Neighbourhood Watch – June 7, 2018

NEXT NHW MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE TORQUAY POLICE STATION ON WEDNESDAY JUNE 13TH AT 10.30AM. MORNING TEA FROM 10AM.

Come along and bring some ideas about how, we as a group, can make our community safer.

Contact Co-ordinator David Cheatley on mobile 0419529210.

Neighbourhood Watch’s key strategies are to keep residents informed and to increase awareness and knowledge about community safety.

SAFER PLATE DAY

NHW/Police “Safe Plate Day” will be held on Saturday 23rd June at Bunnings Torquay carpark from 10am until 1pm. Local SES volunteers will fit Antitheft screws to vehicle number plates replacing existing screws used to deter opportunistic thieves from stealing your vehicle number plates and using the plated to carry-out other crime related activities.

BBQ from 9am onwards.

TELEMARKETING AND DOOR TO DOOR SALES

You have rights under the Australian Consumer Law when a salesperson approaches you at your front door, over the phone or in a public place. These protections apply to sales methods that are called ‘unsolicited consumer agreements’.

Your consumer rights.

If a salesperson initiates contact with you to offer an ‘unsolicited consumer agreement’, they must follow rules around:

• how and when they can approach you
• what information they must give you
• your right to change your mind.

The law applies to salespeople supplying goods or services for trade or commerce and does not cover other door knockers such as religious groups or charity fundraisers. However, consumers can always ask any unwanted visitors to leave their premises.

When can a door-to-door salesperson visit?

Door-to-door salespeople are not allowed to visit you:

• on Sundays or public holidays
• before 9am or after 6pm on weekdays
• before 9am or after 5pm on Saturdays.

The salesperson must:

• tell you that you can ask them to leave
• leave immediately if you ask them to and not return for 30 days.

If you don’t wish to be visited by door-to-door salespeople, place a do not knock sign at your front door.

When can a telemarketer call?

Permitted hours for telemarketing are regulated under the Do Not Call Register Act 2006 and associated telemarketing standards.

Telemarketers are not allowed to call you:

• on Sundays or public holidays
• before 9am or after 8pm on weekdays
• before 9am or after 5pm on Saturdays.

Identification requirements

By law the salesperson must tell you:

• their name
• the name and address of the organisation they represent
• the purpose of the phone call or visit.

The Australian Government’s national Do Not Call Register allows you to list your home, personal mobile or fax number to reduce telemarketing calls.

Go to accc.gov.au/consumers/sales-delivery/telemarketing-door-to-doorsales for more information.

WHAT IS NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH?

Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) is established for the purposes of encouraging community participation in building safer and confident communities and strengthening the partnership between Victoria Police and the community to prevent crime and improve safety.

VISION

Growing safer communities together

MISSION

Lead and educate the community in safety, security and crime prevention by partnering with police and other organisations.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSES

Neighbourhood Watch is established for the purposes of:

• Encouraging community participation in building safe and confident communities
• Strengthening the partnership of police and community groups working together to prevent crime and improve the safety, security and the quality of life for all Victorians
• Improving community awareness and participation in monitoring and reporting incidents affecting safety
• Deterring criminal or unsafe behaviour through joint community action;
• Being actively involved in community safety and crime prevention projects, programs and education
• Serving as an information exchange and conduit throughout the Neighbourhood Watch community in Victoria.

If you are interested in community safety and would like to join our team of community based volunteers come along to NHW Meeting 10.30am on Wednesday June 13 at the Torquay Police Station.

NHW Torquay Jan Juc began on March 20, 2003 and will be celebrating 15 years focussing and supporting local police ‘drive down crime’ in our community.

TRAVELLING CON MEN

Travelling con men use tactics to rip off unsuspecting Victorians, convincing them to take up their too-good-to-be-true home repair services. What they don’t tell you is that it’s a scam – as soon as they’ve got your money, they’re gone.

Share our content to warn your followers about how to avoid this scam.

Facebook post or e-newsletter note Travelling con men are dodgy tradies who offer maintenance work at cheap rates, ask for cash up front, or offer ‘today only’ deals. Once they’ve got your cash they disappear, leaving shoddy or incomplete work.

Remember: if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Twitter post

Travelling con men scam you into paying upfront for shoddy work, then disappear. Read @consumervic tips before you hire a tradie. Visit bit.ly/2ybNx5y.

Do your homework before you hire a business to do work on your home. Link: bit.ly/2yZQPp2

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LOCAL POLICE NEWS

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH REPORT APRIL – MAY 2018

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The past two months has seen a continuation of reasonably low criminal activity with relation to reported criminal offences in the Torquay area which is pleasing to note. This is often the case at this time of the year as the weather turns cold and there are significantly less people visiting our town in comparison to the summer months.

Theft from motor vehicle reports are again over represented in our offence statistics with a total of 12 thefts from cars being reported over the months of April and May. Unfortunately the majority of these offences occurred with victims leaving their vehicles unlocked overnight making it far too easy for opportunistic thieves.

We remind motorists to remain vigilant and ensure vehicles remain locked when unattended and valuables are kept out of sight. Also a reminder to the public that if police are required to attend any job, whether it be for reporting suspicious behaviour, criminal offences or noise complaints that dialing 000 is the correct procedure.

In instances where police are not required to attend such as for advice or information the local Torquay Police station number is 5264 3400.

Rodger LICHENI
Leading Senior Constable 32043
Torquay Uniform