Havering Police Newsletter: Community Safety Tips for Winter.

Welcome to the first edition of this new monthly column in the Havering Daily, where Chief Inspector Charlie Routley will be providing key updates from your local police teams across Havering alongside practical crime prevention advice to help keep Havering safe. As the Acting Chief Inspector for Havering’s Safer Neighbourhoods Team, his priority is to remain focused on the issues that matter most to you. With winter now upon us, the darker evenings can unfortunately lead to rises in burglary, robbery and motor vehicle offences, making this a crucial time for community vigilance.

Let’s start with a look back at what your local police teams have been up to recently

Halloween and Bonfire Night Patrols

Havering SNT officers conducted dedicated patrols to prevent anti-social behaviour, engage with young people and keep neighbourhoods safe during the recent Halloween and Bonfire period. This is historically a time we experience an increase in ASB across Havering. Early intervention helped to prevent incidents from escalating, and feedback from residents has been positive.

United in Football & Basketball – October Half Term

Officers delivered another successful United in Football and Basketball programme this October half term, with over 240 children attending to take part. The highlight being our joint tournament held alongside West Ham United Foundation. These sessions provided safe, positive activities for young people during the school break and helped divert them away from becoming involved in crime and ASB. Plans are already underway for a session to be held over the upcoming Christmas break (so keep a lookout for that!)

Remembrance Sunday Parades

We were proud to support Remembrance events across Havering. Parades took place in areas such as Romford, Hornchurch,  Elm Park,  Harold Hill and Upminster. All parades were well attended, reflecting the strong community spirit Havering is known for.

Havering Joint Task Force – Notable Arrests

The  Havering Joint Task Force (HJTF) continues to deliver results, with several significant arrests this month for drug supply and weapons offences. These proactive operations have disrupted criminal activity and helped keep our streets safer. The HJTF are a small team of 5 officers funded by Havering Council.

Romford Town Centre Team

The team continues to focus on violent crime and shoplifting within our town centre, working closely with local retailers and partners. Their visibility and intelligence-led approach have led to the identification and arrest of several repeat offenders. This month, we received new state-of-the-art metal detection equipment, which was funded by Havering Council. These mobile metal detectors will help us target key locations and arrest more offenders who are intent on carrying weapons on our streets

Havering Community Crime Fighting Meeting

In October, we welcomed many local residents to Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls for the Havering Community Crime Fighting meeting. We were joined by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, and discussed local priorities, outlined progress under the New Met for London programme, and set out what Phase 2 will mean for neighbourhood policing here in Havering. Residents’ questions and feedback remain invaluable in shaping how we will police Havering over the coming months and years

As mentioned at the start, this time of year we see seasonal changes in crime trends, with the nights drawing in and offenders seizing the opportunity to commit offences such as burglary, robbery and theft of/from motor vehicles.

Let’s look at some key crime prevention advice to help prevent you from becoming a victim this winter 

Burglary Prevention – Keep Your Home Winter-Ready

As the nights draw in, homes that appear unoccupied become more attractive to burglars. A few simple steps make a real difference:

• Lights on, look lived-in: Use timer switches or smart lighting so your home doesn’t look empty in the early evenings. Especially between the hours of 4 pm and 8 pm
• Lock it or lose it: Check that doors and windows are secured every time you leave the house—even if you’re only popping out briefly.
• Secure side gates and sheds: Garden tools can be used to force entry, so keep outbuildings locked and valuables out of sight.
• Mark your property: Register valuable items on Immobilise.com and consider security marking kits like those supplied by SelectaDNA

Your Local Policing Teams continue intelligence-led patrols in burglary hotspots, but community vigilance remains one of our strongest defences.

Robbery– Stay Safe While Out and About

With Christmas shopping and winter events approaching, town centres and transport hubs become busier.

• Be aware of your surroundings, especially when using your phone.
• Keep valuables close and avoid displaying high-value items when walking alone.
• Stick to well-lit routes and travel with others where possible.

Report suspicious behaviour early—your call can prevent crime. As we saw just this week, when officers from the HJTF responded to calls relating to two youths acting suspiciously on electric bikes in Upminster

We’re working closely with our partners at Havering Council to increase visibility in key locations and utilise CCTV to keep our town centres and transport hubs safe this winter

Motor Vehicle Crime – Don’t Make It Easy for Thieves

Vehicle crime continues to be largely preventable:

• Remove belongings from display.
• Check your vehicle is locked every time you park up.
• Use a steering lock, particularly for high-risk vehicles.
• Consider installing a parking bollard for your driveway.
• Store keyless fobs in a signal-blocking pouch.

Sign up to Met Engage

Join the Met’s new community messaging platform for local updates, appeals, and crime prevention advice straight to your inbox. Sign up by clicking on this link https://www.metengage.co.uk/Content/Pages/Sign-Up. By using Met Engage, you can also make direct contact with your local policing team and share your concerns

Submit questions or topics

Residents are invited to send in questions or themes they’d like me to cover in next month’s column. Just leave a comment below

Join your local Ward Panel

Every ward in Havering has a Ward Panel made up of local residents, business owners and councillors who help set the policing priorities for their local area. The ward panel meets every three months, and we would welcome more residents becoming involved

If you’d like to have a direct say in shaping police focus where you live, please contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team to register your interest.

Your involvement—whether through Met Engage, Ward Panels, or regular engagement—ensures that policing in Havering continues to reflect the concerns and needs of our community.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Stay safe, stay alert, and look after one another this winter.

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