A safety message from our local ex-Polce member

Douglas Neighbourly Lead from Awhitu - Pollok

Millsie from Big Bay reports:
Couple of things happened during the week that should be of interest to you'll.

A suspicious vehicle that someone phoned Police about during the week was seen driving about out here. Then there was a burglary reported in the area the next day. Those 2 things normally go hand in hand. What I can assure you is if one person thought that vehicle was odd enough to phone Police about, half a dozen others likely also did and didn’t do anything about it. That's the world we have come to live in unfortunately.

The main reason I'm sending the email is there has often been a few links missing between those who are paid to protect the community and those who live in it. No particular fault on any parties side it's just the way it is now-a-days (apparently). The technical term is "communication breakdown" which is not just a great song by Led Zeppelin, from their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin.

I'll feel obliged to add, if you see something that is not right phone the Police. Particularly vehicles. Auckland's suburbia is getting closer and closer and I can tell you from experience an afternoon drive from West Auckland out here "shop" for a TV is nothing for criminals. They don’t actually have jobs they normally have habbits, expensive ones.

Few notes on vehicles:
MAKE SURE you get 3 bits of information [if you can].
1. The registration: Write it down, take a photo. Photos are great! Even the first 3 letters. This is almost the single most important piece of information about a car. It can be misleading at times so refer item 2.
2. The type of car: I know we're not all car experts but we know what a ute is as opposed to a saloon and likely also a new car from a 1970 HQ Holden. So something basic is better than nothing. I will add the vehicles registration plates may not match the actual vehicle that they are attached to, hence no. 2 is important. As is 3.
3. The color of the car: That part should be easy. On that, saying "it's green" is not as good as saying "it's dark green like ripe lime".

Noting the time you saw said vehicle and it's direction of travel is also good as well as how many people you think are in it. More info is better generally.

The worst thing you can do is nothing and assume someone else will make notes or call the Police.

Until that gap I was referring to earlier is bridged somehow, the best defense we have is to look out for each other backs.

There it is.

It's a cruel irony that with all these tech devices and high speed thingy-ma-bobs that we carry and have in our homes that we are likely in the dark more now than we were even 15 years ago when it comes to information flow about local crime. Maybe someday someone will set up a global "Neighborhood Watch" email list that certain key individuals can access then receive and disseminate important information via (such as this). Those persons can be the pipeline from those organistations charged with protecting the community and the information flow can be sped up. Just an idea.

Millsie.