KEEPING A HANDLE ON YOUR HOME

OFFICERS are offering residents in Merseyside advice to help ensure they protect their property from burglars this summer.  Although Merseyside saw a drop of more than 10% in burglaries in the 12 months between March 2010 and April 2011, officers are reminding residents to be vigilant in keeping their homes secure.  Residents should always ensure their windows and doors are secure when they leave their properties or go to bed and UPVC doors should be locked with a key.

Sgt Keith Stott, Force crime reduction officer, said:- "Around a quarter of all burglaries involve no forced entry with burglars gaining access via an open window or door so it is very important to ensure all windows and doors are secured when leaving the premises unattended.   Residents should also exercise caution leaving doors and windows open in the summer months, even when they are at home, as opportunist burglars can take advantage of this easy access.  If your front or back doors are UPVC you need to ensure the bolts are activated and it has been locked by the key to prevent opportunist burglars from sneaking into homes - the latch itself will not provide adequate security. Ideally the key should then be removed from the lock.  If you are going on holiday or out for the evening consider using timers to operate lighting within your home such as to turn on a table light in a front room or upstairs bedroom. Residents are often tempted to only leave the hall lights on but nobody spends all their time in the hallway so this may reveal to would-be burglars that you aren't at home.   Consider instead using multiple timers working at different intervals."

Merseyside Police has extensive crime prevention advice on its website where residents can search for the interactive crime prevention advice pages to see what can be done to make homes and possessions more secure.  Sgt Stott added:- "The Force works hard to prevent and detect burglaries but it is important that residents help us by taking the necessary steps to make it more difficult for offenders to gain access to their homes. We recognise that burglaries in particular cause great distress to victims and we are determined to put those responsible before the courts.  We also ask that anyone with any information about burglaries, or people acting suspiciously in their area, call us - no matter how minor that information may seem - as it could prevent people from becoming victims of burglaries."  Anyone with any information about burglaries is asked to call Merseyside Police on:- 0151 709 6010, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111.

This is some crime prevention advice could stop you from becoming a victim of burglary:-

► It is vital residents ensure windows and doors are secured before going to bed and that all car and house keys are kept out of sight from the front door or vestibules, particularly those with glass panelled doors or porches.

► UPVC doors should be secured by lifting the handle to activate the bolts and ensuring the key is turned as the latch itself will not provide adequate security.

► Securing access to the back of the property can act as a deterrent to offenders and spiked toppings or other anti-scaling measures can be fitted to the top of fencing or gate posts at the side of the premises providing adequate warning notices are displayed.

► Residents should also consider fitting an intruder alarm and internal locks, fitted to rear kitchen and living room doors, will help prevent a burglar gaining access to the rest of the house.

► Consider the installation of security lighting - this could be simple Passive Infra Red (PIR) operated or Dusk till Dawn lights, which can now be fitted with cost efficient energy saving bulbs.

► If you need further crime reduction advice contact your local neighbourhood policing team.

PETE FRAME'S ROCK FAMILY TREES COME TO THE WILFRED OWEN STORY

WIRRAL fans of The Beatles will have the first chance ever to view artist Pete Frame's original legendary Rock family Trees posters.  The Wilfred Owen Story and Gallery will be presenting the Evolution of the Beatles (1957 to 1970) series, along with all the Merseyside bands that followed in the Fab Four's wake in The Cavern Kids profile, never exhibited before in the Wirral and signed by Pete Frame himself, as a gesture of appreciation to Wilfred Owen and others that gave their lives for the freedom of culture we all enjoy today.  To coincide with this remarkable event is a unique charity auction of pieces of the original stage from the demolished former Birkenhead YMCA, signed, authenticated and donated by the present YMCA. BBC Radio Merseyside’s Spencer Leigh, (attached) described the artefacts as:- “fragments of Rock 'n' Roll history that shaped modern music.” Another stalwart of the Merseybeat boom, Harry Prytherch (attached) of the Remo Four, who appeared with the Beatles at the YMCA, is hoping to gather as many of the individuals featured on the Rock Family Trees at the auction.

The Auction takes place on Tuesday, 16 August 2011, the opening day of the Exhibition. Doors open at 3pm and the day will feature special guest appearances. Please visit:- WilfredOwenstory.com for details, or call at The Wilfred Owen Story And Gallery, 34 Argyle Street, Birkenhead, Wirral, CH41 6AE.  It will run up to 3 September 2011.

Two more TJ Hughes stores acquired by Lewis's Home Retail

THE administrators of discount department store chain TJ Hughes have announced that the stores in Newcastle and Widnes have been acquired by Lewis's Home Retail Limited. It brings the total number of TJ Hughes stores acquired by the Liverpool based retailer to 6. Last week Lewis's Home Retail acquired TJ Hughes flagship store in Liverpool and the 3 stores located in Eastbourne, Glasgow and Sheffield. Over 500 jobs have been saved as a result of the acquisitions. John Gorle, Usdaw National Officer said:- "This is great news for our members in Newcastle and especially so for our members in Widnes, who less than a week ago were told by the administrators their store was closing and they were to be made redundant this Saturday. While we appreciate the efforts being made by the administrators to find buyers for the remaining stores, I have impressed on them the need to recognise that our members are going through an extremely worrying and stressful time and that they really do need to improve their communications with both staff and their Union. These are loyal and hardworking employees who are keeping stores running despite their precarious situation and they should be receiving regular and accurate information from the administrators."