Neighbourhood Watch

Tidiness Against Crime

Support is growing for the theory that the overall appearance of a street or neighbourhood may have a considerable effect on crime ere. it is thought that if an area looks untidy with graffiti, broken windows, piles of rubbish, derelict -buildings and land, or abandoned cars, then crime may actually concentrate there; while if an area is clean and tidy with graffiti promptly cleaned, rubbish and wrecked cars removed and dereliction cleared, then crime may be reduced. In short, if an area looks as if people care for it, the criminal will be able to tell that those same people will not tolerate crime and will take positive action against it.

One of the first tasks of a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme should be, therefore, to look around the area and make sure it is clean and tidy and make it look as if the residents are proud of it. This can involve simple things like:

- reporting defective road and path lighting

Even these simple steps could serve to take away some of the hints which a burglar will note when he is choosing his target.

Signs of Occupancy

This term refers to the simple matter of making a house look occupied when there is nobody at home. Research among criminals indicates that very few burglaries occur when there is someone at home, and that most burglars take deliberate steps to avoid the possibility of meeting anyone in homes which they burgle. It is clear therefore that if every house in the scheme can be made to look as if there is someone at home, then burglars may well be deterred.

- Arranging to park cars on the driveways of unoccupied homes of neighbours.

If all these things are done regularly and effectively, the burglar will find life very confusing and will probably go looking for an easier target.