How to set up a Neighbourhood Watch
Step by step guide to setting up your Neighbourhood Watch scheme.
General Guidelines for Each Member
All unusual incidents of suspicious behaviour should be reported to your local police on 0845 3300 222 and ask for Stevenage Control Room (if you are a Stevenage resident) or 01462 425000 and ask for the North Herts Controller (if you are a North Herts resident), if what is seen requires immediate attention then use the 999 system.
If you are going away on holiday or your house is going to be empty for any reason - business trips, or a stay in hospital - then it is sensible to tell a trusted neighbour. They could perhaps be given a telephone number where you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
Looking after your neighbour’s home could also mean keeping an eye on letters accumulating behind the door, removing the free newspapers that are often left sticking through letter boxes, keeping the grass short or even turning on a light and shutting the curtains at night. In fact performing a few simple tasks that gives the house the appearance of being occupied one of the best ways of turning a burglar into a passer-by.
Above all the main task of your group lies in making your neighbourhood a better place to live and passing on information about crime to your local police. The task of the police is to act on that information and to arrest criminals where appropriate and possible.