Firebugs putting lives at risk
Firstly, I hope everyone enjoyed the festive season and you have managed to spend time with loved ones.
Clearly, the Covid-19 restrictions will have impacted on the social side of Christmas, but I am pleased to report that the high level of compliance with Scottish Government advice in Renfrewshire has continued.
This has made our job much easier than might have been the case and I am very grateful for that.
As ever, my officers will be on hand to give advice and assistance and will only take enforcement action if absolutely necessary.
In terms of serious crime, it has been a relatively quiet Christmas period compared to previous years.
However, there has been a continuation in the worrying trend of wilful fireraising in the area.
Quite often these would appear to be ‘mischief’ rather than targeted malice, but they are no less dangerous for that.
Every single fireraising is an act of extreme recklessness that very often puts life at risk.
It also means that our colleagues in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who are already busy, are dealing with incidents that could have been avoided.
This could have obvious safety implications if other incidents occur and resources are already committed.
We are also seeing a steady stream of acquisitive crimes, particularly break-ins to houses and outbuildings and thefts from motor vehicles.
While the responsibility for these crimes lies squarely with the perpetrator, property owners have sometimes made it easier for opportunist thieves through carelessness.
It is surprising how many people leave their houses and cars unlocked, quite often overnight.
I would ask everyone to be sure their property is secured at all times and make sure locks on windows and doors are robust and properly fitted.
These simple steps really do make a difference.
Finally, we have seen some inclement weather over the last few days and it seems likely that there is more heavy rain, snow and ice to come.
Road conditions will inevitably be more challenging, so I would ask you to keep your speed down and be extra careful. Renfrewshire Council’s gritters do a great job but there will be times when you get to ice on the road before they do.