Fight to prevent people becoming crime victims

In Calderdale, supporting the police officers and PCSO’s, are two dedicated Crime Prevention Officers.

Jill Pilling and Tracey Pritchard have the remit of supporting victims of crime, but also helping everyone take steps to prevent crimes from happening in the first place.

“Everyone thinks that crime prevention is a bit dull and doesn’t have any real impact, but they couldn’t be more wrong,” said Jill. “The majority of burglaries could be prevented, as most offenders are looking for the easy option.

“A property in darkness, an open window or a mobile phone or gadget left in view of a window is often just the temptation a burglar needs to target your home.

“Most people think ‘It’ll never happen to me’ but they are often left devastated after an incident, as well as the financial implications of replacing items, people can be left feeling vulnerable and upset.

“If you take steps to make your home or business less appealing to a burglar, they may just bypass your premises and look elsewhere.

“That’s where we can help. We can come out to your home or business and offer free advice on which areas could be vulnerable, and the steps you can take to improve security, or make changes to your routine and habits.”

Jill and Tracey cover the whole district from Todmorden to Hipperholme and Illingworth to Elland and everywhere in between.

“Now more than ever, people have more gadgets and technology – mostly at home, but also lots of devices they may carry on them when travelling to work or college, or for leisure,” said Tracey. “They are often left on a work top, in full view of a window, or sometimes tucked under the sofa or behind a cushion. It’s just not enough to deter people determined on taking your stuff.

“Hide everything away properly, including the charges and cables in a drawer, or cupboard. Having your phone or tablet stolen could mean you lose all your photos and memories as well as the price of replacing it.”