Vulnerable residents in the Toxteth and Wavertree areas of Liverpool can benefit from extra security measures.
Merseyside Police, Riverside Housing, Liverpool Mutual Homes and Morrison are fitting more homes with mirrors and safety chains. The wall mirror means that means residents can clearly see callers when the front door chain is on.
The idea came from Liverpool Community Crime Fighter chair Paul Taylor after a bogus policeman broke into a Merseyside pensioners’ home and inflicted an attack that cost her life.
Once the scheme has been trialled the Liverpool Community Crime Fighters, an initiative by Citysafe, Liverpool’s crime safety partnership, hope to expand the service city wide.
Cabinet member for community safety, Councillor Ann O’Byrne said: “This is a fantastic initiative and will hopefully play a key part in making elderly and vulnerable people feel safe in their own homes.
“We are working with residents to introduce a range of practical safety measures which empower them to take responsibility for their own security. This project is a great example of how we can send out a clear message to criminals that doorstep crime will not be tolerated.”
Debbie Mackay Neighbourhood Inspector for the area said: “This is an excellent partnership approach to the prevention of a particularly distressing crime and will help us to reduce such incidents in the future. Initiatives like this can only help us to reduce the incidents of burglary.
“We ask that local residents help us by watching over those neighbours who may be vulnerable and elderly, to assist us in preventing offenders from committing these types of crime that cause misery and distress to others.”
Brian Gates, Community Development Manager for repairs provider Morrison, whose colleagues will be fitting door chains and mirrors said: “Morrison are committed to helping to make neighbourhoods safer and through this partnership we have been able to help make a real difference to residents in Merseyside by fitting some simple but effective devices. “
