This week Stoke & Wyken.

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

Officers from the Stoke & Wyken neighbourhood team have participated in Op PLAZARI which is focusing on one of our most urgent issues effecting our communities, Domestic abuse.

A few of our officers attended a virgil in Smithford Way at the city centre on the 29th November where the focal point was a display of shoes – one pair for each woman who’s life was impacted in the last year by Domestic abuse. This Virgil brought together communities from across Coventry including Coventry MP Mary Creagh and West Midlands police crime commissioner Simon Foster.

Officers from the Stoke and Wyken team have also been conducting foot patrols in our local green areas, such as Caludon Castle Park, Stoke Heath, Barras Green, The Lindfeild and St Margret’s Skate Park. We are also continuing our targeted guardian patrols in the areas of Walsgrave Road, Riley Square, Hillmorton Road and Edgwick Park due to high levels of ASB, so if you see us about feel free to come and say hello.

Officers from the Stoke & Wyken team have three arrests this week one for a common assault, one for harassment and another for a driver who was under the influence of alcohol.

Vehicle Security Reminder

Please be mindful when locking your car and take steps to keep your vehicle secure. We recommend the following:

Don't Leave Valuables on Show

It might sound obvious but leaving items on show is an invitation to the opportunist criminal - mobile phones, satnavs and mounts, power leads, money, wallets, handbags, sunglasses, coats, jackets and bags should always be removed from the vehicle or hidden well out of sight 

Hide Keys & Fobs

Keys and ignition fobs should be kept safe and out of sight and reach. A common way to steal a car is to take the keys or ignition fob, so never leave them in the vehicle, even if it is unattended for a moment. When at home ensure that your keys or ignition fob are kept well away from windows or doors so that they cannot be seen by a potential thief and never leave them close to the front door where they can be accessed through letterboxes. Put the keys in a signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday bag. 

Lock Doors & Close Windows!

Always lock and close the windows of your vehicle when you leave it unattended - be this on the drive, the petrol station forecourt, when de-icing your vehicle in the winter or when getting a ticket to park. An unlocked vehicle is the easiest to steal or steal from.

Fit an Alarm

If your vehicle is not fitted with a manufacturers’ fitted alarm and/or immobiliser, consider installing an approved system. 

Install a Tracker

Tracker systems can increase the recovery of your car if it is stolen. Many systems activate once the car is stolen and track the car via GPS and other systems. SBD have several members which specialise in this area and can advise you on the best system and fitting of the product for your vehicle type

Use Physical Security

Physical security products such as a steering wheel lock or a lock that fits over the gear lever still act as a good deterrent

Secure your Number Plates

Fit theft-resistant number plate fittings. Stolen number plates are commonly used to hide the identity of stolen vehicles. Use one-way clutch head screws to secure number plates

Naturewatch 

This week while a couple of our officers were busy doing our targeted guardian patrols, a member of the public spoke to us about a rare sighting of the Black Fox in the area of Walsgrave. Furthermore, they informed our Officers that this Fox hasn’t been seen in over ten years which is what makes this furry friend so rare.   

The Black fox’s unique colouring is due to its rare genetic defect. Many young cubs have black fur before it changes to the normal deep red colour, however for some of them the Black fur remains making them extremely rare and hard to find.

The best known and most widely distributed species, Vulpes vulpes , was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Due to the vast land area the red fox occupies, it has been suggested that there may be more genetically distinct species within the genus yet to be described (Hoffman and Sillero-Zubiri, 2016).

A message from your neighbourhood team 

“We’re always delighted when residents share positive stories from the community, especially ones that highlight the wildlife living alongside us,” 

“If you’re lucky enough to witness something like this, a photo is a great way to remember it — just be sure to keep a respectful distance and never intervene unless the animal clearly needs help.” 

For non-emergency enquiries or to raise community concerns in the Wyken area, residents are encouraged to contact Coventry Police through their usual channels.

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