Following a spate of recent break-ins in Billington, Ribble Valley Borough Councillor, Ged Mirfin, who represents the Ward has called for a series of Cold Calling Control Zones Zones to be established within the village, following calls from local residents who believe that thieves masquerading as Doorstep Sales People were deliberately spying on their houses to identify potential targets when occupiers were out or at work - “deLiberately casing the joint”.
Local resident Mick Standen who established the Billington Matters Facebook Page and who lives on May Terrace reported that his house was broken into by someone who “knows the area as he avoided the CCTV at the Billington Stores Shop by coming up the alley from the other end through someone’s garden”. He was lucky because the burglar was disturbed by a next door neighbour. Mick believes that the person who broke into his house must have obtained prior knowledge of the property by snooping around it.
Andrew Dixon, who is the Church Warden at St. Leonards Church And who lives on Pasturelands Drive actually caught someone snooping around his property. A youth appeared at the back of his house rather than knocking on the front door of the propert. Luckily Andrew and his two young sons were in the kitchen at the time and caught him looking through the window of his back door. When he confronted the individual, “he said he was on a young offenders rehabilitation programme and was selling equipment from a hold all.” The individual in question could have been anybody - it is easy to come up with false identification to convince trusting local residents that they are bona-fide when they are clearly up to no good. The individual in question was seen by a whole host of residents snooping around other properties.
The majority of people who knock on your door ARE likely to be genuine. However, it is important to know that some are rogue traders, doorstep criminals and uninvited sales people and may turn up unannounced, with the intention of tricking their way into your home or carrying out a reconnoiter of your premises prior to breaking in at a later date.
Many councils have designated certain areas as ‘Cold Calling Control Zones’ (NCCZs) or ‘No Cold Calling Zones’ (NCCZs). NCCZs are initiatives that are intended to protect residents from bogus doorstep callers
Cold Calling Control Zones are areas which are considered to be vulnerable to doorstep crime and where residents have, collectively, stated that they do not want cold callers.
The purpose of the scheme is to empower residents, and to encourage them to work as an entire community and increase the reporting of related crimes and incidents.
The main aim of the zones is to prevent incidents of doorstep crime, raise awareness of the activities of rogue traders who target vulnerable people, and give residents the confidence to say NO to uninvited callers as a community. Therefore, reducing levels and fear of crime in the allocated areas.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has published guidelines on how CCCZs should be set up. This guidance includes:
NCCZs should only be considered when supported by a “real” local need to stop sellers/callers – such as to prevent distraction burglaries, protect the elderly from bogus callers etc.
The size of an NCCZ should be “relatively small” and “easily defined by its boundaries”, such as a cul-de-sac, small estate or neighbourhood watch area.
The NCCZs must have the “wholesale support” of local residents. Consultation with residents is the first step.
The Fundraising Regulator’s rulebook prohibits Fundraisers from entering Cold Call Control Zones (CCCZs) that have been set up according to these guidelines.
Whilst cold calling is not currently illegal, it is a practice that the vast majority of people do not want. Some people find it intimidating, frightening and intrusive, not to mention irritating and frustrating at times.
Zones are clearly identified by signs on lamp posts at the main entrance and exit points, informing traders that they are entering an area where residents do not buy goods and services at the door.
Cold Calling Control Zones are a low maintenance initiative and, once established, are easily sustained. As part of the scheme, residents are also given the opportunity to attend awareness talks and workshops which will provide information on vital issues such as who to contact in an emergency.
Residents will also be able to participate in regular evaluation of the project, allowing them to contribute to the improvement and expansion of future zones. The zones have been hailed a huge success nationally and have shown to reduce overall crime in the areas where they now exist.
Local resident Katherine Green states, “All the new housing brings in outsiders as my insurance premium from last year to this year shows, its up by 30% as we are a higher theft area as my insurance brokers advise me.”
Another local resident, Elizabeth Watt states, “A tall, slim, young man has been looking through people’s windows in our area over the weekend.“
The last word goes to Andrew Dixon, who states a Cold Calling Control Zones Zone, removes at least one excuse for strangers to be snooping round houses and makes them stand out more when they are. II don't want to turn Billington into Royston Vasey but there are increasing numbers of people around looking like they're up to no good.”
Councillor Ged Mirfin concludes, “With the progressive withdrawal of rural police services in favour of urban areas in Lancashire including the recent closure of the police desk in Clitheroe - the last in the Ribble Valley and the fact that bobbies on the beat are so thin on the ground - I can’t remember the last time I saw a police officer or PCSO walking the streets of Billingto, we may as well adopt a preventative approach to crime in particular burglaries instead. The main problem is criminals coming into the Ribble Valley from the outside. If we can deter opportunist criminals from coming into the village and carrying out reconnaissance missions the so much the better.”
”In order to set up a zone, however, a minimal amount of funding is required, and will vary depending on the size of the zone. In the first instance therefore I will be contacting the County Council, the Borough Council and the Parish Council to establish what funding is available on behalf of local residents.”
http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/council/meetings/displayFile.asp?FTYPE=A&FILEID=22420