PC Ian Hoile

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the Beat Officer for Rooksdown and the North Hampshire Hospital.

My role as a Beat Officer is to provide a visible presence on my Beat either on foot or on my Mountain Bike. As well as attending incidents I am responsible for dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour, Neighbourhood issues and working in a Multi-Agency approach to problem solving. If a series of crimes are identified on my Beat then I will take ownership of them and carry out the relevant investigation.

There has been a bit of confusion over my role and how I am to be contacted. If an incident occurs that needs to be reported to the Police then the 0845 0454545 number should be called as soon as possible. If it is a "Life Threatening" incident then the 999 system should be used. A report of the incident will be taken by Control Room staff and they can decide the best method of deployment. The Call takers can record all the information directly on to a computer and it can be quickly disseminated to numerous units and agencies, making it a very efficient system. The Control Room will be aware if I am on duty and what my duty state is. If it is appropriate for me to be deployed they will contact me. It may more appropriate that another unit be deployed. As a Beat Officer I usually have a planned schedule and therefore I am not always available for deployment.

If you wish to contact me regarding an incident that has already been reported or wish to discuss a Neighbourhood issue then please call 0845 0454545. Ask for the Force Enquiry Centre (FEC) and state that you wish to leave a message for PC 2521 Hoile. The FEC will then e-mail your message to me and I will be able to pick it up when I am next on duty. Alternatively if you see me on my Beat then please come and speak to me.

It is planned that I will have an office within the North Hampshire Hospital to use as a base. This will allow me to spend a greater portion of my time on my Beat.

Community Priorities

The community priorities that have been identified for Rooksdown are:

• Theft from vehicles parked at the Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital
• The development of Neighbourhood Watch and community engagement within the neighbourhood

Current Concerns

Since the beginning of the year there have been several reports throughout Rooksdown of Suspicious Males wandering around.  Despite these reports there has been no increase in reported crime in the area.  It could just be that residents are becoming more observant and erring on the side of caution and I can only thank you for assistance.  However some of these reports could have been of criminals who were checking an area out as a preparatory measure to commit crime.  I would therefore urge residents reporting these incidents to the Police to pass as much detailed information as possible.  The exact location of person(s) is vital if a Police unit is to be deployed.  It is also assists in analysing which particular streets or areas are being targeted.  The suspects, gender, age, height, build and description of clothing are helpful.  Also let us know if anything is being carried by them.  Are they on foot, bikes or in a vehicle, if so vehicle details.  Also pass details of their actions, i.e. are they looking into cars, or houses, climbing a fence etc.

Incidents of youths gaining entry to building sites has also decreased but I would ask residents to continue to notify the Police of any such incidents.  I am in regular contact with the various Site Managers who are keen to ensure that there sites are safe and secure.  Please be specific in reporting the exact location.  As you can appreciate there are numerous building sites in Rooksdown and therefore it assists me greatly in identifying which sites are being targeted.

Beat Surgery Date	Location
None currently scheduled

Vehicle Crime

Please ensure that your vehicle is left secure. Recently vehicles have been found with doors, windows and boots open and some people have left their car keys either in or on unattended vehicles. Ensure that no valuables are left on display in the vehicle. Satellite Navigation Systems are a sought after commodity by the Criminal Fraternity. If you have a Sat Nav system in your car then please remove it when the vehicle is unattended for prolonged periods. If it has a Cradle then also remove this as well, as this advertises that you have a Sat Nav. Thieves will not hesitate in smashing the window to check the glove box or any cubby holes. If the Cradle cannot be removed then attach a note stating that the Sat Nav is not left in the vehicle when unattended. Even an old coat on a backseat could attract attention. It may be your old dog walking jacket but to a Thief it could contain cash, mobile phone, wallet or keys. Petty Cash for car parking left on view is an incentive for an opportunist to try their luck. The monetary loss of small change may not seem worth worrying about but the cost of repair to a window and the inconvenience factor certainly are. Prevention is the best way of dealing with crime.

Home Security Advice

Although incidents of Burglary are rare in Rooksdown it is worth reminding residents not to be complacent about home security. If your front and back doors are not secure, neither is your home.  Two thirds of burglars gain entry through a door.  Fit five-lever mortise deadlocks (Kitemarked BS3621) to all outside doors, including French doors. And make sure you use them.  Keep your doors locked even when you are at home. Use the mortise deadlock or, on PVC-U or other enhanced security doors, the fully or double-locked mode especially at night.  Even small windows such as skylights or bathroom fanlights need locks. A thief can get through any gap that is larger than a human head.  You can obtain further home security advice from the Home Office Website at www.homeoffice.gov.uk

IAN HOILE
PC 2521
Rooksdown/N.H.H. Beat Officer
0845 0454545