Dear Resident,

Welcome to the September edition of the Sutton Neighbourhood Watch (SNHW) newsletter.

As Autumn approaches and the nights begin to draw in, thank you, as always, for your continued support in helping keep Sutton a safe, resilient and connected community. Your engagement, whether that means reporting concerns, attending events or simply looking out for your neighbours, continues to make a real difference across the borough.

In this edition, there’s a reminder that you can still support us through the Co-op Community Fund, come along to our AGM, and we share an important update about how we now contact our members. We also outline new Met Police technology helping tackle crime on our streets, share details of a free bike-marking event (please note the date as it’s happening soon), and introduce StreetSafe, a new way to report safety concerns anonymously. Finally, we round up the latest scam alerts, including a first-hand account from one of our own Ward Coordinators, so that you can stay informed and help protect those around you.

Co-op SNHW Partnership: A Reminder

I hope that many of you have already voted for us, but if you haven't, you have until October to choose us as your local Community Cause here.

Don’t forget to come along to our Annual General Meeting

September is already upon us, so we look forward to seeing you at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 7pm on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, in Room G1, Civic Offices, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1EA, with refreshments available from 6.30pm. As well as our usual AGM business, the evening will include an update on borough policing from Chief Inspector Paolo Resteghni, and one of our SNT sergeants, Sgt James Carvey; and a presentation on “cuckooing” (where a criminal takes over a vulnerable person's home and
uses it for nefarious purposes) from Inspector Andy Cameron and PC William Holden. You are warmly welcome to bring along a non-member who may be interested in attending; this is a great opportunity to meet us all, especially if you haven't attended an AGM before.

A full list of our Committee and Ward Coordinators is available on our website. We currently have two important vacancies: Membership Secretary and Secretary. Please note if you would like to apply for any of our vacant Committee roles you have until 10 September to do so.

Membership Update: Very Important

Over the last few months, we have written to members several times to say that, for financial reasons, we were forced to end our existing communications contract at the end of June. All membership information has therefore been moved to the national Neighbourhood Watch database, which means Neighbourhood Alert (this system) is our only method of contact.

Although the system is national, Sutton's membership information will be routinely managed locally by our existing administrators/volunteers.

As you are receiving this newsletter, you are already a verified user so you do not need to do anything; however, for those who have not, or do not, accept our email verification request will have their membership information deleted at the end of August. This action is beyond our control and is a function of our new communications system. Sadly, deletion of a member’s record will mean they will no longer hear from Sutton Neighbourhood Watch. We do not want that to happen as we have built an extensive membership over the last two decades which has contributed to making Sutton one of London's safest boroughs. We therefore ask you to support us by highlighting this very important verification step with your family, friends and neighbours; and ask them to get in touch with us if we can help. Community interaction like this is a vital part of our work, and we sincerely hope that you will understand its importance.

Met Expands Fleet of Crime-Fighting E-Bikes

You may have seen the news item that the Metropolitan Police has increased its fleet of Sur-Ron e-bikes from 5 to 25, as part of a wider drive to cut street crime using the latest technology. The lightweight bikes allow officers to cut through traffic, navigate narrow streets and even tackle staircases, helping them reach criminals in places inaccessible to conventional patrol vehicles. They have proven particularly effective against phone theft, helping cut such offences by more than 13,000 across London in the past year. Since rollout, the bikes have already helped officers detain suspects for offences including riding an uninsured e-bike and possession of a significant quantity of Class A drugs.

This is an important step forward, and the expansion comes as neighbourhood crime falls 14% across London, with more than 33,000 fewer offences recorded in the past year. Officers have also seized more than 2,500 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters so far this year.

More information can be found here.

Bike Marking at Balfe's Bikes

Sutton Central Safer Neighbourhoods Team will be holding a free bike-marking event on Tuesday, 8 September, from 11.30am to 1pm, outside Balfe's Bikes on Sutton High Street.

Bring your bike along to have it security marked with a unique, tamper-resistant code, and speak with officers about practical steps to help protect it from theft. The event is completely free of charge, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Also, a Crime Prevention Stall will be held on the same day (8 September), from 9.30am, at Barclays Bank, Sutton High Street.

Help Us Make Our Streets Safer, Anonymously

Have you ever walked through an area and thought “this doesn't feel safe”? Tell the police through StreetSafe, a quick tool to share safety concerns anonymously: no name needed, and no need to have been a victim of crime. Whether it's poor lighting, an isolated spot or anti-social behaviour, your report helps officers understand where people feel vulnerable and target resources to make our streets safer. Please note that this service is not for reporting crimes in progress. Call 999 in an emergency, or 101 for non-emergencies.

Report anonymously here.

Scam Alerts: Stay Vigilant

Scams remain a serious, evolving threat to our community, from convincing phone calls to fake websites and doorstep fraud. This month we share a first-hand account from one of our own Ward Coordinators, alongside a round-up of the latest alerts. Please stay alert and share these warnings with family and neighbours.

A Phone Scam Warning

One of our Ward Coordinators recently received a convincing scam call from someone claiming to be from a bank's fraud department. The caller already knew her name, date of birth and part of her card number, then tried to move the conversation to WhatsApp and asked for her email address. She grew suspicious, shared no further details and ended the call safely. Remember: banks message you first about suspected fraud and never phone unprompted; always ring the number on your card yourself to check.

Fake Moneysaving Expert Website

A fraudulent clone of the MoneySavingExpert (MSE) News page has been spotted, featuring a deepfake video of Martin Lewis promoting a sham 'Quantum AI’ investment scheme.

Martin Lewis does not endorse any investment products. Always check the website address, as genuine MSE pages always contain “moneysavingexpert.com”. If in doubt, do not click.

More information can be found here.

Parking Payment Scam

A scam has been reported in Surrey in which a polite stranger, sometimes wearing a face mask, approaches people at car parks claiming new local rules require you to insert your payment card and enter your PIN. They may then take your card and use it fraudulently. Never hand your card to a stranger or enter your PIN at another person's request.

Courier Fraud: Over-70s Targeted

Courier fraud losses exceeded £21 million in 2025, up 10% year on year, with the over-70s accounting for the majority of victims. Fraudsters call posing as police or banks, then send a courier to collect cards, cash or jewellery. The police and your bank will never do this. If in doubt, call 159.

More information can be found here.

55 Million Suspicious Emails Reported

The public has now reported 55.7 million suspicious emails to the NCSC's Suspicious Email Reporting Service, leading to 250,000 scams being taken down. You can help: forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk and suspicious texts to 7726 (free of charge). Never click links, call numbers or make payments from unexpected messages.

Online Shoppers: Account Fraud Alert

Report Fraud is warning shoppers after a spike in criminals using stolen login credentials to access retailers' accounts, particularly Argos, and collect goods via click-and-collect. Protect yourself: use a unique password for each account (try three random words), enable 2-step verification and avoid storing bank details online.

Cash Machine / ATM Distraction Theft

Distraction thefts at ATMs continue in Sutton, with elderly residents particularly targeted. Criminals may start a conversation, drop money nearby or offer to help in order to observe your PIN or steal your card. Always cover your PIN, ignore distractions and never let a stranger assist you. If uncomfortable, cancel the transaction and leave immediately. Call 999
(emergency) or 101.

We can only make Sutton an even better place to live by increasing our membership and reach, so please encourage your family, friends and neighbours to join us here.

Yours sincerely,

Anna

on behalf of your committee

Sutton Neighbourhood Watch

www.SuttonNeighbourhoodWatch.co.uk