SIGN up to a free police messaging service and keep track with what is happening in your community.

Essex Community Messaging offers crime prevention advice and notifications from Essex Police officers, Essex Watch liaison officers and other key partners, such as Neighbourhood Watch.

Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston said: “Essex Community Messaging will improve the two way flow of information about community safety between Essex Police, Neighbourhood Watch and other watch groups and the people of Essex.

“Whether through reporting suspicious behaviour or learning about simple measures to take to prevent crime ECM I urge everyone to register.”

Register at www.essex.police.uk/ecm or call 0161 327 2616.

You can choose to receive this information via email, text or voice message.

You can also select what information you would like to receive - based on where you live, work, go to school or socialise, or on issues in which you may have a particular interest, such as scams, internet crime or rural crime.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “Play an active role in helping to keep crime down in your community whilst keeping up to date with what’s going on around you.”