Bolton Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter - December 2025

🎆 Staying Safe This New Year: A Community Approach to Reducing Crime

New Year’s Eve is one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year. It’s a moment to reflect, reset, and look forward with hope. But as excitement builds, so too can opportunities for crime. By taking a few simple precautions and looking out for one another, we can make sure the New Year begins safely for everyone.
 

🎇 Why New Year’s Eve Needs Extra Awareness

The combination of dark evenings, busy streets, and people travelling between gatherings creates conditions where opportunistic crime can increase. Burglary, theft, and antisocial behaviour tend to rise when homes are left empty and people are distracted by celebrations.

The good news is that small actions—taken together—make a big difference.
 

🏠 Keep Your Home Secure

Even if you’re only stepping out for a short while, make your home look lived-in.

A well‑secured home is far less attractive to criminals.
 

🚶 Stay Safe While Out and About

Whether you’re heading to a party, a pub, or a community event, a little planning goes a long way.

If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts.
 

🚗 Protect Your Vehicle

Cars and vans can be easy targets on New Year’s Eve.

Criminals look for quick wins; don’t give them one.
 

🤝 Look Out for Each Other

Community spirit is one of the strongest tools we have.

When communities stay connected, crime has far fewer places to hide.
 

🎉 Start the Year as We Mean to Go On

New Year’s Eve should be a time of joy, not worry. By taking simple precautions and watching out for one another, we can help ensure that everyone in our community starts the year feeling safe, supported, and confident.

Here’s to a peaceful, crime‑free New Year—let’s make it happen together.

🌐 Oversharing on Social Media: Why It Matters More Than You Think

In an age where sharing online feels as natural as chatting over the garden fence, it’s easy to forget just how far and fast our posts can travel. A quick update, a holiday snap, or a proud moment with the kids can seem harmless—but to the wrong person, it can be valuable information.

Oversharing on social media has become one of the most common ways criminals gather details about people’s lives. They don’t need to hack accounts or break into systems; they simply watch what we voluntarily put online.
 

🔍 What Counts as Oversharing?

Oversharing isn’t just posting too often. It’s sharing information that could be misused, such as:

Individually, these details may seem small. Together, they can paint a very clear picture.
 

🛡️ Why It’s a Risk

Criminals increasingly use social media to:

Even posts meant for friends can be shared, screenshotted, or seen by others if privacy settings aren’t tight.

✔️ Simple Ways to Stay Safe

A few small habits can make a big difference:

🤝 A Community Effort

Staying safe online isn’t just about protecting ourselves—it’s about protecting our neighbours too. When we all take care with what we share, we reduce opportunities for criminals and strengthen our community’s resilience.