Police issue advice after ATM’s were tampered with

Cumbria Police are advising the public to be aware, be alert and be safe when using Automated Teller Machines (ATM’s) or cash machines.

In the last week, Police in North Cumbria have attended four incidents throughout Carlisle where bank ATM machines have been tampered with in order to steal cash and / or bank cards.

There are a number of different ways in which criminals commit fraud at cash machines:

• Shoulder surfing – This is where criminals look over your shoulder and watch you enter your PIN, then steal your card using distraction techniques or pick pocketing.

• Card-trapping – a device inserted into a cash machine card slot that retains your card inside the cash machine. The criminals trick you into re-entering your PIN while they watch. After you give up and leave the criminals remove the device, with your card, and withdraw cash.

• Skimming – A skimming device is attached to the card slot in order to copy your card details and a separate, miniature pinhole camera is hidden overlooking the PIN pad to film you inputting your PIN. The criminal then produces a counterfeit card with your card details on it and withdraws money at a cash machine, using your PIN.

Claire Stevens, Crime Prevention Officer with the police’s Community Safety Unit in North Cumbria, said “People should not be worried to use cash machines but they do need to be aware of the ways in which their details can be obtained. This will help them take basic precautions and hopefully reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim.”

The following points are basic precautions and advice which people can use to try and prevent them from becoming a victim:

Choosing a cash machine

• Put your personal safety first
• Be aware of others around you. If someone close to the cash machine is behaving suspiciously or makes you feel uncomfortable please use another machine
• If there is anything unusual about the cash machine or there are signs of tampering, do not use the machine and report it to the bank and police immediately

Using a cash machine

• Give others space to enter their PIN in private. We recommend standing about 2 metres away from the user in front of you until they have completed their transaction.
• Be aware of your surroundings. If someone is crowding or watching you, cancel the transaction and go to another machine
• DO NOT accept help from ‘well-meaning’ strangers and never allow yourself to be distracted
• Stand close to the cash machine and always shield the keypad to avoid anyone seeing you enter your PIN

Leaving a cash machine

• Once you have completed the transaction, discreetly put your money and card away before leaving the cash machine
• If the cash machine does not return your card, report its loss immediately to your bank
• Dispose of your cash machine receipt, mini-statement or balance enquiry with care. Tear them up or preferably shred them before you discard them.

Claire Stevens continued “We can all become complacent when using an ATM because it is something we do most weeks. However, remember – when using cash points always check to see if it appears to be unusual or if its appearance has changed since you last used it.

“If you do see anything untoward, do not use the machine and report it to the bank and police immediately. Report any unusual transactions immediately to your bank.

“By being more vigilant and aware when using cash machines, we can make it more difficult for criminals to carry out these crimes and reduce the number of people becoming a victim.”

For further help and advice visit our force website at www.cumbria.police.uk  or alternatively call 101 and ask to speak to your local Crime Prevention Officer.

People can also visit www.cardwatch.org.uk for more advice and safety tips.

CADAS Open Day

CADAS are opening its doors once again to invite the local community to visit the Paradise street centre to find out about some of the great work that is being delivered in the local area, and to see what’s available in your community.

We would like to invite you to come along on Thursday 24th May between 11am and 3pm to say hello. This will be a great opportunity to take a look around the centre, meet the Barrow staff team, chat to some of our volunteers, get information about our upcoming workshops, regular classes and enjoy some light refreshments.

There are lots of exciting new developments within the local CADAS centre and we look forward to talking about these with you.

If you are interested in coming along to the open day, please call us on (01229) 811111 to book your place. We hope to see you there!

Barrow Borough Council Housing Department Supports Smarterbuys

Smarterbuys is a service offered through the Northern Housing Consortium as a responsible alternative to high interest stores or loan sharks.

 

How does Smarterbuys work?

 

1. One deal every month will be made available through the Smarterbuys website.

 

2. Each deal will involve one product - for example, a fridge/freezer.

 

3. Bulk purchasing by Smarterbuys means that you can benefit from a price reduction of up to seventy percent on the recommended retail price.

 

In some circumstances, accessible, affordable finance options are available through credit unions.

 

The service was set up with social housing tenants in mind but can be accessed by anyone wanting to buy products at discounted prices.

 

If you would like to sign up or for further information about the service please visit http://www.smarterbuys.org.uk/

Barrow's Prince's Trust

Barrow's Prince's Trust Teams are searching for a community project to start in February and last roughly 10-14 days.

Previous Prince's Trust Teams have helped to redecorate Dalton Drill Hall, NACRO youth centre, Croftlands Infant school wildlife area, Hartington Church Garden / CVS garden and Roose Rugby Pioneers.

As the project is to last 10-14 days there must be more than enough work to keep the team busy. This could be a sports club, changing rooms, a community garden, a community club or a play area.

The Team will raise funds for their chosen project and search for donations.
If you think you have a project then please contact Stuart Meredith or Anne Brockbank.

The Prince's Trust Team Programme is a 12 week personal development course aimed at 16 to 25 year olds who are unemployed. Visit our Facebook page or visit http://www.furness.ac.uk/ got more information.

Thought for the Week

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Nelson Mandela

Cocken Lake clean-up

Getting kitted out before the clean-up

Members of the Rotary Club of Furness Peninsula took part in a community clean-up and litter pick last night around the Cocken Lake and Channelside area of Barrow.

Working alongside Barrow Council's Neighbourhood Management team around 19 volunteers from the Rotary Club gathered nearly 20 bags of litter and other rubbish from around the site along with some other larger items such as bits of carpet, bedding, bits of wood and a bucket!

The rubbish mounts up at the collection point

Barrow Borough Council's Neighbourhood Manager, Steve Robson, said "The Rotary Club were offering their services to do something locally and together we decided on doing a clean-up around the Cocken Lake area. It was great to see so many volunteers come out to help and their work and enthusiasm was great. We very much look forward to working with them again in the future and would like to thank them all very much for their efforts."

 

The group with their final haul of rubbish - well done!

If you'd like to organise a group of volunteers to carry out a clean-up in your area then please get in touch with us on 01229 876546 or email us at:

neighbourhoodmgt@barrowbc.gov.uk  

We look forward to hearing from you.

National Blood Service in Barrow

Monday 30 April 12.45pm -2.45pm and 4pm - 6pm
Monday 14 May 10.30am - 12.30pm and 2pm - 4pm
Wednesday 30 May 12.45pm - 2.45pm and 4pm - 6pm
Thursday 14 June 12.45pm - 2.45pm and 4pm - 6pm
The Ante room, the Forum, Duke St, Barrow
"Save a life ... Give blood.”
The National Blood Service holds regular blood donation sessions at the Forum.
Giving blood is a simple way to make a massive difference to the lives of others.  Just 4% of the eligible population give blood and yet every hour of every day over 70 people will need to receive a blood transfusion.  Blood is used for all sorts of emergencies and illnesses, such as childbirth to cancer treatment, and is in constant demand.
We always welcome new donors, or those who might be returning to blood donation.
If your interested in becoming a lifesaver and want to find out more, please don't hesitate to contact us using the details below with any questions you might have.
To make an appointment please call 0300 123 23 23 or visit our website www.blood.co.uk

Furness Youth Theatre - Spring Show

‘Spring Show' at the Forum, Duke Street, Barrow
Thursday 26 - Saturday 28 April 7pm
Tickets £6/£5 concessions
An original mixture of drama, dance and music, devised by FYT's young people and suitable for all the family.
This years Spring show contains 3 mini pantomimes.

Barrow’s Wildside - Natterjack toad & coralroot orchid survey day

Help the rangers to monitor these 2 rare and special species. No previous experience is necessary and all are welcome. Please bring a packed lunch, warm clothes and waterproofs

Wednesday 25th April and Wednesday 2nd May

Meet at 11.00 am at Sandscale Haws car park, Hawthwaite Lane, Roanhead.

We will be walking approx. 3 miles and hope to finish around 3.00 pm.

For further information and to book a place please call 01229 462 855 / 07818 580 530.

Thought for the Week

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller

Not sure? Don’t open the door!

Not sure? Don’t open the door!

A recent national survey of doorstep crime victims found that;

·  35% of respondents would let someone into the house they didn’t know, 

·  30% of those who had door chains fitted didn’t use them, and

·  31% of victims stated their health had been affected by the incident.

Elderly women living alone are the most vulnerable, but doorstep crime can affect anyone. Bogus callers succeed because they sound believable, so don't be fooled.
Make sure vulnerable people in your community know how to protect themselves and their wider family from this despicable crime. Below are some simple steps which can help prevent.

·  Think before you open the door - use your chain and spy hole or look out of the window to see if you recognise them.   Keep your doors locked.

·  Make sure in your own mind that they are whom they claim to be

·  Ask callers for proof of identity. Genuine tradesmen should carry an identification card with their photograph on.

·  Check this carefully. If you are unsure, telephone the company the caller claims to represent.  Get the telephone number from a directory or a bill.

·  The Utilities now offer a password system. Any caller from one of these companies should be able to give a pre-arranged password as additional proof of identity.

·  Beware of callers who attempt to distract you by claiming that they have seen something untoward in your rear garden or somewhere which may encourage you to leave your house - they may have an accomplice awaiting this distraction.

·  If you are not convinced of the identity of the caller, don't let them in. Ask the caller to come back later and arrange for a friend, relative or neighbour to be present on their return or ask the caller to contact this person.

Remember, not sure? Don’t open the door!

Cumbria Constabulary supports National Stalking Awareness day

Today is National Stalking Awareness day and Cumbria Constabulary has joined a number of other forces across the country to highlight the seriousness of stalking.

Stalking can be detrimental to the people who are affected and Cumbria Constabulary recognises the impact this behaviour can have on victims. The nature of stalking is ever changing, with development and use of more social networking sites.

Detective Superintendent Paul Smith said "Despite there being only a small number of incidents of stalking reported in Cumbria the effect on the victim of this type of behaviour ensures it is regarded as a priority. The distress and upheaval to an individual’s life subject to stalking can be catastrophic and should not be underestimated.

“Recently the very nature of stalking has changed beyond recognition and the day to day use of the internet and in particular social networking sites allow perpetrators to readily access personal information much easier. Thankfully as expertise grows there is more information available to people so as to enable them to better protect themselves. A publication called 'Digital Stalking: A guide to technology' exists and provides victims with valuable up to date information and advice around personal protection."

“We fully support National Stalking Day and are working to understand the nature and extent of stalking in the county in order to be able to deal effectively with incidents and provide victims with the support and advice they deserve. We would encourage anyone who believes that are a victim of this type of crime to contact the police."

The publication ‘'Digital Stalking: A guide to technology', which is produced by Women Aid who teamed up with national stalking charity Network for Surviving Stalking, is now available on Cumbria Constabulary website at http://www.cumbria.police.uk/advice-and-information/personal-safety/domestic-violence

Anyone who believes they are a victim of stalking should speak to their local police officer or contact Cumbria Constabulary on 101.

For more information and advice about support, visit http://www.womensaid.org.uk/default.asp

'Chess' the musical at the Forum

Do you want to stop smoking?

South Cumbria’s top cop thanks community for driving down crime

South Cumbria’s top cop, Chief Superintendent Paul Kennedy, has thanked local communities for helping local officers and staff to reduce crime throughout the area.

Annual crime figures published at the beginning of this month confirmed that overall crime in South Cumbria dropped by 7 per cent in the last financial year – a difference of 626 fewer victims of crime recorded in 2011/12 when compared to 2010/11.

In the Barrow-in-Furness area, overall crime reduced by 592 incidents – a dramatic 12.7 per reduction from 4,666 reported incidents in 2010/11 to 4,074 incidents in 2011/12. In South Lakeland, crimes reduced by 0.8 per cent from 4,213 incidents to 4,179.

On hearing these results, Chief Superintendent Paul Kennedy has thanked his teams and local neighbourhoods, attributing the success to officers, staff, the community and other agencies working together to drive down crime and tackle anti-social behaviour.

He said, “I am delighted to see such dramatic reductions in crime in South Cumbria over the last twelve months.

“South Cumbria is made up of tight knit communities who inform us of any problems they face and do not shy away from working alongside us to tackle issues and rid our streets of crime. The hard work that officers, staff and communities put in is clearly paying off and residents and visitors should be reassured that together we have made South Cumbria even safer. We also have the benefit of really good partnership arrangements with other agencies that help to problem solve crime related issues across the area.

“Witnessing such large reductions in crime in Barrow-in-Furness has been particularly pleasing to see. Barrow is the largest town that we police in South Cumbria and when you see that serious acquisitive crime such as burglary and car crime has reduced by 37 per cent in the town, you don’t just see impressive figures – you know that this represents 161 fewer victims of this type of crime, which is fantastic.

“Anti-social behaviour incidents also plummeted across Barrow from 6,603 reported to police in 2010/11 to 5,158 incidents in 2011/12 representing a staggering reduction of 21.9 per cent.

“When we are fortunate to live in a county that experiences very low crime levels, anti-social behaviour can be the issue that has the most negative impact on a community’s life. We don’t underestimate the effects that anti-social behaviour can have on people and we have worked closely with partners, schools and community groups to proactively tackle the problem. As a result, anti-social behaviour has also reduced significantly across the board.

“We are committed to continuing this success over the next twelve months and I’d like to thank our communities, officers, staff, and other agencies of South Cumbria for helping us to make such a positive difference.”

Thought for the Week

“Music ... it gives wings to the mind, a soul to the universe, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, a life to everything.” Plato

It's the final of 'Top of the Form'

This years 'Top of the Form' Final will be held at the Coronation Hall, Ulverston and will see St Bernard's pitched against Furness Academy. The event is free to all members of the public and everyone is welcome to attend, there's a free raffle taking place on the night with generous prizes on offer!

Careers Fair starts at 6pm followed by the Final at 7pm - don't miss it!

Volunteering through CVS Barrow - upcoming events

Barrow Male Voice Choir charity concert

The Mayor and Mayoress are hosting a charity concert performed by the very popular Barrow Male Voice Choir.

The concert will be held on 27th April 2012 commencing at 7.30 pm at Barrow Town Hall. Tickets are priced at £5.00 per head including refreshments and are available from the Forum Box Office.

All funds raised will go towards the Mayor's defibrillator fundraising campaign to provide businesses, clubs and organisations with defibrillators, which are used to treat people following cardiac arrest. The campaign has so far raised over £25,000 and it would be fantastic if we could achieve £30,000 by the end of the Mayor's term of office.

Hindpool Community Centre - space to hire

The Hindpool Community Centre on Nelson Street, Barrow has a vacant evening for any dance troupes looking for a new venue could they please contact: Jenny English, Manager on 01229 871971 for more details.

Barrow AFC at home in April

Saturday 14th April v Cambridge United 3pm

Saturday 21st April v Kettering Town 3pm

Saturday 28th April v Newport County 1pm

Rhythm of Life Concert - 13 April 2012

Friday 13 April 2012, to be held at St James Church, Blake Street, Barrow at 7.30pm.

The concert organised by Barrow Rotary Club features Barrow Male Voice Choir and Dalton Town Band. Tickets £6 available from members of Barrow Rotary Club.

Northern Soul at the Forum

Aida - A590 Youth Theatre

Annual Crime Figures show crime falls in Cumbria

Cumbria Constabulary has had another successful year as crime and antisocial behaviour continue to fall.

The number of incidents reported to Cumbria Constabulary fell from 26,966 reported crimes to 26,071, a drop of three per cent, representing 895 fewer victims of crime.

Anti-social behaviour continues to be a main focus for police and communities across Cumbria. Due to the Constabulary’s proactive approach to tackling the issue, the last financial year saw reports of antisocial behaviour fall by a massive 20.9 per cent – from 32,938 reported incidents in 10/11 to 26,058 in 11/12. This is a difference of 6,880 fewer calls for service to police.

Violent crime has reduced by 15.7 per cent from 261 incidents to 220 - a total of 41 fewer victims in Cumbria during the last financial year.

The statistics also confirm that reports of criminal damage are down by 8.8 per cent from 6,914 to 6,305 reports; and vehicle crime is also down by 8.8 per cent, from 1,563 to 1,425.

Reports of racially aggravated crime increased by 23; from 143 in 10/11 to 166 in 11/12. The rise follows a concerted effort by police and partner agencies to encourage victims to make the first step by reporting incidents to the authorities through third party reporting centres that were launched in the county last year.

The number of serious sexual offences rose from 294 to 306 crimes in Cumbria however the county still has some of the lowest incidents of serious and sexual crime in the whole of the UK.

Chief Constable Stuart Hyde said “I am pleased that crime remains low in Cumbria and that the hard work of officers and communities around the county is paying off with almost 900 fewer people falling victim to crime last year.

“I am re-assured to see that anti-social behaviour, which is the top priority of our local communities, has reduced so dramatically. Local residents tell us that this is the issue that most affects their quality of life in Cumbria and as a result, combatting this has been a main focus for us.

“An additional 23 race hate crimes have been reported to police which is concerning on one hand, but a welcome increase on the other. We know that incidents of this nature traditionally go unreported which is why we worked with partners to launch third party reporting centres last year. These areas aim to provide neutral environments where people can feel comfortable talking about their experiences to police and different agencies that can offer the right levels of support.

“The figures show that officers and staff have worked extremely hard over the last year during a difficult time when the Constabulary is changing in the face of a £20million budget cut. Our challenge now is to continue reducing crime by working alongside communities to make Cumbria even safer.”

Ray Cole, the Chairman of Cumbria Police Authority, the policing ‘watchdog’ for Cumbria, said “The Police Authority welcomes these reductions in crime and congratulates the Constabulary on yet another year of driving crime down in Cumbria.

“The significant reductions in anti-social behaviour incidents and violent crime are particularly pleasing because they are of great concern to local communities, so they are of great concern to us.

“We have worked closely with the Constabulary in its efforts to encourage victims of racial and sexual crime to come forward. We will continue to scrutinise this closely over the coming year to ensure victims receive the right support so they have the confidence to come forward and prevent these crimes in future.”

The Rollercoaster Roadshow

Police warn public to be aware of Microsoft fraudsters

Cumbria police are warning the public to be aware of bogus telephone calls from people claiming they are from Microsoft, in order to gain access to computers.

Police in Carlisle have received a number of complaints from members of the public regarding receiving a telephone call from people claiming to be from Microsoft. They are being advised during the call that there is a virus or programme problem on their personal computer and are then being talked through how to allow the caller to have remote access to their computer. Once access is gained, the caller is keeping the unsuspecting victim preoccupied whilst they have potential access to personal details held on the computer, including and bank or password details.

PC Mark Robson, said “It is important to make people aware of this type of bogus call. Microsoft has a built in system which will report any fault automatically and they will only contact you on request. These calls can be convincing and for someone who does not know a lot about computers, we can put our faith in people who sound as if they do and are trying to help you.

“Our advice is, if you have not reported any fault to Microsoft, then do not allow anyone to have remote access to your computer. If you are suspicious, then hang up.”

Anyone who has any concerns or would like further advice can contact their local Neighbourhood Policing Team or visit http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/

Central and Hindpool Neighbourhood Management Team's photostream

Central and Hindpool Neighbourhood Management Team's photostream on Flickr.

Wembley to Soweto - a photographic exhibition

Why not return to rounders?

Thought for the Week

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”

Dr Seuss, The Lorax

Barrow Cops in Co-ops

Local cops will be in Co-operative food stores around Barrow next week to speak to shoppers about policing in their neighbourhoods.

On 11^th April 2012, officers from Barrow’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams will be speaking to shoppers and asking them to highlight the issues they want tackled in their communities so that local officers can focus on the problems that are most important to local residents.

Several police officers will be located within their local Co-operative food stores between 2pm – 4pm on Wednesday 11^th April. Members of the public will be able to pop into their Co-op to catch up with their local police officers whilst doing their shopping.

Co-operative food stores in the following areas are taking part: Roose Road, Harrel Lane, Island Road, Plymouth Street, Oxford Street, Ainslie Street, Dalton and Askam.

Inspector Mike O’Hagan said “We are very pleased to be working with The Co-operative so that our local communities can get to know their local policing teams at a convenient time and within an environment that best suits them.

“We want to speak to as many local people as we can so that we can get a clear idea of the issues that matter most to each neighbourhood.

“People lead very busy lives and it is often hard for people to get to community meetings that we hold, visit police stations, or join our Web-chats, so we are going to a local supermarket at a peak shopping time to make sure that as many people as possible get the chance to meet us. We are always looking at new, convenient ways to speak to our communities and when we approached The Co-operative with our idea, they were very happy to help us. I would like to thank them for making this possible.”

Andy Parr, The Co-operative’s Operations Manager for the area said “The Co-operative is a community retailer and all our store teams are committed to playing a real role in local life. We are proud to be able to support Barrow’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams and look forward to hosting their community surgeries next week.”

Barrow Library computer access for unemployed

Barrow Central Library, Ramsden Square is offering help with computers for adults seeking employment.

 

This free service is available by appointment to attend sessions at mutually agreed times and dates.

 

Anyone interested should telephone Barrow Library on 01229 407375 to book an initial appointment.

 

Job seekers with little or no experience of computers and the Internet are most welcome.