The story of the former Belvedere Police Station continues. Over the last couple of weeks, a number of homeless people have made camp in the entrance lobby of the building in Nuxley Road. The new residents are there around the clock, and use the toilets in All Saints Church, directly opposite when the building is open for visitors. It certainly cannot be any fun for the homeless people - the weather has been typically cold and damp for the time of year. I am actually surprised that the small group camp so visibly at the front of the empty building that is awaiting redevelopment as apartments. This must mean that they get unwanted attention from certain passers by, and it cannot be very safe for them to sleep in the cold and draughty space. I wonder that they have not either tried to find a more secluded location at the rear of the empty building where they would have less chance of an unfavourable encounter. On Friday lunchtime, three officers from a private security firm were on the site, and I did wonder if the homeless people were about to be evicted. This turns out not to have been the case. I have been in contact with a number of people involved with supporting local homeless people, and the relevant authorities are aware of the situation of the small group of rough sleepers, which includes a girl who is probably no more than sixteen years old, and as such, especially vulnerable. Hopefully a positive outcome will take place before my next update.
Watching a fairly obscure TV channel earlier in the week, I was amazed by the profusion of online bingo companies that advertise on television, and they almost all seem to focus on attracting women gamblers. In a similar way that as I featured last week the "Chat' type magazines found in supermarkets and newspaper shops attract women with their stories of violent crime against mainly female victims. This similarity in approach intrigued me, and I did some research on the subject, and the results were extremely worrying. In a recent independent survey, it was found that the split between men and women players to be 85 percent female and 15 percent male. The split has been around this figure for every survey that has been conducted over the last five years. But that does not tell the whole story, as online gambling expert Matteo Monteverdi said in a recent interview with the Gambling Insider website:- "“Recent demographics data reported by our Google Analytics suggests that in terms of actual visitors to the WhichBingo website, the split is more 60 percent female to 40 percent male. It’s also worth noting, in terms of the split between men and women players, that it depends on which bingo brand you speak to. You’ll find some quite significant differences in the male to female ratio. So for example, a brand such as Tombola, that positions itself as gender neutral, will have a higher percentage of male players than say, 888ladies, which is all pink and quite clearly markets itself as a female-orientated brand. All these pink websites, and TV ads with women shouting bingo at their laptops while the husband goes out to work are hardly going to change anyone’s opinion on who online bingo is really for. Plus in daytime TV there are lots of programmes sponsored by bingo sites, and these all tend to be female-oriented shows such as Loose Women and Home and Away. I doubt there will ever be a successful brand that exclusively targets male bingo players, but at least operators like Tombola and Mecca are smart enough in their advertising to include male players. What also doesn’t help to demystify the stereotype that it’s purely a female pastime is new bingo sites like Hunky Bingo. I’m sure there would be a – small – outcry if Babes Bingo ever launched. It’s worth noting, possibly, that Hunky Bingo send out emails every day with Hunk of the Day. And you thought it was all about bingo?” This conscious targetting of women is a growing issue. The online betting firms, which made £800 million in the UK alone last year, are pulling out all the stops to get more women customers, in a bid to dramatically expand their traditionally male audience. Last year, half of all women callers to gambling charity Gamcare’s helplines had problems with internet betting (rather than with more conventional forms of gambling such as betting shops or slot machines), a rise on 2016 figures. By contrast, only a third of male callers reported problems with online gambling. Many women become hooked after using the sites to escape the pressures of juggling relationships, a busy job and young children. The marketing of these websites is loosely targeted at women with a sentimental side. Kitty Bingo, for example, has a photo of a middle-aged woman stroking a tabby cat. Users can join a loyalty scheme, Kitty Club, which allows players to build up points, which they can then trade in for treats and free games. Many have UK web addresses, but they are often based in British territories such as Gibraltar and the Channel Islands that are not yet covered by UK Gambling Commission rules — though they have their own regimes, which in general are far more lax than the rules in mainland UK. In 2018, more than 60 online betting firms advertised on TV. Those targeting women pay millions to advertise in the daytime to catch an audience of housewives and stay-at-home mothers. Favoured spots include ITV’s lunchtime chat show Loose Women, daytime repeats of Coronation Street and game show The Chase. Online bingo did not exist twenty years ago, and players would be playing in bingo halls. The stereotype of bingo halls is of an older age group, with the average player being over 50 years old. Now with the introduction of online bingo the reverse is true. Only 25 percent of players are 50-plus. The majority are younger, female, typically with children, who are drawn to online bingo because of the social element. Analysis of gambling behaviour amongst women playing bingo online shows that there has been a sizeable shift to using mobile devices. People are playing shorter sessions but more frequently, with the predominant age group being mums with children. Gaming follows household patterns – therefore there are dips at school runs in the morning and the peak time of playing is post children’s bed time. Loneliness and boredom are two factors that have been linked with gambling harm in women. For example, studies indicate that gambling may be an ‘escape’ for women experiencing loneliness and mental health stress and that women who gamble because of loneliness are also more likely to experience gambling harm. Research suggests that women may use gambling as a way of coping with anxiety and tensions from social, household, or workplace demands, and to alleviate feelings of loneliness and depression. Women may also gamble for social reasons. For example, an Australian study showed that women who experienced significant harm from gambling were motivated to gamble in order to be socially engaged. Secondly, and perhaps less well understood, are differences between subgroups of women. For example, studies suggest that older women may be particularly vulnerable to gambling harm because of their increased social isolation, loneliness, lack of leisure alternatives, and physical health problems. Studies suggest that women’s gambling behaviour may increase as women get older as a way to occupy their time after retirement, and after their children leave home. Research shows that on average, older women spend more money on gambling products than younger women. What do you think? Leave a comment below, or alternatively Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
Some very good news, and overdue recognition for a local resident who has been doing much to publicise a previously much overlooked and serious issue. Mark Brooks (photo above) from Belvedere and the Chair of Trustees for the ManKind Initiative charity has received an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to male victims of domestic abuse. The charity runs a national helpline, popular website and trains organisations, including police forces, councils and the armed forces across the country. It is a member of a number of national level advisory groups in the field of domestic abuse and is prominent in the media. Mark, who became chair in 2007, is from and still lives in Belvedere. The national charity is based in Taunton, Somerset. During his time as Chair, the charity has: -supported thousands of male victims across the UK through its helpline and website; played a key role in supporting an increase in the range of services available to male victims across the UK; changed and influenced national domestic abuse policy so that it is more inclusive when traditionally government, police forces and councils only focused on female victims with male perpetrators, and, changed society’s views so the public more readily understand that men, as well as women, are victims of domestic abuse. This leads to better support and help from friends, family and work colleagues. Current statistics show that one in three victims of domestic abuse are male, one per month is killed by his current or former partner and that 700,000 suffer domestic abuse every year. On receiving the news about this honour, Mark Brooks, said:- “This honour is dedicated to all those men who have survived domestic abuse alongside those currently suffering but have yet to escape. I hope in some small way that this helps those going through this to find the strength to reach out and get help, knowing it is not acceptable to be a male victim of this, in the same way it not acceptable for a woman either. It will also reinforce the fact that they are not to blame, not weak and not alone. It also sends a strong message that the public, the police and politicians along with others providing domestic abuse support do now recognise that men are victims of this terrible crime as well as women. Ten years ago, it would have been inconceivable that an Honour would have been given to this cause. It shows that the traditional old-fashioned view that domestic abuse is a solely a crime with a female victim and a male perpetrator has changed. It means that more and more people are taking a far more inclusive and 21st Century view of the realities of domestic abuse in the UK today. I would like to thank everyone who works and volunteers for the charity alongside those who make donations and hold fundraising events. Without them, this would not have been possible and the Honour is very much for them.” This is excellent news, and proper recognition of the sterling work that Mark and his volunteer colleagues have been carrying out over the years. You can visit the Mankind Initiative website by clicking here.
As regular readers will know, I am a keen student of The Law of Unintended Consequences; this covers areas where someone has what on the surface appears to be a really good and constructive idea, but when it is implemented, it turns out to actually not have been such a great idea after all, for certain reasons. In the last week the press have picked up on the government's new policy to double the price of single use plastic carrier bags in supermarkets and other large retailers from 5p to 10p a bag; the idea being to further reduce the public's consumption of such bags, and to force smaller retailers who have until now been exempt from this rule to also charge customers for single use bags. This all seems to be laudable, and supermarkets such as the Morrison's chain actually stopped selling the 5p single use bags completely from June of this year. Instead they have been selling "bags for life" which start at 10p a bag and are meant to be reused multiple times. The problem has come that the "bags for life" contain over twice as much plastic as single use bags, and often don't get reused as intended. British retailers handed out a total of 1.18 billion "bags for life" last year – at a cost of around 10p a bag. In the 12 months to the end of June, Tesco distributed 430 million "bags for life" – the highest number for a supermarket. Environmental Investigation Agency figures show Sainsbury’s gave out 268 million, Morrisons 140 million, Aldi 52 million, Co-op 28 million, Waitrose 22 million, Marks and Spencer 14 million and Iceland 3.5 million bags. Environmental campaigners are calling on retailers to increase the cost of bags for life to at least £1 in order to clamp down on their use. The number of 5p bags sold by British retailers dropped by around a fifth last year to 12billion. Environment Secretary Michael Gove is reportedly planning to hike the price of these bags to 10p. He is also expected to extend the charge to small shops, which are currently able to give out plastic bags without making customers pay. Mr Gove is not planning to take any action on plastic bags for life. Some people just find it an inconvenience but will stump up the 5p or 10p to get their shopping home. Those are the people who have never and will never have their own bags with them when shopping, and regard the whole bag charge as a cost of going shopping. The problem with the 10p "bags for life" issued by many shops is that unlike their more expensive versions, which can cost up to £2 each, the 10p bags tend to be relatively fragile, despite containing twice the amount of plastic than the single use versions. In addition reusing such bags also can raise the risk of food poisoning, Bags for life pose a food poisoning risk if they are used to carry raw foods such as meat and fish, a consumer watchdog has warned. The Food Standards Agency says even if there is no leakage, packaging can harbour traces of harmful bacteria that can cause stomach bugs. Shoppers should have separate bags for raw foods, ready-to-eat foods and household items such as detergent. Reusable bags could be colour coded or labelled to avoid any mix-up, it says. If there has been visible spillage, soiling or damage, plastic bags for life should be replaced, while fabric ones could be washed or cleaned. "Even if there are no obvious spillages or staining after several uses, we would recommend that cotton/fabric bags for life be machine-washed regularly if they have been used for carrying raw items," warn the FSA. It is all so much more complicated than many, including me, had ever realised.
A technology that I reported on some considerable time ago has developed in a way that even I did not anticipate. I wrote about Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) - a technology that promised to deliver very fast data networking using the National Grid as a means of transmission. In essence, to piggyback data communication signals on to existing power cables which already deliver electricity into homes and businesses, saving the provider the effort of digging up the environment or erecting wireless masts to provide the same Internet connections to computers and other connection devices. The technology was once lauded by national governments, the European Union (EU), and even the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), given its apparent ease of deployment and negligible environmental impact. The theory seemed feasible. Electricity companies have been bundling radio frequency on the same line as electrical current to monitor the performance of their own power grids for years, the theory being that because electric current and radio signals vibrate at different frequencies they do not interfere with each other – or at least not enough to significantly disrupt data transmission. Only low-voltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) power cables are suitable to carry data signals; high-voltage (HV) cables transmitting hundreds of kilovolts over distances measured in tens of kilometres do not vibrate at a consistent frequency, causing regular spikes which cancel the data signal and lead to dropped packets that severely interrupt the transmission. Depending on the distances involved, power companies often have to install repeaters to maintain signal strength repeaters (or regeneration units) to regenerate those signals over distance and prevent attenuation and therefore data loss. The frequencies used have a major effect on the speed and reach of BPL services, as does the encoding scheme used to turn data packets into radio signals. Electric cables have been optimised to transmit between 50-60Hz Extremely Low-Frequency (ELF) band and up to 400Hz, with utility companies using frequencies below 490KHz for their own telemetry, monitoring, and control applications – although most BPL equipment was built to operate between 1.7MHz and 30MHz (the entire Shortwave broadcast, Amateur Radio, maritime, airline and utility communications H.F radio spectrum) and occasionally up to 80MHz. Trials of access BPL technology to date have been prolific and widespread. They have spanned everywhere from the UK and most European countries to the US, Australia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and South Africa – to name but a few global instances. Despite all these initiatives, all the trials appear to have resulted in power companies and/or Internet service providers deciding that the technology is not viable as a means of delivering broadband Internet access. This is because of two technological challenges that have impeded progress: limited reach, and low bandwidth which do not come close to matching ADSL, Wi-Fi, and even 3G mobile broadband services that have steadily expanded their own coverage areas over time. “They just could not get the speed, and the further they want to reach, the bigger the speed challenge becomes... There are additional problems with contention ratios,” said Don Beattie, director of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) in a recent interview with Engineering and Technology magazine. “By the time you have shared accessBPL with a number of subscribers down a particular mains cable, you get nowhere near the speed you get with ADSL, say.” The high level of attenuation (or data signal loss) from access BPL power cables – which are often unshielded – had two critical effects. First, it limited bandwidth, and second, it attracted opposition from groups within the radio community. These included radio amateurs, shortwave broadcasters, emergency radio services, and Citizen’s Band radio users. A report published in 2010 by the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills specifically recognised the potential for access BPL to cause interference; and after receiving 200 complaints, UK regulator Ofcom recognised the potential for interference of in-house BPL in its report ‘The Likelihood and Extent of Radio Frequency Interference from In-Home PLT Devices’ (June 2010), although it did not explicitly cover access BPL because ‘it is not deployed commercially in the UK’. The report examined the priority for investigating the potential for interference with many different types of radio users, and identified three ‘high priority’ types or ‘victim receivers’ – shortwave radio listeners, radio amateurs, and aeronautical ground station professional users. The RSGB estimates that each BPL device, such as an in-house power-line adapter, generates as much noise or interference as 10,000 other devices operating in the same unlicensed radio frequency bands, emissions strong and widespread enough to also interfere ADSL connections using overhead, rather than underground, telephone cables. Other complaints centred on the high levels of electromagnetic compatibility emissions caused by access BPL, suggesting that pylons and other tall structures effectively amplify the interference. Norweb trialled access BPL in Manchester during 1998/1999, using street lights near the test site that served to act as antennas for the 2-10MHz band. This reportedly caused interference to the BBC World Service, Civil Aviation Authority, and GCHQ. The failure to properly define clear international standards for BPL technology also probably played its part in its demise. Because they used unlicensed frequencies and voltages which varied from one country to another, early standardisation initiatives were fragmented, and it was generally up to individual power companies to decide how they implemented their transmission facilities, leaving the possibility of problematic interconnection. Thankfully, due to a number of factors, BPL looks like a dead end, which will be something welcomed by users of huge chunks of the available radio spectrum.
A technology that I reported on some considerable time ago has developed in a way that even I did not anticipate. I wrote about Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) - a technology that promised to deliver very fast data networking using the National Grid as a means of transmission. In essence, to piggyback data communication signals on to existing power cables which already deliver electricity into homes and businesses, saving the provider the effort of digging up the environment or erecting wireless masts to provide the same Internet connections to computers and other connection devices. The technology was once lauded by national governments, the European Union (EU), and even the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), given its apparent ease of deployment and negligible environmental impact. The theory seemed feasible. Electricity companies have been bundling radio frequency on the same line as electrical current to monitor the performance of their own power grids for years, the theory being that because electric current and radio signals vibrate at different frequencies they do not interfere with each other – or at least not enough to significantly disrupt data transmission. Only low-voltage (LV) and medium-voltage (MV) power cables are suitable to carry data signals; high-voltage (HV) cables transmitting hundreds of kilovolts over distances measured in tens of kilometres do not vibrate at a consistent frequency, causing regular spikes which cancel the data signal and lead to dropped packets that severely interrupt the transmission. Depending on the distances involved, power companies often have to install repeaters to maintain signal strength repeaters (or regeneration units) to regenerate those signals over distance and prevent attenuation and therefore data loss. The frequencies used have a major effect on the speed and reach of BPL services, as does the encoding scheme used to turn data packets into radio signals. Electric cables have been optimised to transmit between 50-60Hz Extremely Low-Frequency (ELF) band and up to 400Hz, with utility companies using frequencies below 490KHz for their own telemetry, monitoring, and control applications – although most BPL equipment was built to operate between 1.7MHz and 30MHz (the entire Shortwave broadcast, Amateur Radio, maritime, airline and utility communications H.F radio spectrum) and occasionally up to 80MHz. Trials of access BPL technology to date have been prolific and widespread. They have spanned everywhere from the UK and most European countries to the US, Australia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia and South Africa – to name but a few global instances. Despite all these initiatives, all the trials appear to have resulted in power companies and/or Internet service providers deciding that the technology is not viable as a means of delivering broadband Internet access. This is because of two technological challenges that have impeded progress: limited reach, and low bandwidth which do not come close to matching ADSL, Wi-Fi, and even 3G mobile broadband services that have steadily expanded their own coverage areas over time. “They just could not get the speed, and the further they want to reach, the bigger the speed challenge becomes... There are additional problems with contention ratios,” said Don Beattie, director of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) in a recent interview with Engineering and Technology magazine. “By the time you have shared accessBPL with a number of subscribers down a particular mains cable, you get nowhere near the speed you get with ADSL, say.” The high level of attenuation (or data signal loss) from access BPL power cables – which are often unshielded – had two critical effects. First, it limited bandwidth, and second, it attracted opposition from groups within the radio community. These included radio amateurs, shortwave broadcasters, emergency radio services, and Citizen’s Band radio users. A report published in 2010 by the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills specifically recognised the potential for access BPL to cause interference; and after receiving 200 complaints, UK regulator Ofcom recognised the potential for interference of in-house BPL in its report ‘The Likelihood and Extent of Radio Frequency Interference from In-Home PLT Devices’ (June 2010), although it did not explicitly cover access BPL because ‘it is not deployed commercially in the UK’. The report examined the priority for investigating the potential for interference with many different types of radio users, and identified three ‘high priority’ types or ‘victim receivers’ – shortwave radio listeners, radio amateurs, and aeronautical ground station professional users. The RSGB estimates that each BPL device, such as an in-house power-line adapter, generates as much noise or interference as 10,000 other devices operating in the same unlicensed radio frequency bands, emissions strong and widespread enough to also interfere ADSL connections using overhead, rather than underground, telephone cables. Other complaints centred on the high levels of electromagnetic compatibility emissions caused by access BPL, suggesting that pylons and other tall structures effectively amplify the interference. Norweb trialled access BPL in Manchester during 1998/1999, using street lights near the test site that served to act as antennas for the 2-10MHz band. This reportedly caused interference to the BBC World Service, Civil Aviation Authority, and GCHQ. The failure to properly define clear international standards for BPL technology also probably played its part in its demise. Because they used unlicensed frequencies and voltages which varied from one country to another, early standardisation initiatives were fragmented, and it was generally up to individual power companies to decide how they implemented their transmission facilities, leaving the possibility of problematic interconnection. Thankfully, due to a number of factors, BPL looks like a dead end, which will be something welcomed by users of huge chunks of the available radio spectrum.
A message from the Police regarding post Christmas packaging and other associated rubbish. "Wrapping and boxes left outside your home can advertise rich pickings inside - particularly after Christmas. Most people dispose of rubbish carefully. Will you wait until the day of your next refuse collection before you put your rubbish out or take it to the tip instead? To check when your next waste collection day is, visit the following page regarding household waste collection dates on the Bexley Council website: https://mybexley.bexley.gov.uk/service/When_is_my_collection_day_ ". Now for the weekly local safety and security updates from Bexley Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association. Firstly from Barnehurst ward:- "We hope you have all had a happy and safe Christmas. We are pleased to report there have been no burglaries over the Christmas period. We have had one crime reported of a Ring doorbell being stolen from a property in Grassmere Road. Unfortunately there was no footage of anyone taking the doorbell so unknown as to when exactly this occurred but believed to have been overnight on Sunday 23rd December 2018. Thank you to our residents who joined us last week for coffee and a chat at Barnehurst Golf Club. Dates for January 2019 will be advertised in due course. In the meantime we would like to wish one and all a very happy New Year". Belvedere ward:- "We are starting to get reports of two nuisance moped riders around Elstree gardens and Kingswood Avenue. Both are male, one medium build, the slimmer. They appear to go round in loops from about 17:00 until about 22:00. We believe they live on Elstree Gardens. They are also reportedly drug dealing. If anyone has any information or has noticed any suspicious activity around this area please contact the team. Overnight on theTuesday 4th into the Wednesday 5th December we had a report of someone opening windows around Hailey House, Wadeville Close. This person opened three small windows on two different flats. To clarify the windows were unlocked and open slightly, they have since been opened all the way. No other windows attempted. If this happens to anyone else please make us aware. There was a burglary on Lower Road over the weekend of Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th December. The rear door was pried open using a pair of pliers, that were left at the scene. Please ensure you keep all doors and windows locked and secure and if you have an alarm, please use it! The team have been made aware that a household on Lumley Close is storing stolen motorbikes in their rear garden. The house is a family home and it is at least one of their sons that are stealing and storing the bikes. Again if anyone has any information about this please get in touch. All information will be treated in confidence. The Smerdon Centre, Lumley Close has been targeted by egg throwers. Previously in November the centre was also subjected to criminal damage in the form of windows being smashed. We now have three names of people involved and will be making enquiries. On Thursday 13/12/2018 there was a burglary in Osborne Road. The suspect gained entry by plying open a rear window and stealing property. On the weekend of the Saturday 15th / Sunday 16th December a set of garages were broken into on Monks Close. Tools were taken from at least two garages, with other expensive items left in place. It appears that the thieves are aiming just for tools. Please ensure you lock up garages and keep valuable items secure. On Saturday 15/12/2018 there was another burglary in Gideon Close. The suspect smashed a rear patio glass door to gain entry. Nothing taken as far as is known. On Thursday 20/12/2018 a garage was broken into on Fairmont Close. Nothing was taken on this occasion. Sometime between the Wednesday 19th and Friday 21st two flats were broken into Alonso House, Essenden Road. It appears that both flats were burgled on the same day. A window facing the car park was forced open on one of the flats. We believe the suspect then went out of the front door to the flat and forced their way into a second. Nothing was taken from either as far as we know at the time of writing. While out and about a diligent NHW Coordinator has discovered a safe and belongings from a burglary and on another occasion a set of number plates dumped in the bushes of Franks Park. The burglary items have been returned to a pleased victim while the number plates appear to be cloned. The area in question seems to be around the entrance from Halt Robin Road, opposite Gladeswood Avenue. This is appearing to be a good place for criminals to dump things they no longer want. If anyone finds property that looks out of place please get in contact with us. Thank you for keeping in contact with us, our co-ordinator from Regent Square, your help is appreciated. On Friday 21/12/2018 the team assisted detectives with a leaflet drop around Lower Belvedere with an appeal to identify a suspect following a serious incident in Hackney. The same night the leaflets were distributed the suspect handed themselves in. On Friday 21/1/22018 at around 14:45 a female was walking down the alley from Picardy Manorway underpass to Belvedere Train Station when she was approached by a male. He asked for a cigarette and was told no. He then grabbed hold of the female and held her at knife point, demanding a cigarette. He ended up punching the female in the stomach and talking her mobile. The male is described as being black, mid-twenties, braided hair with elastic bands and wearing a dark hooded top with a red/white/red pattern across the chest. If anyone recognises this description please contact the team. Our next drop in surgery will be held on the Thursday 03/01/2019 at Belvedere Community Centre between 11:00 – 12:00". Bexleyheath ward:- "Below is our Bexleyheath NHW return up to and including Christmas Eve. The team will not be in work until Thursday 27/12/2018. We have had 1 burglary this week in Belvedere Road, Bexleyheath, rear door damaged and untidy search of the property. Please see the link to The Met Police Website for more crime prevention advice on keeping your home safe. The team are out and about in the local area to provide reassurance and to deter and potential criminal activity. Shoplifting from The Broadway area is still a problem at this time of year, however our Town Centre team are all out and available for a quick chat. Please remain permanently vigilant and also report any suspicious activity by calling 999. One young man was issued with a S59 Police reform Act 2002 (police Power to seize a vehicle) and a Community Protection Warning (CPN Warning) letter in relation to Vehicle anti-social Behaviour in ASDA carpark Bexleyheath. A further (6) six warning letter were sent to other vehicle owners who were in the area. Officers continue to proactively patrol the area to prevent and deal with any vehicle Anti-social behaviour. We have visited The Library Bexleyheath to speak with local residents and give crime prevention advice. Officers from the team visited several neighbourhood Watch Coordinators, this will continue in the new year. We intend to get around as many as possible. There was a theft of motor vehicle in Townley Road where a Blue BMW was stolen from the street. There was also a theft from motor vehicle in Rochester Drive Bexleyheath where some sunglasses were stolen from the vehicle. Due to the nature of this time of year we have been tasked with Anti – Social Behaviour patrols and all the car parks and open spaces have been patrolled. We have been engaging with the youths we have come across and discussed with them to try and prevent vulnerable people being targeted. Officers from Bexleyheath SNT would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy and Safe New Year". Crayford ward:- "Overnight of Thursday 20th in to Friday 21st December a burglary took place in Maiden Lane. The victim realised their bag was missing when getting ready for work. The items stolen included a lap top computer, credit cards and driving licence as well as makeup/toiletries in another bag. The burglar entered through a downstairs windows which was forced but with no damage. The cards have since been cancelled. A grey Yamaha 125cc scooter number plate LD67 HYF was stolen with keys from the junction of Crayford Way with Green Walk whilst the owner was at the dentist nearby. On Saturday 22nd December there was a theft from motor vehicle at Bookers at Thames Road, the victim's bag containing a large quantity of cash and jewellery was stolen from the front passenger seat whilst the vehicle was being loaded. Between Monday 24th and Wednesday 26th December a burglary occurred at a property in Halcot Avenue. A Playstation 3, cash and medication was stolen. The door was forced and the lock broken. The next Crayford Ward Panel meeting will be held on Saturday 5th January at 10.30 at the Europa Gym, Vimy Way. If you would like to come along, please let us know. You will be most welcome". No reports this week from Erith ward, Northumberland Heath ward, or Slade Green and Northend ward. Thamesmead East ward:- "Burglaries - Between the hours of 02:00am and 07:00am on Tuesday 18/12/18 a burglary occurred in Glendale Way .The front UPVC door was not locked, outdoor winter coats ,boots and trainers were taken. On Saturday 22/12/18 between the hours of 01:00am and 07:00 am there occurred a burglary in Tanhurst Walk. The outer UPVC door was not locked ,the handle was just pulled up, the inner door was also unlocked ,Christmas presents and documents were taken. Theft from motor vehicle - On Wednesday 19/12/18 at 02:00 am a motor vehicle parked in Courtland Grove had the driver's side window smashed, a wallet containing money, a driving licence and a bank debit were taken. The wallet was left in the centre console. Crime prevention:- Wallets, purses ,handbags ,credit cards ,loose change should never be left in an unattended vehicle. Remove sat nav mounts, suction cup marks on windows, cables which may indicate electrical items in the vehicle. Motor cycle theft - Hartslock Drive a motor cycle locked in a garage in an underground gated car park was stolen between the hours of 10:00pm on Sunday 16/12/18 and 11:00pm on Tuesday 18/12/18 .Between the hours of 08:00pm on Thursday 20/12/18 and 06:00am on Friday 21/12/18 a motor cycle parked and secured was stolen from a location in Kale Road. Motor cycle crime prevention - Use a disc lock to help secure the front brake disc ,or a grip lock to secure the brake and throttle controls .You could also use a D lock on the front wheel. Chain - Use a chain lock through the back wheel (the front wheel can be removed).Secure your bike ,with the lock taut to an immovable object such as a ground anchor or street furniture. this will stop thieves cutting a lock trailing on the ground using an angle grinder. If this isn't possible ,thread the chain through your bike frame and back wheel. Cover—Thieves often @ shop@ for particular models.Using a cover instantly makes it less attractive to them. The next meeting will be Thursday 3rd January 2019 at the Lakeside Medical Centre in Yarnton Way between 1-2pm". West Heath ward - no reports received this week.
The end video this week is a short piece on the former Regal Cinema in Bexleyheath Broadway. The Regal Cinema was built for Mortimer Dent, who operated a chain of cinemas in the Birmingham area. It opened on 3rd September 1934 and within a short while, it was being operated by Sidney Bacon Pictures. The Regal Cinema was what could be described as a ‘Super Cinema’ and was equipped with a Compton Manual / 8 Ranks organ that was opened by H. Robinson Cleaver. In around 1935, the Regal Cinema was taken over by Union Cinemas chain and a programming policy of films and variety began. Union Cinemas were taken over by Associated British Cinemas (ABC) in October 1937. The Regal Cinema received a direct hit by a German bomb on its organ chambers in 1943. The damage was patched up, but the organ never played again, and in 1948, the undamaged console was removed from the building. It was re-named ABC from 29th January 1962 and a bowling alley was built over the car park. Closed at the end of January 1978 for conversion into a quadruple cinema, it re-opened on 28th May 1978 with 4-screens seating 506, 350, 230 and 216. The ABC was re-named Cannon in 1982 when the Cannon Group took control of ABC. The Cannon was closed on 19th March 1987, when it was demolished to make way for the large Asda supermarket which now stands on the site. Give the video a watch, and please feel free to Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
The end video this week is a short piece on the former Regal Cinema in Bexleyheath Broadway. The Regal Cinema was built for Mortimer Dent, who operated a chain of cinemas in the Birmingham area. It opened on 3rd September 1934 and within a short while, it was being operated by Sidney Bacon Pictures. The Regal Cinema was what could be described as a ‘Super Cinema’ and was equipped with a Compton Manual / 8 Ranks organ that was opened by H. Robinson Cleaver. In around 1935, the Regal Cinema was taken over by Union Cinemas chain and a programming policy of films and variety began. Union Cinemas were taken over by Associated British Cinemas (ABC) in October 1937. The Regal Cinema received a direct hit by a German bomb on its organ chambers in 1943. The damage was patched up, but the organ never played again, and in 1948, the undamaged console was removed from the building. It was re-named ABC from 29th January 1962 and a bowling alley was built over the car park. Closed at the end of January 1978 for conversion into a quadruple cinema, it re-opened on 28th May 1978 with 4-screens seating 506, 350, 230 and 216. The ABC was re-named Cannon in 1982 when the Cannon Group took control of ABC. The Cannon was closed on 19th March 1987, when it was demolished to make way for the large Asda supermarket which now stands on the site. Give the video a watch, and please feel free to Email me at hugh.neal@gmail.com.
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