Your neighbourhood 

Caversham North neighbourhood update

Update for October

Here is the latest update for the Caversham neighbourhoods from Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Rob Dunford:

Priority 1 - Burglary

Based on our records from the burglary initiative Operation Fend, in North and West (Upper) Caversham we have visited 25 addresses over August and September compared to 20 for July alone. The lower Caversham figures seem fairly stable, with 18 incidents over the past two months compared to 7 in July.

The ongoing issue of burglary in Caversham is a matter of concern to all of us that live or work in the area, and in response to this September has seen the first of a series of multi-agency burglary meetings aimed at tackling the problem.  This meeting, chaired by Ch Insp Jim Weems, brought together a broad range of professionals from Thames Valley Police, Reading Borough Council, housing associations and other partner agencies in order to discuss the problem, and in doing so took an important first step toward a long-term solution.  

As always, the best protection from burglary is vigilance from our residents, so please remember that doors and windows must be shut and locked when not in your direct sight.  Members of the Caversham team, together with the council’s neighbourhood wardens, are constantly on the lookout for insecure properties and if we identify yours as being at risk of burglary you can expect contact from us to offer help and advice.

If you would rather pre-empt our letters and are interested in receiving further security advice, please contact Thames Valley Police on 08458 505 505. All members of the Caversham team are fully trained to help you with this, and can either ring or visit you to offer advice.

And finally on a very positive note, two people who live in the Caversham area have recently been charged with burglary offences through Operation Breaker.  

Priority 2 - Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)

Anti-social behaviour is very much in the public eye at the moment a cross the country, and in Caversham we are committed to catching those who make our residents’ lives more difficult.   

Members of the team were recently called to deal with youths who were climbing on shed roofs at the Children’s Centre in Amersham Road, interfering with the doors and jumping onto trees.  This is sort of behaviour is unacceptable, as it is intimidating to users of the centre and risks causing damage.  

The facility is a very positive development for the Amersham estate, providing much needed support and education for residents, so we are determined that it be treated with respect.  The Children’s Centre boasts a high quality CCTV system, so we stand a good chance of identifying and pursuing offenders. If you see this kind of behaviour occurring, please inform us straight away.  And if you are a parent, do not let your children abuse these facilities, as we will deal robustly with those that do.

If you witness anti-social behaviour, please call 0845 8 505 505 number and state that ASB is a local priority. All reports are bought to the attention of the team and we use this information to request funds for security measures such as gates, lights and CCTV equipment.

Priority 3 - Traffic Issues

We have had more reports of cyclists that are using the pavement instead of the road and endangering pedestrians as a result.  While we appreciate the risks of cycling on the road, we cannot condone irresponsible use of our walkways.  Cycling on the pavement is an offence, and cyclists who flaunt this will risk a £30 fine.

The young cyclists of Caversham should take heart however, as this year we are once again working with the Bicycle Helmet Initiative Trust to bring you Helmet Watch 2009.  While we are out on our travels, any children (up to the age of 15) we see wearing their cycle helmets have the opportunity to be entered into a prize draw, with the chance to win a Nintendo Wii.

More From Your Team

September saw PCSO Chloe Denny clock up another success when she facilitated the arrest of a wanted man, in Mayfield Drive, a couple of weeks ago.  Chloe was quick to recognise that this particular male was staying and working illegally in the UK.  A swift call for back-up saw the man arrested and placed in the care of Immigration officials. This type of arrests proves once again that neighbourhood teams are ideally placed to be in the right places at the right times.

One of Caversham’s four-legged residents also got to meet the team this month when he was found wandering the streets by PCSO John Hendy and I.  We came across ‘Bob’, a collie-cross from Upper Caversham, while cycling down Peppard Road, acting swiftly to rescue him from heavy traffic on the highway.  Fortunately Bob was wearing a collar, so it was a simple matter to reunite him with his owner and get him home for a well-deserved rest.  

The pupils at Highdown School were also surprised recently when PCSO Karen Vaughan and I joined them for an hour of mingling and litter picking at the first of a new series of lunchtime drop-in sessions. It was a great opportunity to talk to the kids, answering their questions and proving that we really can help ‘clean up’ Caversham.

Finally, the team would like to welcome PC Barry Gould, who will be working with us for the next couple of months.  Barry is really keen to get stuck in to some neighbourhood policing, and his enthusiasm and energy is sure to come in handy over the coming weeks.

Community News

On 30 September, a warrant was executed in Honey Meadow Close. Drugs were found and the occupant was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply. He pleaded guilty at court the following day and remains on bail before returning to court to be sentenced.

This month the team visited All Hallows Road to meet our residents and discuss their issues.  In October we are planning a Street Briefing at Jefferson Close on 20 October at 7.30pm, as well as at locations in Lower Caversham.  We will deliver information leaflets to properties in our targeted roads 24 – 48 hours beforehand and usually knock on doors when we arrive on the day.  Street briefings are a great way for us to engage with the local community, and if you are interested in having a street briefing please get in touch with us through the usual channels.

The process of rejuvenating the Upper Caversham NAG is now in full swing, and the deadline for submitting NAG survey forms is fast approaching.  We would like to thank our residents for their really positive response to the process – we have received a significant number of surveys, which will really help us identify those priorities relevant to Upper Caversham.  We will then aim to hold public meetings and discuss our findings in the next couple of months.

For more information on the Upper Caversham NAG please contact us on 0845 8 505 505 and ask to speak with Inspector Penny Mackenzie or Sergeant Rob Pitman.