Thatcham

The Thatcham Neighbourhood Policing Team continues to receive reports of anti-social behaviour involving cars and motorcycles at Henwick Worthy Sports Field, particularly within and around the sports field car park and surrounding roads.

Concerns raised by residents and members of the public include excessive noise, dangerous or inconsiderate driving, vehicle-related nuisance and behaviour causing alarm, distress or annoyance to others. Such activity impacts the enjoyment of the area by legitimate users and affects the quality of life of nearby residents.

Whilst reports indicate that anti-social behaviour at this location has reduced compared to previous periods, concerns remain, particularly during the summer months when increased use of the area naturally attracts larger numbers of visitors and vehicles. The Neighbourhood Policing Team remains committed to maintaining this positive trend and addressing any emerging issues promptly.

The Thatcham Neighbourhood Policing Team has continued to conduct high-visibility patrols and targeted enforcement activity at Henwick Worthy Sports Field and surrounding locations in response to concerns raised by the local community. Patrols have been carried out at varying times to identify those responsible, gather intelligence and deter further incidents.

Officers have continued to identify and engage with individuals involved in vehicle-related anti-social behaviour. Positive interventions have been undertaken where appropriate, with Section 59 warning notices previously issued to drivers and riders whose behaviour has caused alarm, distress or nuisance to members of the public.

The team continues to utilise legislative powers available to tackle vehicle-related anti-social behaviour. Recent changes to legislation have strengthened enforcement opportunities, allowing vehicles involved in qualifying anti-social use to be seized immediately where the relevant criteria are met, providing officers with enhanced powers to deal robustly with repeat and persistent offenders.

Whilst reports of anti-social behaviour at this location have shown a gradual reduction compared to previous periods, the area continues to see increased use during the summer months and remains a location subject to regular monitoring. A number of policing operations have been conducted throughout the reporting period, with further operations planned in partnership with local policing and proactive teams to address emerging concerns and prevent a resurgence in offending.

The Neighbourhood Policing Team will continue to work with residents, partner agencies and local communities to identify offenders, target problem behaviour and ensure Henwick Worthy Sports Field remains a safe and welcoming environment for all users.

The Thatcham Neighbourhood Policing Team continues to receive reports and intelligence relating to suspected drug-related activity across the town. Concerns remain focused on residential areas, open spaces and other locations identified through community reporting and police intelligence.

Drug-related offending continues to have a significant impact on the wider community, contributing to anti-social behaviour, exploitation, safeguarding concerns and wider criminality. Intelligence indicates that those involved in drug offending are often linked to the unlawful use of E-bikes and E-scooters to facilitate criminal activity and evade detection. The Neighbourhood Policing Team remains committed to disrupting those involved, protecting vulnerable individuals and working with partner agencies to reduce harm.

The Thatcham Neighbourhood Policing Team has continued to conduct high-visibility patrols, plain-clothes operations and intelligence-led deployments in response to reports of drug-related activity within the community. Officers have also undertaken bicycle patrols to access locations less accessible to police vehicles and to provide an enhanced capability to tackle offenders using E-bikes and E-scooters.

Officers have continued to gather and develop intelligence, conduct stop searches where lawful grounds exist and pursue enforcement opportunities against those suspected of involvement in the use and supply of controlled drugs. Local neighbourhood officers have attended areas identified through community reports and intelligence as locations where cannabis use is prevalent, with drug intervention letters being issued where appropriate to challenge behaviour and reduce ongoing anti-sociality.

The team continues to work closely with the Force Intelligence Hub, local tasking teams and proactive policing resources to identify and disrupt those involved in drug-related offending. This includes the use of plain-clothes patrols and targeted operations aimed at identifying offenders, gathering intelligence and taking positive enforcement action where opportunities arise.

In response to persistent offending, a number of individuals have been made subject to Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) designed to manage offending behaviour, place restrictions on relevant activities and reduce the impact of repeat offenders on the local community. Further applications continue to be considered where appropriate.

The team will continue to review intelligence, reported incidents and community concerns to ensure policing activity remains focused on reducing drug-related harm, disrupting offenders, safeguarding vulnerable individuals and improving community safety throughout Thatcham.

The Thatcham Neighbourhood Policing Team continues to work with local retailers and partner agencies to address recurring shoplifting offences across the town. Intelligence and crime reports indicate that a number of repeat offenders remain responsible for a disproportionate level of retail crime, often targeting multiple stores over prolonged periods.

The impact of shoplifting extends beyond financial loss, affecting staff welfare, customer confidence and perceptions of safety within the local community. The Neighbourhood Policing Team remains committed to identifying offenders, securing evidence and pursuing appropriate enforcement opportunities to reduce offending and support local businesses.

The Thatcham Neighbourhood Policing Team has continued to work closely with local retailers, security staff and partner agencies to identify and target those responsible for repeat shoplifting offences. Officers regularly review CCTV footage, witness accounts, crime reports and intelligence submissions to support investigations and build evidential packages against identified offenders.

Where offenders have been identified, enforcement action has been pursued, including arrests, voluntary interviews, community resolutions and the preparation of case files for charging decisions where appropriate. Recent proactive work has resulted in the arrest of a number of prolific offenders responsible for a significant proportion of shoplifting offences within Thatcham, with several offenders subsequently being charged with offences before the courts.

The team continues to work closely with retailers and retail security staff to ensure offences are reported promptly, evidence is secured and intelligence is shared effectively. This strong partnership approach has enabled officers to identify repeat offenders more quickly and build robust evidential packages to support enforcement action.

Alongside criminal investigations, officers have continued to utilise longer-term offender management measures. This has included the successful pursuit of Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) and injunctions against a number of persistent offenders, placing restrictions on their behaviour and access to retail premises with the aim of reducing repeat offending and protecting local businesses.

Engagement with local businesses remains ongoing to ensure emerging concerns are identified promptly and positive action is taken to reduce retail crime and improve confidence within the business community. Through continued enforcement, offender management and partnership working, the team remains committed to reducing shoplifting and supporting retailers across Thatcham.