Letter from the Chairman

Date posted: June 15, 2017

Dear Neighbours

The recent spate of break-ins has understandably raised everybody’s concerns regarding security in our area. Of particular concern has been the fact that one of the break-ins took place at a property where an alarm system installation had recently been arranged through ADT/Fidelity. Although there is evidence that the alarm system was active, the burglars were still able to enter the house whilst the occupants were asleep and to remove numerous high-value items. In another incident, although an alarm was triggered, it would seem that the burglars had initially managed to evade perimeter alarms. It is believed that the alarm installation at this property was also arranged through ADT/Fidelity.

This of course raises serious concerns about the alarm installations and of course, about the trustworthiness of ADT/Fidelity as a security service provider. I wish to assure everyone that, as CPNW Chairperson I have personally raised these concerns with ADT/Fidelity Management and I have been assured that the incidents are being thoroughly investigated and that we will be given a detailed report-back, which we will share with our membership.

It is important to note that ADT/Fidelity is a large company with a number of different divisions of varying strengths and capabilities, as is the case with many companies. Whilst there is clearly a legitimate concern at the current time about their alarm installations, we wish to stress that we monitor the activities of their Armed Response and Patrol Officers extremely closely, via vehicle monitoring systems and via radio contact and we have also worked very hard to ensure we have a consistent team of reliable officers in our area whom we have got to know and to trust. Indeed, it was through the good work of one of these officers that stolen goods from the two break-ins on the night of 10 June were recovered, with the perpetrators having a narrow escape.

Although other companies have been capitalising on this crime wave and actively pursuing customers in our area we want to stress that not one of these competitors has been able to offer us even the use of a single dedicated vehicle in the area, let alone two at night and with the monitoring and feedback services we currently have with ADT/Fidelity. When dissatisfaction with ADT/Fidelity has been expressed in the past we have asked members for suggestions of alternatives and we again invite anyone who can, to come forward and show us a better option for a dedicated service provider. I wish to emphasise this request in all sincerity as it is indeed critical that the choice of dedicated service provider is based solely on the service that they are able to offer.

Having a dedicated service provider that is used by a substantial majority of our members has, however, been a key element of our security plan that has stood the test of time. Even with this recent surge, our crime stats compare very favourably with areas that are not served by dedicated vehicles - but this service will fall away if membership falls below the critical number required to make this viable for the service provider. Two things threaten this: rumour-mongering based on an insufficient grasp of the facts and “free-riding” by neighbours who do not pay for security but benefit from the membership fees paid by everyone else.

I therefore plea to everyone to work together as a community and act collectively! We will report back once the current investigations are completed and we do remain open to considering alternative service providers but any change would need to be done carefully and rationally.

 

John Parker. CPNW Chairperson