NHW news & crime report

Crisis Point

When the Covid lockdown seriously interrupted our operation in March 2020, Birstall and Wanlip Neighbourhood Watch had been active for over twenty years, growing from a single street scheme to over a hundred-andsixty similar schemes covering most of the area.

It had developed a range of activities that included a network of street Coordinators who distributed our monthly newsletter, Village Watch News, and collected the annual subscriptions from their neighbours. It ran a monthly Advice Shop in conjunction with the local Police Beat Team Surgery and supplied crime prevention devices free or at cost price.

It operated a telephone Advice Line and a dedicated Facebook Group.

It fitted and maintained NHW street signs and organised regular public meetings with guest speakers to discuss crime and related issues.

It was a regular stall-holder at the Birstall Gala and similar village events and ran Community Speed Watch schemes on behalf of the Parish Council.

These were all managed by an elected Management Committee and a group of Volunteers who took responsibility for the individual activities.

During the lockdown, a number of these committee members and volunteers withdrew from their roles for a variety of reasons. Since it became possi-

This is not a viable situation and we have now reached the stage when we must consider whether it is time to wind up the Watch. This would be a great loss to our villages but without new volunteers to take on the administration, there appears to be no alternative.

In a last effort to recruit new blood to take Birstall and Wanlip Neighbourhood Watch into the future, we have arranged a public meeting, open to ALL RESIDENTS from our villages.

This will take place at 7.45pm on Thursday April 20, 2023 in the Birstall Methodist Church Hall, Wanlip Lane, Birstall, LE4 4JS and will finish no later than 9pm.

Please give some thought to these issues and consider whether you can help.

From Ed Chambers, Committee Chairman, Birstall & Wanlip NHW

Current Priorities

Charnwood Police

Burglaries - Local Police are aiming to reduce burglaries at domestic dwellings in the area

Local officers will engage with the community proving crime prevention advice, and encourage the use of security measures to make properties more secure. Attending reports of burglaries to secure any evidence and pursue reasonable lines of enquiries to identify any offenders.

Vehicle Crime - tackling all elements of vehicle crime

Police aim to tackle different elements of vehicles crime such as theft, TWOC and ASB caused by vehicles

Police aim to tackle vehicle crime through the use of Problem Management Profiles. This will be targeted patrol times to disrupt the use of ASB with vehicles, and disruption tactics on a wider scale using specialist officers.

Theft and associated offences will be targeted by pursuing reasonable lines of enquiry to assist identify and prosecute offenders in a timely manner

Tackling County Lines - Police are developing and targeting people within the area that are drug dealing, exploiting vulnerable people by cuckooing addresses and causing anti-social behaviour from this type of crime.

Gathering intelligence from the community, providing a robust response by executing search warrants, and applying any necessary closures order to stop criminality and protect the public.

Birstall Specific

Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) - including associated crime. We have identified an ASB hotspot within the area of the A6/Birstall services. Youths are gathering after school and into the evening, while at the location they are acting in a manner that is unacceptable, showing complete disregard and lack of respect.

Drugs - Use of cannabis within the park - It has been reported that various/frequent visitors are parking up within the car park on School Lane park and being involved in the use of cannabis.

Road Safety - Excess Speed

- Speeding vehicles is an ongoing issue on our roads, which is very well established. As a policing team, we will be out on the roads at locations highlighted by local residents on a sporadic basis. Please watch your speed.

If you are concerned about road safety in Birstall & Wanlip, request enforcement and make a difference. Find out more by visiting the Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Road Safety Partnership website: www.speedorsafety.com where you can complete a short Community Concern Site Request.

A message from PC 1365 Stu Venables

I would like to start by welcoming both PCSO Nuala Sherlock and PCSO Jon Harrison to the Birstall policing team, both are now operational within Birstall and Wanlip and you will see them around, they are both very approachable and are keen for you to stop and have a chat.

Now I have some additional support,

PC 1365 Stu Venables on the new Police e-cycle.

He said: “It's great to be able to get around the village a bit quicker, but still be approachable. Being able to stop and chat to local residents is great and with the new e-cycle I will be able to cover more area. I will still be out on foot and in a vehicle at times, but aiming to use the e-cycle as often as possible.” we can work together to offer a more enhanced service and I'm hoping to see swifter progression when identifying and dealing with emerging issues.

In relation to our ASB priority within/surrounding the Birstall services, we have now met with senior management at the site and have had good discussions surrounding a plan moving forward, which will include the site being target hardened. Once recommendations have been put into place and an amount of time has elapsed (so we can assess if the recommendations have had an impact) I will be hoping to remove this as a Birstall priority to focus on other areas.

During the early hours on March 6, we had an incident occur on Wanlip Avenue, which involved violence and the use of a weapon. Police made arrests on suspicion of an affray at the time of the incident and as a result of the investigation 4 x charges have been secured as follows: assault by beating, S.4 public order (fear provocation of violence), possession of an offensive weapon and possession of Class B cannabis. The defendant was bailed with conditions to attend Leicester magistrate court on March 22.

Furthermore, in relation to the arrest made regarding the theft of a motor vehicle I mentioned last month, the investigation is still ongoing with further positive lines of enquires to follow. I will keep you posted on the outcome as it develops.

You may have seen a male loitering

Continued on page 12 along Sibson Road, mainly Tesco end asking for money, or you may well have been approached. I am aware of this male and can confirm he is NOT homeless and does have a wealth of support in place. I am working with partner agencies in order to address the behaviour displayed.

I have a couple of events coming up this month, please feel free to come and see me and the team for a chat and feel free to bring your cycle along and we will happily mark it for you and get it registered on the bike register, making it less attractive to thieves.

Finally, as you can see we have seen an increase in Burglaries within Birstall and the wider area so please ensure that you are vigilant, if you see any suspicious activity and your Spidey senses are tingling, don’t ignore it and ensure that you report it without delay. Also please consider your home security, there is lots of information on our website: Home | Leicestershire Police (leics.police.uk). Please have a look or visit us at the next beat surgery to discuss it with us.

Take care

PC 1365 Stu Venables

Crime Figures Birstall and Wanlip

March 1, 2023, until March 20, 2023

Burglary (3)

Burglary dwellings:

- Loughborough Road (04th March between 06:45 & 08:00pm) - Vehicle stolen off the driveway.

- Birstall Road (05th March around 08:30pm)

- Copeland Road (Between the 11th and 12th March)

Thefts (11)

5 x Retail Theft

2 x Theft by finding

1 x Theft of motor vehicle - (However since 01/01/23 we have had 6 vehicles stolen from Birstall)

0 x Theft from unattended motor vehicle

0 x Catalytic Converter—(However since 01/01/23 we have had 3 reported from Birstall)

1 x Theft of number plate (However since 01/01/23 we have had 6 lots of plates reported stolen from Birstall.)

1 x Theft of Cycle

1 x Courier Theft - (Parcel reported to have been left by a delivery driver)

Criminal Damage (2)

1 x Damage to motor vehicle

1 x Damage to dwelling

Public Order (5)

3 x S4a (words/behaviour to cause harassment/alarm/distress)

2 x S.3 - Affray

Drugs (1)

1 x Possession of Cannabis Assaults (13)

5 x Common Assault – Slight injury

7 x Actual Bodily Harm (ABH) –Bruising to body / Loss of hair

1 x Grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent

Out of the 13 assaults reported 3 were domestic related and 1 assault on Police (Police bitten) and 1 includes a paramedic punched to the face. Events

Beat Surgery - Saturday April 8, 2023 - Between 4pm and 6pm, located at the Robert Dickinson Building on Sibson Road (within the Short Stay car park)

Beat Surgery - Saturday April 15, 2023 - Between 10am and 12pm. Venue: as Apr 8. This will also be in line with the Birstall NHW advice shop.

Beat Surgery - Saturday April 22, 2023 - Between 10am and 12pm. Venue: as Apr 8.

Beat Surgery - Sunday April 30, 2023 - Between 11am and 1pm. Venue: as Apr 8. Please feel free to attend, meet your local officer, ask any questions or discuss any community concerns you may have.

Additionally, local residents can bring their cycles to the surgeries to have them officially marked for free — Information regarding the scheme can be found on the website: www.bikeregister.com or explained on the day.

Upcoming events

I will be looking at holding a further BikeRegister event in the spring, and will also be looking at holding a vehicle number plate event, where you can be provided with anti-tamper screws to better secure your plates to prevent thieves taken them.

I am also planning on conducting further road safety operations; this will be targeted towards the fatal four offences (Speed, Drink/Drugs, Seat belt and Mobile Phone) around Birstall & Wanlip.