By Neighbourhood Inspector Sarah Honeyman
As I write my New Year update on policing in the Great Aycliffe and Middridge area I am struggling to believe that already January is drawing to a close! I’m sure many of you, like me, are looking forward to the lighter nights again!
In Early 2017 we set up an Anti-Social Behaviour Panel covering Newton Aycliffe and Middridge. This panel meets monthly and includes police and our partners such as the Fire Service, Street Wardens, Council, Livin Housing and a Town Councillor.
These regular meetings enable us to share information more effectively and work together at addressing the ASB issues we have long suffered including off road bikes, small fires and general nuisance incidents. We also use a scanning system now where Police, Fire and Council download information daily. We all have access to this data so that we can be more effective at tackling issues. In the past 12 months we have seen a significant reduction in ASB. I would like to thank residents and those who work within our area for their continued support and for continuing to call us and report incidents. All information is important to us and is assisting us to reduce such behaviour in our town.
In November 2017 we suffered three commercial burglaries on Aycliffe Industrial Estate. A further burglary occurred on the industrial Estate earlier this January. Through some excellent proactive work by the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Aycliffe and excellent support from our colleagues in CID and CSI, a male was arrested and charged having admitted three of the four burglaries.
Unfortunately we continue to suffer from spates of vehicle crime. In December and early January we had another spate and a male was subsequently arrested and charged with several of these offences. However he is not alone in committing these offences in our town.
I therefore appeal to everyone to be vigilant and if you hear anything suspicious or see suspicious people wandering about when most of us are asleep in bed please call 999 – we would rather check the person out and it be legitimate than miss an opportunity to catch these thieves red handed! I also appeal, yet again, for everyone to check that there vehicles are secure when parked up. The vast majority of our thefts from motor vehicles are occurring when vehicles are left unlocked – several vehicles in the same street in some cases! Please don’t make it easy for these thieves. We are fortunate in this town that many people have private CCTV and this assists us – however there is nothing more frustrating than watching footage of criminals walking up a street and trying door handles and with little effort finding vehicles left unlocked!
Please, please remove valuable items and ensure your vehicle is locked!
Finally, a reminder of the Public Meeting at 6.00pm on Thursday 1st February in the Ash Room, Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre to discuss PACT meetings. As I mentioned last week, we are hoping to improve attendance and work together more effectively to address your concerns and issues. We hope to see you there.
In the meantime, stay safe and report anything suspicious to us on 101 or 999 if the incident is in progress.
Sarah Honeyman
Neighbourhood Inspector
As sent to the Editor of the Newton News.
