representatives spoke to ITV to share their views on why their ITV reports crime reduction in areas where police work with Neighbourhood Watch local partnerships were proving so successful. The story included interviews with Steph Good, project manager in Devon and Cornwall, Graham Penn in Rotherham and Dr Fatima Elltinay in Derbyshire. You can check out some of the interviews on the Neighbourhood Watch YouTube channel.

By starting a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, you are joining our network of over 90,000 volunteers who have also made the decision to make their area a better place to live. Together.

Part of joining our network of Coordinators, is that you are fully supported with tips to bring your community together and become resilient, look out for each other and share best practice, access our resources, including our Knowledge Hub (a dedicated platform for our volunteers to talk with each other, and access training opportunities), and crime prevention information.
https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/member-area/support-volunteers/how-start-neighbourhood-watch-scheme-step-step

Reply to this message

Message Sent By
Neil McCall
(Neighbourhood Watch Network, Vice Chair, Greater Manchester Neighbourhood Watch Association, Greater Manchester)