Dial 101 for police, not 0845, in non-emergenciesHampshire Constabulary's non-emergency number 0845 045 4545 will now be fully replaced by 101. However, in an emergency which requires immediate assistance, you should still dial 999. Residents in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight can dial 101 to contact an officer, report a crime that doesn't require an immediate response, or if they have a general police-related enquiry. The easy-to-remember 101 number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls from landlines and mobile phone networks cost 15 pence per call, no matter what time of day or how long you are on the phone. Hampshire Constabulary still operates its landline number 01962 841534. People who are hard of hearing or speech-impaired can textphone 18001 101. Forest fights back against rural crimeThefts of farm machinery and other types of metal have been on the increase in the New Forest. But now the Safer New Forest Partnership is fighting back against rural crime by providing security marking kits for use by vulnerable residents or repeat victims in the community. The Partnership, which includes New Forest District Council, Hampshire police, fire service and probation, has purchased the SelectaDNA Trace kits in a bid to reduce the number of thefts from farms and community buildings around the forest, such as schools and halls. The DNA kits are supplied by security company Selectamark and will be handed out by the Country Watch police teams to enable people to permanently mark any of their property with a special solution containing a unique DNA code. If a marked item is stolen and recovered, police can analyse the code and trace it back to the registered keeper. SelectaDNA has been successfully used in crime reduction initiatives throughout the UK as burglars know that it can incriminate them. NFDC portfolio holder for housing and communities, Cllr Jill Cleary welcomed the initiative. She said "Use of the SelectaDNA trace kits will help to make people feel more secure about their property and make the forest an even better place to live."
New Forest Chief Inspector Lucy Hutson, said: "This project will help us in our crackdown on metal thieves and give more farmers and residents the opportunity to get their valuable possessions marked. "As well as the property marking, this initiative will give us the ideal opportunity to speak to people and offer them crime prevention advice.
"Signage will also go up at properties using the DNA technology, warning possible burglars that we are working in the area, to act as a deterrent." Forest homes, farms, shops, churches and schools have all been affected by metal thefts, with roof lead, manhole covers, copper cables, aluminium road signs, ornate church flashing, horse and cattle troughs and farm batteries being stolen. Police are appealing for witnesses to any suspicious behaviour involving metal, such as people digging up cables or anybody on rooftops, especially at night, to dial 999 immediately to report it to the police. Cllr Cleary added: "I urge everybody who lives or works in the New Forest to keep a lookout for any suspicious behaviour, whether it is in the middle of the day, at teatime, or late at night under cover of darkness. Metal theft is a huge problem nationally and here in the New Forest, it is vital that we report any incidents immediately."
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