THIS month we are focusing on vehicle crime and would like to remind people how to protect themselves from this type of offence.

Many incidents occur when valuables such as handbags, sat navs and laptops have been left on show in the car.

Even a jacket or shopping bag left on the back seat can be all the encouragement needed for an opportunistic thief to target the vehicle.

Please always remember to remove all property from your car, even if it will only be left unattended for a few minutes. A vehicle break-in can be very costly to the motorist, not to mention the inconvenience caused.

When leaving the car, don’t forget to lock it and close all windows, set the alarm or immobiliser, if one is fitted, and try to leave it in a well-lit area or a secure car park. If you have information about any individual who is responsible for vehicle crime, please call West Mercia Police on the local non-emergency number 101 or ring the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

For more vehicle crime prevention, please see the Advice Centre on the West Mercia Police website at www.westmercia.police.uk Plans are progressing for a second round of applications for Community Payback projects in the Wyre Forest district.

If you have an idea you think could be tackled by a Community Payback Team, please email community. safety@wyreforestdc.gov.uk or call Hilary Hollis on 01562 732903 to get an application form. Applications will close at the end of March, when the successful ideas will be chosen.

If you would like more information about Community Payback, please go to www.westmerciaprobation .org.uk and for more information about the partnership, please visit www.wfcsp.org.uk

The Home Office is running a teenage relationships campaign and the latest phase runs from February 14 until the end of April.

The campaign is targeted at 13-18 year-old boys and girls, aiming to prevent them from becoming victims and perpetrators of abusive relationships.

It encourages teenagers to re-think their views of violence, abuse or controlling behaviour in relationships and directs them to places for help and advice. The campaign is supported by a series of short hard-hitting adverts which you may have seen on television recently.

The campaign website – www. direct.gov.uk/thisisabuse – provides information for teenagers in heterosexual and same-sex relationships, as well as male victims.

The previous campaigns have established the ‘This is Abuse’ website amongst teenagers as a credible safe place to discuss abusive relationships.

To call in confidence about domestic abuse, please ring 0800 980 3331.

HELEN DYKE, Chairman, Wyre Forest Community Safety Partnership