Crime-hit Deighton Centre car park where staff told to leave in twos

Feb 2 2010 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

STAFF working at a crime-hit community centre have been ordered to leave work in twos for their own safety.

Since November, 11 cars have been broken into at the Deighton Centre.

Now an email has been sent to employees at the Deighton Road facility telling them to be careful.

The memo, from Kirklees Council’s building resources team, said: “When returning to your vehicle during the darker evenings and when using the more isolated parts of the car park, please ensure you use the caretakers’ chaperone service or return to your cars in pairs and ensure that your ‘buddy’ is safely off site and vice versa.

“Do not compromise your safety by taking risks – use the services offered or ‘buddy’ up.

“It’s imperative that you work with us to ensure a safe site – we are continuing to work in conjunction with the local policing teams to get further advice on how we can improve security on site.”

The email said police had issued advice to car owners following a recent rise in burglary and car crime in Ashbrow and Deighton.

It said staff should not leave anything on display in their vehicles – including mobile phone chargers, cigarette lighters, suckers on windscreens for sat navs, carrier bags and clothing.

“The thieves will break in for anything they think may contain anything valuable,” the email said.

Kirklees Council said there had been an “unusually high” spate of incidents of cars being broken into.

A spokeswoman said: “Since April 2009 there have been 16 incidents of car crime with most of these involving theft and a couple involving broken windows.