More than 400 burglaries a month are reported in the Solihull area and police are warning that many householders are making it easy for the thieves. Too many locals help criminals by leaving keys in doors, car keys on window sills and not bothering to use mortice locks. Ladders left in the garden may also be used to climb into upstairs windows. Detective Chief Inspector Jon Hesketh said:
"I am continually amazed by the way some residents of Solihull leave themselves easy targets for thieves."
It is not all about sophisticated alarm systems, it's about the basics of locking your door and removing the key, locking your side gate and closing your curtains at night. "Thieves in the area are finding it easy at the moment and, despite continual efforts by the police to reduce burglary, many home owners are not helping themselves."
Police at Solihull operate a Ringmaster scheme which provides up-to-the-minute tailored crime prevention advice on a daily basis to those who sign up. Advice is sent out and residents also receive helpful messages on their telephones.
Any residents who would like to join the scheme can call Julia Hayes on 0121 712 6112 or call into any police station in the Solihull borough for an application form.

SWITCHED ON RESIDENTS GET E-MAIL CRIME PREVENTION TIPS
Solihull Police have gone on-line with up-to-the minute crime prevention advice.
Now those people with an e-mail address can receive information and advice alongside the Ringmaster scheme.
Residents who sign up already receive helpful messages by telephone on a daily basis.
Acting Detective Chief Inspector Jon Hesketh said: "Using e-mail has already proved very popular with local business and we are now able to provide a fast crime prevention advice service tailored to local needs, similar to our successful Ringmaster system." Julia Hayes at Solihull police station is responsible for the day-to-day running of the scheme and receives information from officers which concentrates on crime patterns.
Any residents who would like to join the scheme can call Julia on 0121 712 6112, call into any police station in the Solihull borough for an application form or E-mail:j.hayes@west-midlands.police.uk

Solihull Neighbourhood Watch
These pages tell you about The Neighbourhood Watch scheme operating in the Solihull "Sector E" area of Shirley, Monkspath and Cheswick Green.
www.nwatch.org.uk/local/solihull/index.html or http://webspace.neighbourhoodwatch.net/solihull

Visit the excellent West Midlands police website www.west-midlands.police.uk

This is an unofficial guide. Views expressed are not those of Solihull Council or any of its agencies.
The official council website can be found at www.solihull.gov.uk