The Katesgrove Police Team page has been updated with the following events for January:

Street Briefings are where members of the public can come and meet their local officers, and talk about any concerns that they have on their particular streets. All briefings will be taking place in the early evenings (18:00 onwards) on the following dates:

• Saturday, 09 January - Kennet Island
• Sunday, 10 January - Kennet Island

Police surgeries are for residents to come in and talk to your local police community support officers about any problems or issues that you may have, and will be held on the folowing dates:

• Monday, 18 January, 12.00 - 13.00, Aveley Walk Neighbourhood Police Office
• Saturday, 23 January, 17.00 - 18.00, Kennet Island Community Office, Whale Avenue

If you've received new electronics or gadgets for Christmas, the last thing you want is for them to be stolen. However, if the worst does happen, there are a few things you can do to increase the chances you are reunited with your property.

Step 1 - UV marking

Police always check any property seized from suspects for UV markings. Police often tell of times when they strongly suspect that the items they have are stolen, but cannot prove it - and without proof, they have to give the property back to the person who they suspect of stealing it! If there's a UV marking on the item that the suspect cannot account for, that goes a long way to ensuring they are prosecuted and you get your property back. You can buy UV pens from most stationers, or your local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator should have a supply. Our local PSCOs also often carry a supply to hand out at street briefings.

The recommended marking is to use your house name or number followed by the postcode e.g. 75 RG2 7TG. If you move frequently (e.g. students), you could use another marking (such as an unusual surname if you have one). Any marking is better than none.

Even the best UV markers can fade or rub off over time, so try to choose somewhere that will not be handled regularly, but will be easily seen when checking with a UV lamp. Try to leave the ink to dry fully for an hour after marking, and consider making a second marking inside the battery compartment, just in case.

Step 2 - Register your property

Immobilise.com is a free service, endorsed by Police and the Home Office, that allows you to register all manner of property such as mobile phones, cameras, television, and computers. The data you provide is entered into the National Mobile Property Register, which is used by Police to try and identify property they suspect of being stolen. In 2007, around one in every five searches made by Police on the NMPR resulted in a match, and it will soon be linked directly to the Police National Computer. You can provide descriptions, serial numbers, and photographs of your property, all of which helps increase the chances of your property being identified in the event of theft, and the thieves brought to justice.

Step 3 - Spread the word

Please forward this advice on to friends and colleagues, who have almost certainly had something nice from Santa this Christmas too!

The latest police update from PC Stacy Bancroft for the Katesgrove Neighbourhood has been posted to the Thames Valley Police website:

Excerpt is © Copyright 2009 Thames Valley Police.

The EVA page has been updated with dates for all EVAs in 2010, and the previously advetised dates for upcoming NAG meetings in 2010 have been confirmed.

You can also download a PDF copy of these dates for reference here: NAG & EVA dates 2010 (232 kB, PDF)

NAG members will already be aware that there has been a discussion recently about combining the Safer Reading forums and Neighbourhood Action Groups, to establish better streamlining of resources and to provide a better service to residents.

Below is the document outlining the proposal for how a newly merged Safer Reading/NAG system could look. It is at this stage a discussion paper which has been drawn up following discussions between partner agencies, predominantly the police and Reading Borough Council.

Developing Community Safety - Locality Working in Reading

A presentation of this proposal was given at the most recent NAG meeting, and feedback was generally positive. However, it is important that feedback is sought from as many NAG members and interested parties as possible, so please have a read through the proposal and send you comments to us at katesgrovenag@hotmail.com

Feedback will be collated and passed back to the Safer Reading team. At present, the Safer Reading and Neighbourhood Police Teams are working to a provisional timetable of the final decision being made shortly after the new year, with the new structure going ahead from April 2010.

London Irish mascot 'Digger' will be teaming up with the Katesgrove neighbourhood team and pupils from Katesgrove School to take part in an Environmental Visual Audit.

The popular Irish Wolfhound will join the team and pupils on Tuesday 24 November, as they go around the neighbourhood making a note of the things that can damage the appearance of the area, such as graffiti, damaged street furniture and litter.

Once the audit is completed, the police and partner agencies, such as Reading Borough Council, will work to resolve the issues that have been raised.

Tracie Simpson, head of PR and Communications at London Irish Rugby Club said:

“We are very pleased to be supporting the Environmental Visual Audit with the pupils at Katesgrove Primary School and the Katesgrove Neighbourhood Action Group.  Caring for the places where we live is very important and London Irish is looking forward to playing its part in helping to keep the Katesgrove neighbourhood look its best.”

Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Rod Holmes: “I am delighted that Digger will be joining the team and the pupils on this important job.  The Environmental Visual Audits are a tool that we use regularly to try to improve the appearance of the area as things like graffiti and fly tipping can have a really negative impact. The support of Digger, London Irish, and the children from Katesgrove School, will undoubtedly raise awareness of this valuable work.”

The EVA starts at 10:30am, meeting in Katesgrove Primary School Playground off Katesgrove Lane.

As advised last week, our next NAG meeting is this Thursday 19th November, and will be held at the Hilton Reading hotel on Kennet Island (Drake Way, Reading, RG2 0GQ).

There is limited 2-hour parking at the hotel for non-guests, so if you are planning to drive, please arrange to car share wherever possible. If you are stuck for transport, please contact us ASAP via katesgrovenag@hotmail.co.uk, as Thames Valley Police are able to provide limited transport places if arranged in advance.

The meeting begins at the usual time of 7pm.