Your neighbourhood 

Old Windsor neighbourhood update

Update for May

Here is the latest Old Windsor neighbourhood update from Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) John Devlin:

• Crime info

In the period of 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010, there were the following crimes:

33 dwelling burglaries (household burglary)

22 non dwelling burglaries (e.g. sheds, garages, business premises)

41 thefts from motor vehicles

4 thefts of motor vehicles

47 incidents of criminal damage

Overall crime is down just under 13 per cent.

For further information, please click on the following link, which gives information on crime and anti-social behaviour in the neighbourhood. It also enables you to access and compare the latest information on a range of crime types with other neighbourhoods.

http://maps.police.uk/view/thames-valley

• Priority 1: burglaries

Dwelling burglaries are down a quarter, in comparison to last year’s statistics. As mentioned in previous updates, I continue to offer crime prevention advice to local residents, with particular emphasis on vulnerable members of our community.

A person has been charged with three burglaries in the Old Windsor area which occurred at the end of January this year. He has subsequently been remanded in custody.

Although the figures seem to be heading in the right direction, which is really good news, we want to keep it this way, so please remember to lock doors and windows, even if going out into the garden - it only takes a minute for the opportunist burglar to get in and steal your valuables.

• Priority 2: anti-social behaviour

We are still getting information that groups are gathering round the back of the Co-op again. Also, between the day centre and library on the Straight Road night-time anti-social behaviour is starting to increase. It has also been brought to my attention that individuals are still gathering in the porch entrance to St. Peter and St. Andrew’s church at the end of Church Road. As mentioned last month, representatives from the church have mentioned that toilet paper is being littered at this location and needs clearing up every Sunday before the morning service.

In conjunction with the Royal Borough, two anti-social behaviour warning letters have been sent out recently, with a further Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC) being signed by one individual. Further contracts could very well be issued in due course.

Additional high visibility patrols ran during the school holiday period. This involved neighbourhood officers, shift officers and officers from the Special Constabulary. A number of main protagonists involved in anti-social behaviour in the area were identified and will all be issued with either a warning letter or an ABC.

The good news is that anti-social behaviour in Old Windsor has fallen by 75 per cent, and is not as much of a problem here as it is in other neighbourhoods across Windsor and Maidenhead or the Thames Valley. However, we are still keen to reduce it and I continue to spend the majority of my time on patrol, particularly focusing on anti-social behaviour hotspots, such as the recreation ground, Straight Road and Church Road.

If you have any other suggestions of areas I should be focusing on, please don’t hesitate to get in touch

• Priority 3: anti-social driving

No incidents of anti-social driving have been reported recently, although we will be planning operations to tackle the problem.

A joint Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) operation was carried out last week in conjunction with Surrey Police. Two ANPR vehicles were parked at Runnymede, ‘picking up’ vehicles coming into and going out of Old Windsor. Any vehicles that were highlighted as being of interest to police were then stopped and dealt with. We were assisted by staff from both the DVLA (to deal with vehicles without tax) and Vehicle Operator Services Agency (to deal with defective vehicles). About 3,000 vehicles travelled through the ANPR system, and more than 50 cars were stopped. Two people were arrested and two vehicles were seized. Six tickets were issued for a variety of motoring offences, including failure to wear a seatbelt, using a mobile phone at the wheel, overtaking on double white lines and driving with no car tax or insurance.

• Other news

Posters advising drivers to remove valuables from their vehicles have been attached to lampposts in the library/day centre car park, the Toby Carvery and Bells of Ouseley pubs and on Beaumont House estate. These were still in place on last inspection.

Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) meetings continue and we have regular contact with staff at Manor Lodge.

Crime prevention surgeries were carried out this month at Old Windsor library. Future surgeries are being planned.

• Community messaging

We urge everyone to sign up to the Thames Valley community messaging system to get information about crime in your neighbourhood from Thames Valley Police direct to your mailbox or telephone. You can do this by simply logging onto: http://www.tvpcommunitymessaging.org.

• Contact us

The neighbourhood policing team can be contacted via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. In an emergency dial 999. If you have information about crime or anti-social behaviour in your area but you don’t want to speak to police, please call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.