Neighbourhood Watch groups have been established in both Teddington and Alstone in a positive commitment by the community to act against crime. The aim is to reduce opportunities for crime and make it more difficult for the would-be thief, vandal or criminal to act.
The partnership formed with the police is one of the most important features of Neighbourhood Watch. The local coordinator or the police should be informed about any suspicious incidents in the neighbourhood and, if the scheme is to be effective, any early warning received from the police about criminal incidents in the locality must be passed without delay down the agreed information network.
Neighbourhood Watch members are expected to be alert and respond to what is going on in the neighbourhood. Bottles of milk left on a doorstep, or a newspaper half-pushed through a letter-box, can mean that a neighbour has gone on holiday and forgotten to cancel a regular order. Alternatively it can mean an elderly person living alone needs help or attention. These kind of signs attract criminals but if you notice them and respond you can save a lot of heartache4 and expense and one day your neighbour might do the same for you.
Being a member of Neighbourhood Watch has many practical advantages. Some insurance companies offer lower premiums and there is the security that comes from the knowledge that a friendly eye is being kept on your property. At the same time a community spirit is built up by neighbours working together to everybody=s benefit.
