FIRSTLY, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for the positive feedback around the Street Football initiative. About 20 kids turned out and took part at the Glen Bridge a week past Friday. Everybody thoroughly enjoyed it, including the cops, and it was great to see youngsters being active rather than hanging around the streets.

Particular thanks to Pars legend Andy Tod, who came along to show support as well as the local residents who took the time to come out and show their appreciation. We still have work to do in the area but, by and large, things seem to be improving. Fingers crossed we can keep the momentum going.

The pitch will again be at the Glen Bridge tomorrow (Friday) night between 6.30-9 pm and it’s still free! Hopefully, we’ll see an even better turnout this week.

On a different note, with winter almost upon us, we are promoting our ‘Getting Ready for Winter’ campaign. This is a week-long initiative, where traffic and community officers will be offering free vehicle safety checks as well as advice on how to keep your car running smoothly in the upcoming cold weather.

Running between October 17-23, it is likely to take place in the front car park at Dunfermline Police Station – the exact details will be confirmed in due course, however, please come along and take advantage of an invaluable service.

Unfortunately, we are coming to that time of year when bogus workmen and early-evening housebreakers start to rear their ugly heads. This is a perennial problem targeting both vulnerable members of our community and our houses when we are out for the evening.

If you see anyone in the street or at yours or your neighbour’s house and you think it looks suspicious, phone the police. Don’t let them in and don’t give them money. If they ask to take you to the bank to give them money for a job they want to do – refuse and ask for ID. Reputable companies don’t work like that. Similarly, if you see people eyeing up houses, or strange cars driving slowly up and down your street, note their descriptions and car registration numbers and phone the police.

This information can go a long way to protecting yourself and helping to identify the culprits.

On September 16, a house in Whitemyre Court was broken into and some belongings extremely personal to the occupants stolen. We are still working on the enquiry but if anybody has any information, please contact us on 101, or email the local community officers on the addresses below.

In the meantime, please keep an eye on your own and your neighbour’s properties. Leaving a light on when going out in the evening is a simple measure but can put potential housebreakers off targeting your house.

This week, we have delivered 500 security leaflets around the north of Dunfermline highlighting some similar simple security advice tips to keep your home and property safe. Further leaflets will be delivered around the rest of the town in the coming weeks.

You can contact your local community officer on the email addresses below.

DunfermilneCentralcpt@scotland.pnn.police.uk

DunfermlineSouth@scotland.pnn.police.uk

Dunfermlinenorth@scotland.pnn.police.uk