According to the latest newsletter from the Brookmans Park Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, there were 91 offences in first nine months of 2000 compared to 108 for the same period in 1999.

Community police office, Vojislav Mihailovic, says burglary is down but thefts from motor vehicles are on the increase.

PC Mihailovic has again urged local residents not to leave valuables on display in their cars and to lock and alarm them. He says that although this will not stop the professional thief, it will stop the opportunist.

As for security in the home, the advice is to make sure time lights are adjusted to keep pace with the darker months. External lighting sensors warn of unwanted visitors and people are advised to make sure they put the alarms on when they leave home.

Most autumn and winter burglaries happened between 2pm and 8pm and particularly at the times when people nip out to the shops or go to collect children from school.

Two more words of advice are contained in the newsletter. A warning of slippy roads with rotting leaves and ice and a plea to keep an eye on elderly neighbours and relatives who might be victims of bogus door-to-door salesmen posing as water, gas or electricity officials.

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