Cllr Andrew Woodman, Robert Windsor of 24-7 Locks and Commissioner Rupert Matthews
Security experts are set to offer free security upgrades to up to 180 homes in Castle Donington as part of a major project to burglar-proof the town.
Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews has secured £432k from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund to reduce the risk of crime and make the county’s streets safer.
The funding is being invested in the town centres of Castle Donington, Hinckley, Lutterworth and Melton Mowbray - areas identified as having a disproportionately higher risk of street crime – and will see hundreds of homes fitted with high-quality security devices to stop burglars in their tracks.
So far, almost 400 residents have come forward in the designated Safer Streets areas to take up the initiative and help burglar-proof their homes.
Safer Streets partner 24-7 Locks Ltd is now focusing on the Castle Donington area and eligible residents will soon find themselves offered measures such as high security door locks, window locks, door alarms and window alert alarms.
The PCC is working with a team of partners including North West Leicestershire District Council, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Harborough District Council and Melton Borough Council to deliver a package of improvements to protect people and their property.
Welcoming the project in Castle Donington, Mr Matthews said: “We are delighted to bring the scheme to Castle Donington ahead of schedule. This means residents can benefit from free security improvements earlier than expected, potentially sparing themselves the distress of becoming a victim of crime.
“The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive, with many residents feeling safer and more confident in their homes. We know simple measures like window and door alarms put burglars off and so this project is about making it as difficult as possible for criminals to strike.
“Christmas will soon be here, increasing the risk of unwanted attention from burglars. This is an ideal time to boost your home security at no cost to your family.
“Many people have already taken advantage of the scheme. “If you are offered a free risk assessment, please do take it up. Together, we can and will make Leicestershire safer.”
Councillor Andrew Woodman, Chair of the Safer North West Leicestershire Partnership, added: “It’s great that people in Castle Donington can now benefit from security advice and have safely measures installed in their home for free. The scheme has been successful elsewhere at reducing acquisitive crime like burglary and thefts from cars, which can be really devastating for the victims. I hope residents take this opportunity to speak to the experts and get those free upgrades to their personal security.”
Overall, Safer Streets will offer up to 1,104 households free security upgrades worth a total of £186k across the four towns while funding will also be dedicated to removing graffiti in Hinckley.
Communities will benefit from the installation of new police automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, additional CCTV and additional radios to expand the radio link scheme in the Melton and Hinckley areas.
All households within the eligibility catchment area will be informed by post. Residents are urged to call the number provided to arrange a booking slot.
The Government’s Safer Streets Fund aims to stop offences that blight communities and cause misery to victims.
Nationally, the Government has announced a £18.3m funding package in the second phase of its Safer Streets Fund.
A total of 40 areas across England and Wales have been chosen to receive grants to tackle neighbourhood crime and clamp down on burglary, robbery and vehicle theft.
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Posted on Tuesday 26th October 2021