Thank You for your interest in joining our group for Settle Ingleton and Bentham Area Rural Watch.
Some Background :
Rural Crime in North Yorkshire rose by 86.7% in 2017 costing the county more than £1.78 million. Today the county remains plagued by out of area gangs of organised criminals who have found it easy to prey on isolated farms, businesses and homes within the county. During the daylight hours, these gangs send members out to identify and select targets of value for other members to return during the hours of darkness to break into properties, steal high valued and working vehicles, tools and fuel. However, the community of North Yorkshire is now Fighting Back.
Craven in particular have become very successful in the last 12 months in helping the police recover stolen property, seize illegal vehicles and arrest offenders. A Police initiative of encouraging members of the local communities to work closely with them and be extra eyes and ears has produced some outstanding results. The excellent work and results from the Craven groups; has been noted by the highest ranks in the North Yorkshire Police Force. In recent times during the Corona Virus lockdown, volunteers have permission to continue with their work, as they are essential volunteers.
Throughout North Yorkshire, there are over 20 groups of police volunteers providing information and intelligence to the police, leading to many successfully operations in catching criminals and recovering stolen property. In Craven alone, there are four groups.
The Settle Ingleton & Bentham Mobile Rural Watch
The Malhamdale Watch
Upper Wharfedale Group
South Craven Rural Watch
The Settle Ingleton & Bentham Mobile Rural Watch began in August 2019, after a number of local people attended a meeting with police. It has proved to be a rewarding experience for the volunteers taking part, with stolen vehicles, other property recovered and arrests made, as a direct result of the information provided or reported to the police. Periodically there are organised Police Patrols involving the volunteers and police following up on intelligence gathered locally. Volunteers of all ages are involved with a number of different roles available. You only need to be over 16, have a mobile phone that can use WhatsApp and you can become a volunteer and valued member of your community.
The Roles
There are two roles for members, Home Members and Mobile Members. Both play an equally important part in the success of the group. There are no set hours for volunteering, but the group rely on all members doing one or both roles depending upon the time they can give.
Working and Retired Members
These members can and do contribute vital information gathering by reporting on any suspicious or unusual vehicle movement or behaviour they observe, going to work, at work, shopping, moving around their local area, working outdoors, delivering locally etc. by reporting into the Groups WhatsApp. They can also report directly on 101 or 999. Whilst at home these members can also monitor the group’s activity on WhatsApp or the group’s radio communications. These members support those driving around by passing on local knowledge or information to the mobile members.
Mobile Members
Those who like to drive around their local area in pairs (day or night) looking and reporting on unusual or suspicious behaviour of vehicles or individuals and record or report this to the police via the WhatsApp Group or 101 and in an emergency (a crime taking place) 999. For those who wish to undergo a Police Vetting process, they are able to use police radios on Police patrol nights.
Members who do not want to go through the vetting process but are happy to go out under normal circumstances with another member, can still patrol throughout any part of the day or night reporting via WhatsApp, 101 or 999 on any vehicle or anyone acting suspiciously. These members are also able to go out on the Police patrol nights but cannot use police radios; they are in the company of a vetted member on these nights so every vehicle has direct communication with the police cars patrolling in the area. Whilst the lockdown conditions continue, all members can go out on their own and safeguards for this are in place.
If you would like to support your local community and beat Rural Crime in your area, speak to an existing volunteer in the Facebook Group (If not already a member – apply to join that Group here – https://uklocalwatch.co.uk/settle/fbgroup/ ) or go to uklocalwatch.co.uk/settle and send us a message.
