Sandwell residents working with police to drive criminals out

Residents in Tamebridge, Wednesbury, are determined to make the area a safer place and are coming together to work with West Midlands Police in a bid to drive the criminals out of their neighbourhood.

Tamebridge Neighbourhood Watch, set up last October, is now on the lookout for more members.

Meanwhile a WhatsApp group keeps people up-to-date on any suspicious activity happening, while Street Watch sees volunteers pounding the streets of the estate which they have split into zones.

A pop-up event to inform the community of their work and attract more volunteers has been arranged for Saturday, May 14 from 10am to 2pm on green space on Woodruff Way, opposite Poppy Drive.

Organisers said that despite a recent drop in incidents they still wanted more people to join to keep the area safe.

Sharie Kaur, lead co-ordinator for both Neighbourhood Watch and Street Watch, said: “We had seen an increase in anti-social behaviour, car theft and car parts theft with people after things like catalytic converters.

“These issues have been going on for a good four or five years. I came back to Tamebridge in 2019 and have been more involved after what happened to a neighbour with the threat of someone trying to break into the house.

“That made me sit up and think ‘something needs to be done here’. I went out to see residents, knocking on doors and telling them what happened and invited them to a meeting at my house just so we can form a group.

“We’re all on a WhatsApp group now just so we can keep each other informed of what is happening.

“We – the other co-ordinators and I – have spent a couple of weekends talking to people and got a good response. People have joined and we have split the estate into zones to make it much more manageable.

“After that, we set up the police initiative Street Watch for the area. We’ve got seven volunteers but we need much more.”

Miss Kaur said volunteers can pick their own walk and report back anything they spot, including crimes, abandoned cars or fly-tipping but must not get directly involved.

She added it has been having a desired effect during the past few weeks.

“It’s not a volunteer’s role to get involved," she said.

"If there is an emergency, they need to ring 999. It’s not their responsibility to deal with the crime. They receive training and a jacket. It’s more of a visual deterrent.

“It has been quieter. The signs have gone up. We’ve seen very little activity over the last four or five weeks.

“Bikers causing anti-social issues have stopped. Police had the helicopter out and made arrests of people stealing bikes and other crimes.

“But now is the time to keep going and not rest on our laurels. Something my gran used to say was ‘when your car is stuck no one wants to give you a push but when it is running smoothly, everyone wants to jump in’.

“We want the residents to come on board and be involved. Ultimately, it is not just the estate for the few who are volunteers but it is everyone else’s.

“Police have listened, come on board. They’ve been coming out on walks, keeping to their word. They drop in and see us when they are here. Their presence is here. They are led by us.”

Street Watch volunteer Harminder Midha moved to the area in 2000 and said the incidents were concerning but added she was pleased to see progress being made.

“It is very worrisome. You cannot sleep because you fear someone will break into your home," she said.

“And crimes were not just happening at 3am – some have happened in the afternoon and early evenings.

“But since we have been active, things have gone down, which is a positive. I’m proud to do that.

“Sharie asked me if I’d like to participate, I said why not? It doesn’t take much time – just two hours a month. We walk everyday so the only thing here is put your Street Watch jacket on and go.

“People see it and realise there is something good going on in the community and they come up and ask us.

“When it is visual, it gives an initiative to the homeowners, and people committing the crime get worried some action is being taken and there are eyes and ears on the street.”

A resident who did not wish to be named, who has lived in Tamebridge for more than seven years said: “These people are not scared. They come and take what they want to take.

“Someone tried to steal the lights off my car and smashed the back of it. Those committing the crimes do so carrying weapons. A neighbour’s car windows were smashed, another living nearby suffered an attempted break-in.

“It is upsetting. You don’t expect that to happen in your area and it is scary.”

Another resident said neighbours spotted hooded suspects eyeing up his car and looking at ways at trying to get inside the house to possibly steal the keys.

He added he has upgraded his security lights and tightened up other measures such as enhancing his fencing to help deter offenders in future.

“It’s not nice, knowing this is happening on your own door step," he said.

"Luckily, I don’t keep my keys hanging around – they are kept in a tin. They use a device to try to read your key but they couldn’t on this occasion.”