More than 1,000 homes visited in Peterborough as officers bid to tackle burglary and vehicle crime

Crime Reduction Officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), with the support of Neighbourhood Watch schemes in Peterborough, hand delivered letters to households in areas which have seen recent crimes.

More than 1,300 homes across the Ortons in Peterborough received the letter which gave crime prevention advice and recommendations of measures to take to improve home and vehicle security.

Three hundred homes in Wisbech also received the letter, 800 across Huntingdon, St Ives and Brampton, and 150 across South Cambridgeshire villages.

Alan Paul, chair of Neighbourhood Watch in Peterborough, said: “This is what Neighbourhood Watch is all about, it’s a key role preventing crime in our communities and we’re very pleased to help out.

“In Peterborough alone, we have more than 300 schemes who are a vital part of their neighbourhoods and help create communities where everyone feels safe.”

More information about local Neighbourhood Watch groups or how to join can be found on the national website at www.ourwatch.org.uk.

A ‘Safer Streets’ event was held at The Carlton Arms in Cambridge, supported by Neighbourhood Watch, which was attended by about 120 people throughout the afternoon, 75 of whom were handed crime prevention packs with a wealth of advice on how to improve home security.

Carol Aston, Design Out Crime Officer for the force, said: “Our main aim is to make sure people feel safe in their homes, especially if they have been burgled.

“We work really hard to offer advice and promote crime prevention, which is why we have been holding events such as this one. The day was really successful with us managing to speak with lots of residents in Cambridge.”

In Peterborough, two boys aged 12 and 13 were given community resolutions – by way of sending an apology letter – by the Acquisitive Crime Team for a dwelling burglary in Bretton in August. A 30-year-old man was also arrested by the team in connection with a burglary in Eastfield on 30 October, however he has since been released with no further action.

In the south of the county, the Acquisitive Crime Team interviewed two men voluntarily in connection with burglary and vehicle crimes. Both men, who are in their 20s, have been reported for dwelling burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and six theft from motor vehicle offences.

The team also recovered a stolen Ford Transit van which had been taken from a building site in Little Gransden on Tuesday (3 November). It was found in Chesterton on false number plates.

Since the start of the year, the Acquisitive Crime Teams have secured prison sentences of just under 238 years for offences of burglary, robbery and vehicle crime including theft of vehicles and theft from vehicles.

DCI Leigh Allman said: “Despite a combination of the teams’ hard work to bring offenders to justice and us having seen a reduction in burglary and vehicle crime offences across the county this year compared to the last two years, we must not be complacent.

“My plea is for our communities to take a read through our advice and see what measures can be put in place, some of them are really simple and don’t cost a penny, but could be the difference between having your homes targeted by criminals or not.”