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YOUR WEEKLY NEWS is supporting a ground-breaking new initiative by councillors, police and other agencies to make Haverhill a No-Go Zone for burglars and bogus callers.
All of our 12,000 readers will receive a pack with their paper this week containing security marker pens, stickers and vital crime prevention advice, aimed at saturating the whole town and surrounding area.
County councillors Maggie Lee and Gerry Kiernan have instigated the scheme with funding from their locality budget for Haverhill, cash allocated for specific projects in their area.
They believe it is the biggest initiative of its kind in the county, which will send out a clear message to criminals to stay away. Haverhill enjoys one of the lowest crime rates of any town in the country and the idea is to lower it even more.
Suffolk police have helped compile the pen pack. Help has also come from Suffolk Insurance of High Street, Haverhill, which is offering a five per cent discount off their first year’s house contents insurance to customers who use their security marker pens.
Insp Mike Bacon, Haverhill’s sector commander, said he was delighted to support such an exciting initiative, but urged the public to become involved to make it work.
“It gives the people of Haverhill a unique opportunity to participate in a scheme which will undoubtedly lead to a reduction in crime committed and the increased chance of apprehending offenders.
“Although Haverhill is not a high crime area there are a small number of known burglars who commit crime when the opportunity presents itself. Let’s send out a clear message to these people that it does not pay to commit crime in Haverhill.”
David Dyble, the Haverhill area crime reduction officer, said property marking was an important deterrent and also helped identify stolen property. Bogus caller stickers were also a deterrent and had achieved remarkable results since introduced in Essex.
“This sends a message to those people who prey on the elderly and vulnerable that you are vigilant and will ask questions. If every home in your street sends the same message they will feel very exposed arid will not want to be there,” Mr Dyble said.
Coun Lee said similar initiatives in other parts of the country had led to substantial reductions in crime. Haverhill will become one of very few towns which have been completely saturated in this way.
“We wanted to do it because we know it can work. It is important that we all mark our possessions and display window stickers because this will mean that Haverhill will be completely covered.”
Coun Kieman said if everyone marked all their valuable possessions it would make life very difficult for burglars.
Robin Harman, of Suffolk Insurance, said many people did not insure their home contents because of cost, yet cover could be provided for as little as £1.50 a week. Their discount offer can be taken up by ringing (01440) 702633.