Forum topic: PG Ward Panel 10 December 2024

This final meeting of 2024 focused on high street issues, mostly shoplifting while acknowledging many of these same faces will be responsible for other crime lines.

Shoplifting data had exploded following a UK level policy decision by Morrisons to report theft to the police rather than retain in house. Shoplifting, as well as other PG crime lines, peaked in October before showing a downward trend. That change was believed to be following local arrests, one alleged prolific offender in particular.

The panel’s initiative of identifying key individuals and other linked intel – modus operandi, key target stores, drop off points, recipients of goods etc, all supplied to the police, had been behind recent arrests and will now be improved and widened.

This is where everyone can do their bit. We still hear of problem faces undertaking several 999 worthy events, but victims doing nothing. Had a report been made the police could act, and the more reports the bigger the resulting action. From that we all benefit. We have one individual currently causing havoc, from aggressive begging up to much worse. This has been witnessed but no victim reports have been submitted so police hands are tied. Just report stuff. We really can make our streets so much better if as a community we provide the police with the material they need to sort things out. Intel is also important, but arrests are linked to victims and that needs victim’s reports.

So, two calls to action, again:

1.       If you’re a victim of a crime, report it

2.       If you see something that raises your suspicions, report it.

We have a new dedicated PC on the ward moved from the response team and expect another PC in a few weeks. Added to the recent additional PCSO resource PG is looking relatively well staffed.

Cold weather is near and the police expect the first car to be lost soon enough when it’s being apparently warmed up on the drive with the owner back inside the house but the vehicle actually off down the street with someone else at the wheel. Best this is not you. It’s apparently a tough explanation to the insurance company.

Going wider on cars, modern vehicles have known external entry points for electronic gear and the gangs, particularly international and national level gangs, who do operate here, know the everything there is to know. Factory fitted GPS's will be blocked by them so perhaps buy a cheap indi one in addition. “Ownership” of the car can take as little as 20 seconds and the vehicle can be parts or in a shipping container before you report it lost. What to do? Old school type remedies including a steering wheel lock, faraday pouches for the keys (and generally don’t leave them in the hallway), an ABD blocker with anti-theft screws (£8 on e-bay, covering the internal port used by garages when servicing the vehicle) right up to a locked bollard at the end of the drive.

Finally, this meeting was the end of my second year in the role and while I may still have some engagement at borough project level I have decided its to be my last as PG ward chair. Someone else is now needed to take our community crime lead into 2025 and beyond.  I’m very happy to talk through with anyone who is thinking about coming forward. They will inevitably tell you too report stuff too - it really is at the heart of pretty much everything.