Amersham Missendens and Chalfonts - Neighbourhood Policing Quarterly Update
The Amersham, Chalfonts and Missendens Neighbourhood Team consists of:
INS Richard Vine, PS 3675 Darren Walsh, PC 6633 Matthew Carson, PC7844 Matthew Cumming.
Along with:
PCSO 8632 Jen Shraga and PCSO 9601 Charlotte Marsh covering the Chalfonts.
PCSO 7495 Lucy Groves and PCSO 9783 Chris Hinkley–Ging covering the Missendens.
PCSO 8882 Jacqueline Day and PCSO 9631 Kerry Clarke, covering Amersham.
The priorities for your Neighbourhood Policing Team (NHPT) are decided from the Policing Issues Panel. This steering group of local residents and representatives from organisations across the area allows us to hear what the community wants us to focus on and to consider how we can accomplish these aims. The top three priorities are chosen, every four months and are assumed by your Neighbourhood Policing Team. https://www.csb-forum.org/about
There is currently a number of changes happening within Thames Valley Police. Chiltern & South Bucks LPA will be merging with Wycombe LPA becoming South Buckinghamshire Police Area more in line with the council’s boundaries. The area will be commanded by Supt Emma Burroughs, with Chief Insp Gassan Shaladan as the deputy commander.
Inspector James Ellis will be assuming the role of leading Neighbourhood Policing across South Buckinghamshire.
Priorities from the PIP meeting on the 30th March 2022:
Priority 1; Serious Acquisitive Crime i.e. robbery, burglary, theft from, or of a motor vehicle
We did; Over the last quarter, there has been a considerable fall in the amount of burglaries. It is acknowleged that with many people working from home this has had an impact on the opportunities available to the burglar. Which goes to show the importance of basic crime reduction advice in giving the appearance that someone is at home.
With the changes in technology, keyless car crime is taking place and offenders no longer have to enter your house to steal your car or cars. Many of the public are still unaware of this risk.
Proactively we have carried on working with other departments and police forces in targeting travelling criminals and trying to deny them the use of the road. Dedicated operations in January and February saw us working with the new Rural Task Force, Herts Pol and Roads Policing units. This resulted in 3 arrests, 30 people being reported for various offences and 13 vehicles being taken off the roads.
Last year saw the launch of NHW Crime Reduction Advisors. They offer a free service where people who would like an impartial home assessment can speak to a trained volunteer about crime reduction advice. There has been a big uptake for this service. Victims of burglary will be offered such a visit.
Top tips
1; Use your garage - if you have one and it is not stuffed with the garden furniture, the treadmill that never got used, the roll of left over carpet (just in case)
2; Keep your keys safe. Get yourself a Faraday Pouch. For a fiver this blocks the keys signals
3; Keys - can you turn the signal off - some models do allow for this. Check your manual.
4; Consider a steering lock. Yes I know we thought we got rid of these in the 90's - but they do work as criminals come equipped to steal with technology rather that tools.
Dwelling Burglaries
2021 2022 Change
Amersham 8 8 0%
Chalfonts 5 9 80%
Chesham 7 4 -43%
Missendens 3 1 -67%
Shed/Garage breaks
2021 2022 Change
Amersham 3 3 0%
Chalfonts 1 1 0%
Chesham 5 3 -40%
Missendens 3 3 0%
Business Burglaries
2021 2022 Change
Amersham 0 3
Chalfonts 2 2 0%
Chesham 5 2 -60%
Missendens 5 1 -80%
Theft of Motor Vehicle
2021 2022 Change
Amersham 1 5 400%
Chalfonts 13 14 8%
Chesham 7 5 -29%
Missendens 3 2 -33%
Theft from motor vehicle
2021 2022 Change
Amersham 18 9 -50%
Chalfonts 10 10 0%
Chesham 22 15 -32%
Missendens 9 5 -44%
Robbery
2021 2022 Change
Amersham 1 0 -100%
Chalfonts 0 0
Chesham 1 3 200%
Missendens 1 0 -100%
Figures Jan – Mar 22
Priority 2; SPEEDING
We did;
Community Speedwatch schemes are currently running in Chalfont St Peter, Missenden, Prestwood, Holmer Green and Kingshill areas and I anticipate that Amersham, Chesham Bois and Little Chalfont will have schemes in operation shortly.
A further advancement in the CSW Community Speedwatch schemes website https://communityspeedwatch.org comes into fruition this month. This system will allow CSW Schemes to directly import information without having to wait for an administrator to input it, will include training and recording of sites. The PCC, Matt Barber has secured funding, enabling short-term loan start-up kits for new areas that are waiting for funds being available to purchase equipment. These will be available, on a loan period of up to 6 months only, once loaned you cannot request to loan again. This will enable other teams starting up in the TVP area to get started as soon as possible. These devices will be available as soon as they arrive from the suppliers.
A few TVP Speedwatch results:
413 sites approved across TVP.
635 people who have joined new TVP CSW scheme.
735 roadside sessions in hours.
2057 operator hours across TVP.
Percentage of non-reoffenders after receiving 1st letter = 95.20%
Operation Glare: In the last quarter, the following locations were targeted, by police, for enhanced checks:
Cokes Lane and Bell Lane in Little Chalfont, Austenwood Lane and Kingsway in Chalfont St Peter, Narcot Lane and Vache Lane in Chalfont St Giles.
A404 Chenies, Copperkins Lane, Whielden Street, Highland Road, Clifton Road in Amersham.
Church Road in Penn, High Street in Prestwood, Browns Road in Holmer Green, Martinsend Lane in Missenden.
As a result of these enforcements 47 people were issues with speeding tickets.
Speed Cameras in Chiltern
Our Road Safety vans and fixed cameras provide enforcement and a visual deterrent across the JOU. The aim of the enforcement we carryout is to help support you to reduce the speed of traffic, making the roads safer for all road users, and reduce the risk of injury, collisions and casualties in your district.
Figures from the Road Safety Mobile and Speed Enforcement Team advised, that between Jan-Feb 2022 387 offences were captured by the mobile speed cameras whilst 115 offences were captured by fixed cameras.
Priority 3; ASB
We did; Drug use is a common cause of ASB. PCSO led operation to identify and target drug dealers resulted in dealer being detained a large number of drugs being recovered in Chalfont St Peter. An offensive weapon was later found in the subsequent house search. Targeted house to house ‘Have your says’, in problem areas, has resulted in a number of people feeling confident to come forward and discuss with us concerns and observations. The team has also been able to promote our NHW groups. We aim to make life as uncomfortable as possible for any would be gangs so that we can protect our community.
In Amersham we are currently assisting Paradigm Housing in case where resident is continuously smoking a noxious substance effecting the neighbours. This has led to resident being served notice. We will work with our partners in securing evidence and improving the community. We will also be looking at focusing our attention on a number of blocks of flats where there are a disproportionate amount of calls and crime.
In a bid to try and reduce future ASB we will be working with Evolve Boxing Academy and The Amersham School, Dr Challoners Grammar and High Schools. Supported by Buckinghamshire Council. “Evolving through Boxing” places will be offered to selected children as a reward, to build confidence or for youths who would benefit from mentoring. Similar schemes in Milton Keynes resulted in a lot of positive feedback. We are looking for this to be rolled out next school year.
Most of our current workload within the Anti-Social Behaviour category stems from neighbour disputes. This issue continues to grow and demand seems to be higher at this time. Some of the work that the team are currently dealing with include noise disturbances, arguments, cannabis smells and drug using, inconsiderate parking, boundary disputes, hate crimes and allegations of harassment. We continue to work with our partners as a multi-agency in order to solve these issues. Partners include housing, environmental health and mediation charities.
Another issue is with graffiti in the Chalfonts. We are currently investigating a number of sprayed emblems on road signs. Enquiries are ongoing and I will look to have an update on this for the next report.
Have Your Say meetings
We will be running a HYS van and giving crime prevention advice on the following dates:
13/04 – C9783 Chris HINKLEY-GING & C8882 Jacqueline DAY
Holmer Green Shops, Brown Road – 0930-1030
Chesham High Street – 1100-1200
The Green on the High Street, Chalfont St Giles – 1300-1400
17/05 – C9601 Charlotte MARSH & C7495 Lucy GROVES
19/06 – C9631 Kerry CLARKE & C8632 Jennifer SHRAGA
Locations and timings to be confirmed and will be advertised on the www.csb-forum.org.
Offenders Brought to Justice
Offences from the 1st Jan 22. This does not include persons who are currently under investigation.
Amersham
Person given a caution for possession of Class A drugs
Person given restorative disposal for Cannabis
Person given restorative disposals for Cannabis
Person given restorative disposal for Assault
Person given restorative disposal for Assault
Person given restorative disposals for Drugs
Person given a conditional caution for Cannabis
Person given a conditional caution for Disclosing a private sexual act
Person given restorative disposal for dangerous dog out of control
Person given a conditional caution for harassment
Chalfonts
Person given restorative disposal for possession of a knife (self harm)
Person charged with 5 thefts from motor vehicles
Person given restorative disposal for assaults
Person given restorative disposal for assault
Person given restorative disposal for public order
Person given restorative disposal for cannabis
Person given restorative disposal for cannabis
Person given restorative disposal for cannabis
Person given restorative disposal for cannabis
Person given restorative disposal for sending a malicious communication
Missendens
Person given restorative disposal for Cannabis
Person given restorative disposal for Assault
Person given restorative disposal for Abstracting electricity
Person given restorative disposal for Criminal damage
Person given restorative disposal for Assault
Person given restorative disposal for Assault
Person given restorative disposal for Assault
Person given a caution for Assault
Person given restorative disposal for ABH
Person given restorative disposal for Cannabis
Person given restorative disposal for Cannabis
Person given a conditional caution for Assault
Person reported for Publishing indecent images
Rural Crime
Rural Crime. Last month 46 visits were carried out to our farms in an effort to get them signed up to our Country Watch Scheme and to discuss ways to improve security at rural locations.
Already we are seeing that the Rural Crime Taskforce visiting our area and assisting us in trying to target rural crime. Several days of action last month resulted in all plant machinery being moved being stopped and checks carried out to see if it was stolen. Our aim is to make the Chilterns one of the most hostile areas for criminals who are driving through our areas.
Social media
We ask our readers to consider subscribing to our Thames Valley Alerts, Facebook and Twitter accounts.
www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk ‘TV Alerts’ allow the subscriber to filter the subject matter which is of relevance to them, and only requires an email address to begin receiving local policing information.
Our “Twitter” feed @tvp_chiltsbucks will show you what the policing team are doing, will provide crime prevention information, witness appeals and “Good Result” stories. The Facebook group TVPChilternandSouthBucks will provide the same information as Twitter but seems to be the preferred social media site used by the public.
We do not take reports of crime via social media and we do not see comments placed into personal social media groups. To report crime online visit https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ro/report/
Stay safe out there and keep your eyes peeled.
Sergeant Darren Walsh
Message Sent By
Darren Walsh (Police, Sgt, Amersham)