Celebrating the contribution of our armed forces, and young people's hard work

Also in attendance was Harrow Mayor Cllr Ajay Maru and Harrow’s Representative Deputy Lieutenant, John Purnell. It was a great honour to be there to pay tribute to our brave servicemen and women.

On Wednesday June 25 I attended the Harrow College Students Awards ceremony 2014 at GAA Kenton Hall, in John Billam Sports Ground, Woodcock Hill, Kenton. The Harrow College Student Awards ceremony is the highlight of the college year and is an opportunity to celebrate the hard work, success and achievements of the students at Harrow College. I was delighted to be part of the ceremony and I congratulate everyone who received awards.

Good work by my officers

Alan Pummell, 56, of Hardwicke Road, London who inappropriately touched a schoolgirl as she made her way to school, pleaded guilty at Hendon Magistrates’ Court on June 17. He has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced in September. His arrest came after some fantastic proactive work done by members of my CID, helped by a courageous member of the public.

Harrow Police received information that an address in Byron Road, Wealdstone was over occupied, with 13 people living in a rented three-bedroom house. Officers from my proactive unit along with partners from immigration and Harrow Council officers attended the address to investigate. During the visit eight arrests were made, with immigration officers taking all eight suspects back to their detention centre to investigate suspected immigration offences.

Preventing personal theft

• If you use a wheelchair, motorised scooter, or you are pushing a pram, keep bags containing valuables in front of you.

• Be discreet with your belongings; displaying expensive jewellery or electronic devices, like mobile phones or cameras, could attract unwanted attention.

Pickpockets work in busy or crowded locations where they can be in close proximity to people without being noticed. Pickpockets often operate in pairs and use distraction techniques to avert your attention while they steal from you. Following this simple advice will help you avoid becoming a victim of pickpockets:

• Be aware of what is happening around you, especially when you are in new locations or situations.

• Carry your bag close to you and so that it opens facing you, not away from you. If you carry your bag over your shoulder, or on your back, you could be more of a target.

• Make sure your wallet or purse is not visible.

Call 101 to report a crime, get advice or raise local issues. In an emergency always call 999. Or visit our website www.met.police.uk/crimeprevention

Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here