This site contains local Neighbourhood Watch news and information, local crime prevention advice including bogus caller advice, personal 
safety advice and much more, Why not become part of a community team whose members work together to protect each other from crime.

Watching and caring - not snooping
That's what Neighbourhood Watch is all about - looking out for each other. Acting together means that dozens of eyes and ears are ready 
to pick up on what's happening in the neighbourhood that could cause worry or concern. It's not snooping or interfering, it's about being a 
good neighbour and caring about your community.

A better quality of life
And there is more to Neighbourhood Watch than protecting homes and burglary. By working together, neighbours can help reduce all sorts 
issues, take action to improve the environment by getting something done about vandalism, graffiti, poor lighting and a lack of amenities. 

Neighbourhood Watch is for everyone
Neighbourhood Watch is also about bringing people closer together. A stronger community spirit that grows as people get to know
each other and help one another. Anyone can join a Neighbourhood Watch scheme and everyone can play a part in its achievements. 
A scheme can be made up of just a few houses in a street, or a few residents in a square or a whole estate, each scheme can be different. 
Schemes aim to meet the needs of the community - it is an opportunity for members to voice their concerns and make a real difference to 
the quality of life in their community.

Neighbourhood Watch means working together
Neighbourhood Watch means no-one is alone. Your neighbours will look out for your family, your home and your street or estate, and you 
would do the same for them. Neighbourhood Watch schemes also help the community to keep a check on people in the area who are more
vulnerable. Children and young people, the elderly and the frail, and those that have had their home broken into before can all benefit from 
having an extra pair of eyes. As well as receiving support from scheme members, people belonging to Neighbourhood Watch can make 
contact with other local Watch groups. The police, other community and voluntary organisations all support Neighbourhood Watch. 

How does it work?
Everyone who joins a Neighbourhood Watch scheme plays an important part in making their neighbourhood a safer, more friendly and
pleasant place to live in. One of the most important things scheme members do, is to look out for anything that seems suspicious or 
unusual and then report it, may help the police to solve or prevent a crime - and so stop someone becoming a victim of crime. It is always 
important to remember, when you see something that concerns you, let the police check it out - you must never challenge someone as you 
will be putting yourself at risk. The police may also offer other advice, from simple ideas like seeing that newspapers and letters cannot be 
seen in letter boxes while householders on holiday, to promoting crime prevention schemes and home security measures like marking your 
property with your postcode.  

Everyone is valuable
Each local scheme is run by a local co-ordinator, and acts as a link between the members, the local police and council and other community 
groups. The link works in both directions, as well as reporting suspicious activities or advice from the police, the coordinator will hear about 
incidents in the neighbourhood. These could be about burglars operating in the area, report door 'salesmen', car thieves at work, or local drug 
dealing, for instance. Some members may be part of a support committee that shares the work. One eye on the more vulnerable people in the 
neighbourhood, contribute to the newsletter, help to arrange events or approach local business for support - most important job of all is 'looking 
out for others in the community'. Everyone in a Neighbourhood Watch scheme plays an important and worthwhile part in making their community
safer. Every member is valuable and every task they do contributes to bringing people in the community closer together. 

By working together, we can help reduce all sorts of local crimes and issues, take action to improve the environment by getting something done 
about things like graffiti, vandalism, poor lighting and a lack of local amenities.        

To find out it if your area is covered by a NHW Scheme or you wish to become a NHW co-ordinator click on contact us:
Please note that the Merton NHW Association website is not intended as a medium for reporting crime. 
As always, should you require an emergency response, dial 999

The Merton NHW office is open on Thursdays & Fridays,  9:00am - 5:00pm