Hello, and welcome to your round up from the St Matthew’s Neighbourhood Policing Team. Keeping the different communities in St Matthew’s informed of just some of the activities that we have done recently.

Some things that we have been doing on our patch:

Over the festive period PCSO’s visited a number of supported living projects and warden-controlled apartment blocks, where residents were enjoying festive gatherings.  The different resident groups shared issues of concern about their neighbourhood/community.  The residence received advice and support from the team to help them with the issues that they raised.  The PCSO’s also spoke with the residence about personal safety, offering crime prevention advise for when the residents were out and about Christmas shopping within Walsall during this busy period. Part of the ‘Tis the season to stay safe campaign. The visits were well received, with the conversation flowing between residence, staff and PCSO’s.

The team have recently conducted some community engagement, attended Walsall Street Ministry at St Pauls Church/ The Crossings, Darwall Street, Walsall Town Centre.  We engaged with community volunteers and members of the public. The volunteers regularly engage with the night time economy community, offering a listening ear, conversation and a hot drink for those who need it. Partnership working to keep our communities safe.

The team have worked in partnership with Walsall Trading Standards on two operations. One identifying counterfeit items for sale in the New Year sales, where a large number of items were seized. Also, there was some savvy shopping done where illegal cigarettes and vapes were seized from different Walsall Town Centre shops.

Advice from the team:

During the winter months, particularly during cold snaps such as the one we are currently having, cars are stolen off driveways as owners leave them unattended.  Victims leave vehicles with keys in the ignition while they warm up and defrost the windscreen and some victims will go back into their home. Please don’t leave your vehicle unattended, give yourself enough time to use de-icer and a scraper, and be able to warm up in your vehicle while the heater de-mists the windscreen. 

A message from the team:

Stay warm during this cold snap by adding a layer.  Also, if you can please check on those neighbours around you, who you know are vulnerable to make sure that they are safe and well. 

If you know of anyone, a group, or even a street, in the St Matthew’s neighbourhood, that you think may benefit from being on WMNow, please let them know to contact us to get them signed up.

Keeping in touch with us:

The teams are out and about in your community, please stop to say hello to us. 

To get in touch with us at St Matthew’s NHT about community issues or intelligence that is not a 999 emergency, you can use the following ways:

On line via stmatthews@westmidlands.police.uk

You can follow us on X account @stmatthewsWMP

You can report crime, if it is not a 999 emergency, using: www.west-midlands.police.uk 

A thank you from the team:

For all volunteers that we have worked with and who have done their bit and continue to support their communities.

For those people who we have spoken with and have received intelligence from across the St Matthews patch. We are always happy to engage in conversation and listen to issues and concerns.

For those reading this update, if you would like to reply/rate this message, feel free to do so.

The St Matthew’s NHT