Wantage and Grove

Tackling Anti-social behaviour (ASB)

The Wantage and Grove Neighbourhood Policing Team has been keeping busy over the past few months, working hard to ensure our town remain safe and welcoming for everyone. In the last three months we’ve seen an increase in reports of anti?social behaviour following Halloween, Bonfire Night and Thames Valley Police’s “It’s That Anti?Social” campaign, which encouraged people to report behaviour that affects them or their community.
We really appreciate the community reaching out to us. Your reports help us understand what’s happening locally and where you feel we are most needed.
To respond to this rise in incidents, the team has attended 16% more reports in person, offering visibility and reassurance at key times. We have also made far greater use of anti?social behaviour powers, with a 1300% increase as we take robust action where appropriate. Based on information and intelligence from local residents, officers have completed 149 targeted patrols in the town centre and a further 203 patrols across surrounding areas, ensuring our presence is focused where it makes the most difference.
Alongside this, we continue to work closely with individuals involved in anti?social behaviour, engaging with them regularly to help divert them away from behaviour that impacts the community. We also work in partnership with schools, youth groups and other organisations to provide education, early intervention and support.
High?visibility patrols will continue throughout the coming months, offering reassurance and helping deter issues before they escalate. We encourage residents to keep reporting anything that concerns them. Your information genuinely shapes our patrol plans and helps us respond effectively.
If you would like to stay updated on what’s happening in Wantage and Grove, you can sign up for Thames Valley Alerts and receive tailored updates straight to your inbox: https://orlo.uk/1ZMoE

Retail Crime within the Town centre of Wantage and surrounding villages

Retail crime has been identified as a priority for Thames Valley Police through the force wide Retail Crime Strategy, which focuses on intelligence, enforcement, prevention, and partnership working.
As a small town, Wantage and its surrounding villages can be significantly affected by even a small number of retail crimes which can have a significant impact on local businesses, staff, and community confidence. Offences committed by a small group of individuals can undermine the sense of safety for shop workers and customers, and we recognise the importance of addressing this promptly and visibly.
The neighbourhood policing team closely monitors retail related offences and works alongside local businesses to help prevent and reduce crime. One of the tools we use is Auror, which is available to retailers across the area. This allows businesses to quickly and securely share information and images of offenders, as well as report incidents directly to us, helping us respond more effectively.
We carry out targeted patrols in areas affected by repeat offences and provide crime prevention advice to shop owners and staff. We also focus on identifying and targeting known prolific offenders who commit shoplifting or related offences in our area. Where evidence is obtained, we place these individuals into the criminal justice process to ensure they are dealt with appropriately and to help prevent further offending.
We proactively engage with retail premises, and in the last three months we have completed 72 targeted business engagements to offer reassurance, deter offending, and better understand the concerns of those affected.
We remain committed to working in partnership with the business community to keep our neighbourhoods safe and welcoming for everyone.
We have seen a recent increase in shoplifting at two locations in the area and are supporting those businesses to prevent further offences. We identified a suspect for two offences who, following a foot pursuit, was arrested by PC Oldroyd - further detail was shared in our recent social media post!

Tackling Drug use and Exploitation

The neighbourhood policing team is committed to keeping our community safe and continues to work proactively to address concerns around drug use and supply. While the vast majority of people in our area are not affected, we recognise that any level of activity can cause worry. Our focus remains on prevention, safeguarding, and maintaining safe public spaces for everyone.The team has run proactive operations to target drug use and supply. We conduct targeted patrols in areas identified through community information and intelligence. In recent months, we have increased our use of stop and search powers, applying them proportionately and appropriately to disrupt criminal activity and protect vulnerable people. Much of this work is early intervention focused, helping prevent issues before they escalate. However, we deal with offences robustly and in January conducted a number of warrants based on intelligence received from our communities.
We work with local schools to raise awareness of the risks linked to drugs and exploitation. When young people are involved, we ensure they receive the support they need. This includes making safeguarding referrals, allowing partner agencies, schools, and family networks to put the right measures in place. We also work alongside the Youth Justice Unit to provide a holistic approach that supports children and families and reduces the likelihood of further offending.
If you have any information about drug use or supply, cuckooing, or exploitation, you can report it to Thames Valley Police via 101, our online reporting tool, or anonymously through CrimeStoppers. Even small pieces of information help us build a clearer picture and act effectively.