Neighbourhood Watch and local crime

Last week I attended a “Police and Communities Together” [PACT] meeting. It is a chance for the residents of three local villages to meet the local PC and PCSO and they hand out a newsletter outlining any crimes such as burglaries, criminal damage or thefts that have happened in the month since the last meeting. This was my first attendance and I was surprised at the low turnout, only 15 people attended two of which were councillors. Also attending was a representative for the “Neighbourhood Watch Association”. My biggest disappointment was that even though there had been a number of burglaries and theft over the last month, two of the residents insisted on taking up most of the meeting time complaining about parking issues.

My main question is, do any of you have a Neighbourhood Watch scheme and do you think it is effective?