At the last Parish Council meeting our local Police Community Support Officer, Chris Barratt, asked us to publicise two issues:
Thefts from unsecured vehicles – there has been a spate of thefts recently in the surrounding villages from unsecured vehicles, particularly from cars with “keyless entry”. Owners are urged to keep car fobs well away from doors and windows, even when inside their homes, to avoid cars becoming unlocked inadvertently and vulnerable to thieves. Storing fobs in a metal container, such as a biscuit tin, works well and also protects against more sophisticated thefts using scanning devices.
Cannabis farms – cannabis farms are becoming more common even in out-of-town areas such as Shadwell and the surrounding rural villages. Tell-tale signs include:
- blocked or blacked-out windows
- evidence of very bright internal lighting, perhaps leaking out around the edges of black-outs
- lots of condensation – even in summer
- overly secured premises
- noisy ventilation equipment – on day and night
- lots of comings and goings, often at social hours
- a strong sickly smell
The Police are asking residents to look out for evidence of suspicious activity and report it by ringing 101 or via the police website https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/contact-us