Community Engagement and Reassurance
PC Steven Graham and PC Gary Martin are based at Balfron Police Office and can be contacted on 101 or at ForthEndrickCPT@scotland.pnn.police.uk. It is recommended that this email address is used by the local community for email contact.
I think Kippen is an absolutely beautiful place. I do know it fairly well as I spent a lot of time in the village in my 20s, many moons ago! I would regularly spend my weekends in The Skinner’s Butchers helping out Cameron and his father Roy. The shop was always absolutely spotless but Cameron was not a great fan of cleaning the trays so I would help through the back of the shop. It took me a few months to realise though, as I was up to my neck in washing up liquid, Cameron would be out the front of the shop chatting to anyone that would listen to him, he did like a blether! Back then it felt like a very close community and now when I attend the Community Council meetings and just being back in the village in a Police capacity it still feels the same today.
It has been a fairly quiet few months in the village through the winter months which is good news for villagers and Police alike.
THEFT
The summer months saw an increase in housebreakings and thefts in the Forth and Endrick area however fortunately Kippen was probably the least affected by these incidents.
Enquiries in relation to these crimes are still ongoing with several positive lines of enquiry and persons have been identified as being responsible for numerous crimes.
Look out for your neighbours!! On many occasions’ housebreakers are immediately apprehended due to a neighbour acting quickly in relation to something they may have witnessed from their address. There is no issue if anyone contacts Police and it turns out to be a false alarm. Also, if you do see a crime being committed, contact us on 999, it is quicker than the 101. All incidents in relation to suspicious persons or vehicles are welcomed and Police will attend to all these incidents immediately. We urge people to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious.
As the evenings are darker earlier at this time of year please consider the following:
- Use timer switches on lights and radios to make it look as if your home is occupied.
- Ensure all doors and windows are secure when you leave and when you go to bed.
- If possible, use secure lighting at the front and back of your property.
- Make sure all garden tools and ladders are locked away when not being used. Don’t give the thieves the tools to break into your house.
- Use a good quality lock on any garden sheds and outhouses.
- Make a note of all makes, models and serial numbers of expensive items in your home.
- If your house is fitted with an alarm then please use it. This is a good deterrent should thieves manage to force entry to your house.
There are guides on the Police Scotland website giving other ideas to protect property in rural areas:
https://www.scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/home-and-personal-property/rural-crime
It is also of note that there was a recent theft of a motor vehicle from a village in the area whereby it would appear the perpetrators have placed wire or similar through the letter box and removed the keys from within. Please bear that in mind when leaving keys around the house.
Road Safety
There has been heavy rain and windy conditions in recent weeks in the Forth and Endrick area making driving conditions extremely hazardous. On the A811 just outside Kippen, a lorry was even blown over into a ditch due to the extremely high winds. Fortunately, no injuries were sustained, and no other vehicle was involved.
The Central Scotland Safety Camera Partnership have continued to operate on the A811 near to Kippen on an almost daily basis. There have been several drivers reported to the Procurator Fiscal in Stirling in relation to speeding since the last edition.
ADVICE FOR DRIVERS:
Prepare for the winter by keeping your vehicle well maintained before you take to the road.
Take special care that brakes, tyres, lights, batteries, windscreens and wiper blades are in good condition. In addition, washer bottles need to contain an additive to stop the water from freezing.
Tyres should also be checked weekly to ensure they are legal and at the correct pressure (consult your vehicle handbook). The minimum legal tread depth for cars is 1.6mm across the centre 3/4 of the breadth of the tread around the entire circumference. They should also be checked for bulges, cuts or tears which weaken the tyre. Failure to maintain your tyres could lead to a maximum of £2,500 fine and 3 penalty points per tyre.
Consider keeping an emergency kit in your car for severe weather, this should at least include:
- An ice scraper and de-icer, shovel for snow, torch and spare batteries, warm clothes, boots and a blanket, some food and a warm drink in a flask, first aid kit, battery jump leads, map or device with offline maps for any unplanned diversions.
Be mindful of the road conditions when you drive; bad weather is often blamed for causing accidents however the real cause is often inappropriate driving for the conditions that exist.
Stay safe and please take note of any weather or travel warnings we post on social media. Sites that provide good information in relation to this are @StirlingPol, @polscoccontrol and @trafficscotland on Twitter. Updates are also posted on Facebook under ‘Forth Valley Police Division’
Any issues, staff are on duty 24 hours a day at Balfron, 7 days a week and we look forward to speaking with you when we are out and about.
PC335 Gary Martin
Balfron Police Office
The Wee Vine 