YOU may well have seen reports in the media that crime is down. Both police figures nationally and the British Crime Survey agree that this is the case.

I am pleased to say that this downward trend is replicated here in Wyre Forest. Compared to national averages, Wyre Forest is already a low crime area and this reduction is further good news.

The reductions are due to many factors, and include the efforts of the police and our professional partners, like the Community Safety Partnership, the district and county council, the Fire Service, PCT, Trading Standards and many more.

One partner I didn’t mention was YOU! You have a really important part to play, as by taking some simple steps to protect yourself and your property, you can reduce the chances of becoming a victim of crime.

Marking your property, for example, locking doors and windows, not leaving items on display in your car or securing any garden gates, really can help improve the safety of your home and its contents.

Getting together with some of your neighbours to form a Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) group can also be a really good way of deterring crime.

Joining NHW has many benefits, including closer links with your Local Policing Team and being among the first to know about any issues affecting your area.

It also brings a greater sense of community and sometimes even a reduction in household insurance, which can only be a plus!

If you do have issues that you’d like to bring to the attention of the police or other local agencies, I’d encourage you to go along to your next PACT (Partners & Community Together) meeting. These are held on a regular basis in each local area, and those attending can raise any matters of concern relating to their neighbourhood and then agree on the top three priorities to be addressed. Police and partners will then feedback on the action taken to resolve these issues.

Details of PACT meetings and current priorities for your area are listed on the force website at westmercia.police.uk while crime prevention advice is also available here and at crimereduction.gov.uk .

For more information on NHW, please call Mel Clarke, NHW Administrator for North Worcestershire, on 01527 586253.

INSPECTOR PAUL CROWLEY KIDDERMINSTER POLICE