Trosedd stepen drws

Mae ymgyrch ymwybyddiaeth i helpu lleihau trosedd ar stepen y drws wedi cael ei lansio yng Ngogledd Cymru.

Bydd yr ymgyrch gwbl ddwyieithog yn darlledu hysbysebion teledu i lolfeydd ac yn postio cannoedd ar filoedd o lythyrau i bobl drwy gydol mis Mai a Mehefin eleni.

Mae’r ymgyrch yn cynnig cyngor ar ffurf tri cham clir sydd wedi cael eu datblygu i helpu lleihau’r nifer o ddioddefwyr masnachwyr ffug a byrgleriaeth tynnu sylw ar draws Cymru, ac i gynyddu’r nifer sy’n rhoi gwybod am ddigwyddiadau o’r math hwn.

Y neges tri cham i’r cyhoedd yw:

• Os ydych chi’n eu hamau, peidiwch â’u gwadd i mewn
• Byddwch yn barod, chi sy’n rheoli
• Galwch ar gymydog neu ffoniwch yr heddlu

Mae’r ymgyrch yn ymateb i’r angen i weithredu gan Grŵp Trosedd ar Stepen y Drws Cymru Gyfan, yn dilyn pryderon fod yr awdurdodau ddim yn cael gwybod am nifer – os nad y rhan fwyaf -  o droseddau ar stepen y drws.

Yn ôl ystadegau, nid yw trosedd ar stepen yn fwy cyffredin yng Nghymru nag mewn unrhyw rhan arall o’r Deyrnas Unedig. Rhoddwyd gwybod am 104 o ddigwyddiadau yn 2009, y nifer isaf wedi ei recordio yng Nghymru ers pum mlynedd. Ond, mewn cyferbyniad, mae galwadau i’r Adrannau Safonau Masnach yn dangos cynnydd o 10% mewn adroddiadau pob blwyddyn, sydd efallai yn arwydd o gynnydd mewn digwyddiadau. Mae merched dros 80 oed sy’n byw ar eu pennau eu hunain yn arbennig o fregus yn y cyswllt hwn.

Meddai’r Dirprwy Brif Gwnstabl, Ian Shannon: “Bwriad yr ymgyrch hon yw codi ymwybyddiaeth o’r bygythiad o drosedd ar stepen y drws ar draws y gymuned, ond gyda’n gilydd mewn partneriaeth, gallem wneud rhywbeth am y troseddau hyn a gwarchod y bobl fregus yn ein cymunedau ar draws Cymru.

“Mae graddfa’r broblem o droseddau ar stepen y drws yn anodd ei fesur. Gallem dynnu ychydig o gysur o’r ystadegau sy’n dangos gostyngiad yn y nifer o adroddiadau, ond rydym yn gwybod nad ydym yn cael gwybod am bob digwyddiad oherwydd sawl rheswm fel y cywilydd o gael eich twyllo neu bobl ddim yn sylweddoli eu bod wedi dioddef trosedd o’r math hwn.”

Meddai Carl Sargeant, y Gweinidog dros Gyfiawnder Cymdeithasol: “Mae trosedd ar stepen y drws yn ofnadwy oherwydd ei fod yn targedu’r bobl fwyaf bregus yn ein cymdeithas, gan wneud i bobl oedrannus fod ag ofn ateb y drws.

“Mae Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru wedi ymrwymo i dargedu trosedd ar stepen y drws, drwy ddarparu £1.8 miliwn ar gyfer ymgyrch sydd wedi ei hanelu at drosedd sy’n poeni’r henoed, gan gynnwys yr ymgyrch yma gan y ‘Grŵp Trosedd ar Stepen y Drws Cymru Gyfan.’

“Mae hon yn ymgyrch holl bwysig gan ei bod yn codi ymwybyddiaeth o’r peryglon o droseddwyr stepen y drws, ac mae’n cynnig cyngor clir ar beth i’w wneud os oes rhywun dieithr yn dod i’ch drws ffrynt. Fy nghyngor i i bobl sy’n pryderu am fasnachwyr ffug yw, os ydych chi’n eu hamau, peidiwch â’u gwadd i mewn!”

Y brif gynulleidfa i’w targedu gan yr ymgyrch yw pobl dros 65-oed gan fod ffigyrau’n dangos mai nhw yw’r rhai mwyaf bregus. Mae eu plant canol oed, sydd yn y sefyllfa orau i ddylanwadu ar eu rhieni, hefyd yn cael eu targedu.

I gyd-fynd â’r thema, mae cymeriad cartŵn o ddyn rhew yn ymddangos drwy wahanol agweddau’r ymgyrch, gan gynnwys yr hysbyseb teledu a fydd yn mynd yn fyw ar Fai 31; ymgyrch lythyrau sy’n targedu pobl dros 80 oed yng Nghymru; hysbysebion radio a fydd yn cael eu darlledu yng nghanol mis Mehefin; a hysbysebion ar fysus ac mewn papurau lleol drwy gydol mis Mehefin a Gorffennaf.

Yn ganolog i’r ymgyrch mae gwefan arbennig wedi cael ei chreu, www.doorstepcallers.co.uk <http://www.doorstepcallers.co.uk> sy’n cynnig cyngor ar sut i ddelio â phobl sy’n galw heb rybudd, ac mae hefyd yn esbonio sut gall pobl helpu eraill. Bydd yn llawn gwybodaeth ac yn darparu enghreifftiau o ddigwyddiadau. Bydd cyfle hefyd i lawr lwytho eitemau a ellir eu defnyddio i daclo’r broblem.

Mae’r ymgyrch, sydd wedi cael ei hariannu gan Lywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru, wedi cael ei datblygu gan y Grŵp Trosedd ar Stepen y Drws Cymru Gyfan, sy’n bartneriaeth rhwng lluoedd yr heddlu, Awdurdodau lleol, Adrannau Safonau Masnach a grwpiau cefnogol fel ‘Age Cymru.’

Meddai Dave Riley, Cadeirydd Penaethiaid Safonau Masnach Cymru: “Mae masnachwyr ffug yn droseddwyr diegwyddor sy’n cymryd mantais o bobl drwy roi pwysau arnynt i wneud penderfyniadau ar frys. Mae Adrannau Safonau Masnach ar draws Cymru a’r Deyrnas Unedig yn cydweithio mewn partneriaeth â’r heddlu i warchod y cyhoedd, i ddarparu gwybodaeth ar eu cyfer ac i ddod â throseddwyr o flaen eu gwell. Mae’r ymgyrch hon yn gam pwysig ymlaen yn ein gwaith yng Nghymru.”

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An awareness campaign to help reduce doorstep crime has been launched today (Friday, 28^th of May) at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

The fully bi-lingual campaign will beam TV ads into living rooms, and post mailers through hundreds of thousands of letterboxes throughout May and June this year.

The campaign offers advice in the form of three clear steps which have been developed to help decrease the number of rogue trader and distraction burglary victims across Wales, and to increase the reporting of suspicious doorstep incidents 

The three step message to the public is:

• If in doubt, keep them out!
• Be prepared, be in control
• Call a neighbour or the police

The campaign is the All-Wales Doorstep Crime Group’s response to an agreed call for action, following concerns that many - if not most doorstep type crimes - are going completely unreported.

According to statistics, doorstep crime is no more prevalent across Wales than any other part of the UK. There were 104 incidents reported in 2009, which is actually the lowest recorded across Wales for five years. But, in contrast, calls to Trading Standards shows a 10 per cent increase in reports year on year, signalling a possible rise in some activity. Females over 80-years-old who live on their own are especially vulnerable.

Deputy Chief Constable Ian Shannon said: “This campaign aims to raise awareness of the threat from doorstep crime across the whole community and together, in partnership, we can do something about these crimes and further protect the vulnerable in our communities across Wales.

“The scale of the problem with doorstep crime is very difficult to quantify. We can draw little comfort from statistics which show a decrease in the number of recorded incidents, because it is recognised there is under reporting due to a range of factors, such as the personal embarrassment of being conned; or simply not realising if somebody has become a victim.”

Social Justice Minister Carl Sargeant said: “Doorstep crime is particularly appalling as it targets the most vulnerable people in society, making older people feel afraid to open the door.

“The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to tackling doorstep crime, by providing £1.8 million for an initiative aimed at crimes of concern to older people, including this ‘All-Wales Doorstep Crime Campaign’.

“This campaign is important as it raises awareness of the dangers of doorstep fraudsters, and offers clear advice on how to react if a doorstep caller knocks at the front door. My advice to people worried about doorstep fraudsters is, if in doubt keep them out!”

The main target audience for the campaign are people over 65-years-old as records show they are the most vulnerable. Their middle aged children, who are arguably in the best position to empower and influence their parents, are also targeted by the campaign.

In line with a cold-caller theme, an animated ‘ice-man’ character features most prominently throughout all the elements of the campaign, including a TV ad which goes live on May 31; a direct mail campaign targeting people living in Wales aged over 80 years old; radio ads which go on air half way through June; and bus panel and press advertising throughout June and July.

At the centre of the campaign will be a dedicated website www.doorstepcallers.co.uk which offers advice about how to deal with unannounced doorstep callers, and also explains how people can help others. It will be rich in content, providing case studies and opportunities to download items which can be used to help tackle the problem.

The campaign, which has been funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, has been developed by the All-Wales Doorstep Crime Group which is a partnership which comprises of the Police Service, Local Authorities, Trading Standards and support groups such as Age Cymru.

Dave Riley, Chair of Welsh Heads of Trading Standards, said: "Rogue traders are unscrupulous criminals who take advantage of householders by pressurising them into making hasty decisions. Trading Standards services throughout Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom are working together and in partnership with the police to protect and inform the public and to bring the criminals to justice. This campaign is an important step forward in our work in Wales."