Secure Living in a Rural Community

This section will provide you with security & guidance updates which are applicable during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic:

Action Fraud have received reports of #COVID19 related scams. The   majority relate to the online sale of protective items such as face-masks and   other items in short supply due to the outbreak, that don't exist..
 

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/alert/coronavirus-related-fraud-reports
 

The majority of reports are related to online shopping scams where people have ordered   protective face masks, hand sanitiser and other products, which have never arrived. Other frauds being reported include ticket fraud, romance fraud, charity fraud and lender loan fraud
 

Detailed counter-fraud advice is available online, including from Scamsmart,   ActionFraud,   CIFAS,   TakeFive,   Citizens   Advice, Trading   Standards and the National   Cyber Security Centre.
 

Reporting to Action Fraud can be done online at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk  or by calling  0300 123 2040.

To report offers of financial assistance from HMRC contact phishing@hmrc.gov.uk.
 

Message   Sent By
 Action Fraud Admin (Action Fraud, Administrator, Global)

Our local PCSO is Arlene Ormston.  Her contact details are:

• Arlene.Ormston@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
• 07815 590756

If you're not sure who is at the door, don't open it! Check the identity of the caller by calling the company they are purporting to be from i.e. Gas, Electricity, Water or Police. Use the telephone numbers listed in your local directory or provided independently by your service provider. Do not use any phone numbers provided by the caller, as they may be bogus. 

Ask the caller to put their identification through the letter box so that you have time to check the details. Telephone a neighbour or friend nearby to come along and check out the caller before you open the door to them.

Many utility service providers like Gas, Electricity and Water provide password schemes or hotline numbers for customers to call, to check the identity of callers before opening the door. Speak to your utility provider.

Keep your door locked and windows secure at all times. Check the back door is locked before answering the front door.

Don't keep large quantities of cash at home: put it in the bank or post office where it is safe.

If someone asks for your help, needs to make a telephone call, has lost a ball in your garden, needs a drink or requests  a pen and paper for example, refer them to a younger neighbour  or assist them through a closed door or call a friend or neighbour to come and assist.

Not sure? Don't open the door!

Use of footpaths and bridleways (19th May 2020)
 

With everyone out using our lovely countryside as part of their daily exercise please remember that the footpaths (yellow markers) are for walking and running and not for cycling. The bridleways (blue markers) can be used for cycling as well as walking & horse riding.
 

Please don't ride bikes on the footpaths around the fields. To find all the bridleways / footpaths around a village go to https://mymsg.eu/92q1 Go to My Maps, navigate over to the area where you want to walk, then click on “Public Rights of Way” from the list on the left side to turn on the rights of way layer. The bridleways will be marked in green, and footpaths in purple.
 

There have been recent incidents of uncontrolled dogs harassing ewes and lambs, and also of damage to crops. So please stay on the footpaths, keep your dog under close control, and enjoy our glorious countryside.
 

Many thanks and stay safe
 

PCSO C1018 Arlene Ormston 

Equipment and tool security

Equipment and tool security can be a particular issue for rural businesses and farms. To keep your belongings safe: 

• lock equipment away in a secure building or part of a building when not in use
• invest in a secure storage toolbox
• install a burglar alarm on buildings where equipment is kept
• always lock vehicles when left outside and keep the keys in your possession
• keep expensive items and vehicles out of sight when not in use
• consider using hitch locks, wheel clamps or ground anchors
• mark your tools and equipment and register them for free with Immobilise
• keep a record of all valuable items
• consider fitting outside security lights

For further information on securing your belongings and how to mark your equipment, visit our burglary advice pages.

Estate and building security

A good standard of building security is very important in rural areas, especially for outbuildings that may not be visited for weeks at a time.Farmhouses and other rural properties are the same as any other home, so general home security advice still applies. 

However, because of the remote location, additional security measures may be beneficial.To protect your rural home or business:

• keep the boundaries of your land and property well-maintained and secure
• keep all doors and windows shut and locked when not in use
• install a visible burglar alarm
• make sure windows and door frames are secure and in good repair
• fit strong locks to sheds, garages and outbuildings
• fit good quality window locks
• consider security bars and grilles for vulnerable windows and openings
• make sure gates cannot be lifted off or have their fixing bolts removed
• check security equipment regularly to ensure it works properly
• use locking posts or temporary obstructions to control wide access points to yards

For additional security you could also:

• install automatic security lights that come on at dusk and turn off at dawn
• install CCTV cameras to watch over the most vulnerable areas of the property
• install a monitored intruder alarm system
• install an entry control system infrared, intercom or keypad
• establish a single gated entrance and exit, removing all private access points that are not in use

For information and general advice on protecting your property visit our burglary advice pages.

Boundaries

Take a good look around your property boundary for any potential places where it could be made more secure.Consider:

• planting thorny hedging to act as a natural barrier
• digging deep ditches to control and deter unwanted vehicle access
• if possible, having a single-gated access point to the property
• using locking posts or temporary obstructions to control large openings
• invert and cap gate hinges
• making sure fixing bolts are secure and use covered padlocks
• installing warning signs

Fire prevention

• Dispose of refuse regularly and safely.
• Remove hay and straw from fields as soon as possible after harvesting and do not store it alongside other materials/vehicles.
• Store petrol, diesel and other fuels in secure areas and always padlock storage tank outlets.
• Seek further advice from your local fire service.

Illegal activity

All incidents of illegal activity should be reported to the appropriate authority as soon as possible. If you are able to, make a note of any vehicle details and a description of the people involved.Always consider your own personal safety first before approaching anyone you think might be doing something illegal.Illegal occupationAs a landowner it’s your responsibility to protect your land from unauthorised occupation. Making sure your premises and boundaries are secure will greatly reduce the risk of unauthorised occupation.To help protect your land you could:

• look closely at the perimeter to ensure it is as secure as possible
• consider using large tree trunks, rocks, ditching and earth mounds around boundaries to prevent access
• restrict vehicle access by digging deep ditches
• keep unused land maintained and free from litter and other waste

If your land does become illegally occupied, you can take proceedings to the county court to obtain a court order for the eviction of illegal occupants. Occupants who fail to comply with this notice by leaving the land as soon as reasonably possible are committing an offence. For more information about environment crime, such as fly tipping and illegal off-roading read our environment crime page.

Diesel theft

Diesel theft is a problem for many farms and rural properties. Fuel tanks stored in rural and isolated locations are very attractive to thieves looking for an easy target.

• Keep tanks stored close to the property where you can see them. If this isn’t possible, you should consider installing CCTV to watch over isolated tanks and restrict access with walls, fences and hedges. Security lighting such as ‘dusk till dawn’ or motion detection lighting can also be an effective deterrent to thieves.
• Remember to check the oil level in your tank regularly. Look for any spilt fuel, marks on the locks or anything else suspicious.
• Avoid installing a storage tank in an isolated area or outlying building.
• Consider using a mobile bowser (tanker) kept in a secure place when not in use.
• Use ‘diesel dye’, making your diesel traceable and less attractive to thieves.

Livestock theft

You should check your livestock and the security of boundary fencing regularly. If they're making more noise than usual this could mean something has disturbed them.

• Make regular checks of the fields where animals are kept to check that fences haven’t been breached and that no one else is in the field with them.
• Use ear tags, horn brands, freeze marking or tattooing to make your animals more easily identifiable.
• Keep your hedges, fences and gates in good repair: field gate hinges should have capping hinges so they can't be removed easily; cattle grids should be removable and locked out of position when they're not in use; use locking posts to obstruct large openings to yards.
• Consider installing CCTV.

Always report any suspicious activity involving livestock to the police.

Tack security

• Secure tack room windows on the inside with solid iron bars (not tubular steel).
• Secure all doors with good quality locks; use bolts (not screws) on the hinges.
• Mark your tack using an ultraviolet pen.
• Display warning signage to deter thieves.
• Padlock gates with substantial padlocks and heavy duty chains.
• Reverse top hinges on gates to prevent lifting.
• Install security lights and an intruder alarm.

Chemical storage

• Store fertilisers in a dedicated locked building or compound – don't leave them on public view.
• Don't sell fertiliser unless you know the potential purchaser to be a legitimate user.
• Record all deliveries and usage and carry out regular stock taking.
• Record manufacturers’ code numbers and detonation resistance test certificates – you may be required to present them.
• Always report a stock discrepancy or loss immediately.

Useful contacts  

• For alarm and security companies - National Security Inspectorate, Security Systems & Alarms Inspection Board
• For security products - Secured by design, Sold Secure
• Reporting Fly-Tipping: follow this link