Partnership scheme helps make homes safer in Firshill

A crime prevention scheme in the Firshill area of Sheffield has helped make hundreds of homes safer and more secure.  Sheffield Homes, South Yorkshire Police and Firshill Tenants and Residents Association (TARA) worked together to fit extra security features to residents’ homes, including many lived in by elderly people.

 

Spy holes, improved locks and security chains were fitted to windows and doors in around 150 properties at a cost of £3,400.  European funding aimed at improving community safety measures in vulnerable areas paid for most of the work.

 

Kier staff - working under the City Stewardship scheme - carried out all labour and fitted smoke alarms provided free of charge by Sheffield Homes to every property needing them.

In addition, South Yorkshire Police held seminars about doorstep crime in a bid to prevent distraction burglaries and deter bogus officials.

 

Mick Crowder, Manager of the Safer Estates Unit at Sheffield Homes, said: “Our safety wardens visited or contacted all residents on the Firshill estate to offer this service, regardless of whether they’re council tenants or not.

 

“Each home was looked at individually and additional security features added according to need.  We’re very pleased with the success of the scheme.”

 

Milton Graham, Chair of Firshill TARA, said the scheme had given residents peace of mind.

 

“Most of the people in this area are aged 70 or over and it is a bit isolated here at night.  We have had some vandalism and petty crime.  The extra security and the advice given to residents about bogus officials will help greatly as the Decent Homes work gets underway on the estate, with lots of different contractors coming and going.

 

“We’ve had good feedback from residents, who feel a lot happier now this work has been done.”

 

One satisfied resident, Mrs Barbara Shaw, 76, of Firshill Crescent, is very pleased with the work carried out.

 

“I feel much safer in my home now,” she said. “The two young men who did the work on my home were very polite and helpful. I’m pleased with the end result.”

 

Simon English, Crime Reduction Officer with South Yorkshire Police, held seminars with local residents to raise awareness of doorstep crime.

 

“Firshill has one of the highest populations of older people in Sheffield so we  wanted to look at improving community safety there.  We handed out free personal attack alarms and offered security advice.  Coupled with the practical security measures that Sheffield Homes carried out, I think it was a very effective campaign.”

 

Nationally the police have launched a campaign to reduce distraction burglaries and crime figures have already started to reduce.

 

The key messages are: