Peterborough's police chief insists '˜low level' crime is tackled

Following the Peterborough Telegraph’s recent report about concerns from Ortons residents that the area had become “lawless,” more readers have contacted us about problems in their communities.

But Superintendent Andy Gipp told the PT that police will follow up “any viable lines of enquiry” for all crimes which are reported, including those classed as ‘low level’.

He said: “We remain focused on the high risk issues: safeguarding our city’s most vulnerable people and attacking criminality. At a time when demand for our services is so high we can’t deal with everything, all the time. We have to make difficult decisions about where we allocate our resources and we understand that people will feel frustrated.

“However, I assure the people of Peterborough that we are constantly dealing with issues within every resident’s community, although it may not always be visible.”

Reader Carlos Nightingale told the PT: “I was just reading your article about the lack of police patrolling in the Orton area after lots of anti-social behaviour. This is sadly also the case in the Dogsthorpe area.

“In the last 12 months we have had youths riding stolen motorbikes around the area on the cycle path on a regular basis, almost knocking down children. They climb on residents’ porch roofs and throw stuff at the windows. They jump through people’s gardens mocking the residents.

“We have seen the older group carrying knives and sitting on people’s cars - the list is endless. We call 101 loads of times but other residents are either too scared to call or say there is no point. Every year our council tax goes up but every year they say they lack resources.”

Another reader, who wished to remain anonymous, said his garage in Bretton was broken into with the stolen items then being advertised for sale on Facebook. However, despite passing the information onto the police, officers could not take any action as there was “not enough evidence in relation to that break-in to proceed”.

A police spokeswoman said: “The victim provided details of a website of a person possibly selling their property which we looked into but could not trace who the person selling those items was. The sergeant has been in contact with the victim to explain the limitations of the investigation.”