Police and Communities Together Meeting (PACT)

report from Cllr Lesley Jones of the meeting of Tuesday, 2nd March

Monday, 8 March 2010

The 6 weekly Police and Communities Together (PACT) was held last Tuesday, 2nd March.  Chaired by PC Chris Holt, the meeting followed the usual format of an update of previously agreed priorities plus a report of the crime figures for the period and finally a general discussion prior to setting the next 6 week priorities.

Action on previous priorities:

• Since the previous meeting 3 visits have been carried out to an address in Broughton Street that had been reported as being the source of late night, very loud parties.  At the first visit the occupant was warned and behaviour admitted.  The two further visits were to ensure compliance at weekends where no further problem was found.  Since then no further reports or complaints have been received.
• Since the previous meeting two youths, aged around 13/14 years, have been arrested in connection with complaints of harassment at Old Town.  Statements have been taken as evidence in support of ongoing anti social behaviour order applications.  Visits have taken place to the homes of the offenders and regular patrols carried out in the area. There is still some motor cycling being done by underage youths in the area and this is still being looked into.

There was a total of 33 crimes reported in total during the 6 week period:

• There was an attempted house burglary which was unsuccessful – attempts were made to prise open a wooden door but the house was alarmed and the offenders made off unseen without gaining entry.
• Equipment was stolen from a farmhouse which is empty and undergoing renovation.  Goods to the value of £750 were stolen.
• A garage door lock has been smashed and entry gained.  However, despite the garage being searched no property was taken.
• A detached garage in a rural location was entered and goods to the value of around £700 taken.  There is a possibility that the garage had not been secured properly as there was no damage caused to the lock. 

9 reports of vehicle crime included the following:

• On Keighley Road, a Ford Transit van had its front tyres slashed and a landrover was broken into resulting in damage to the ignition cables and loss of a radio.
• The rear windscreen was shattered of a vehicle that was parked in the Garden Street car park.  This offence took place late afternoon/tea time.
• A sat nav and cradle were taken from a car parked at Widdop Reservoir outlining again the need to make sure that all items of value are not left on display in a car when it is unattended.  A reminder that it is not safe to assume that, although parked in a remote location, cars are any less vulnerable to this sort of crime.
• Another sat nav was stolen from a car parked in a town centre location.

In one unusual incident, a car owner lent his car keys to a friend who wanted to get something from the boot of the car.  However, the friend drove off, crashed the car and drove away from the scene. He then encouraged the car owner to report the car as stolen.  Both men have been charged.

Other arrests of note include a couple for driving whilst under the influence of alcohol and the execution of a couple of drugs warrants.  In one of these a small amount of cannabis was found together with a large amount of cash and this is still under investigation.  Information given via Crimestoppers led to one of these warrants taking place.

Work is ongoing in relation to the anti social behaviour of one individual in the town centre.

The local Police are currently asking for residents views as to what they might find useful if it was available at the front counter of the Police station.  Questions were asked such as are crime prevention leaflets generally considered to be useful?  Are people interested in hearing about local initiatives that are being carried out?  Pictures and contact details of the local policing team could be made available together with those of other partners that work with the Police.  Please contact the station if you have any views that you would like taking into account as part of this.

Although not officially open 5 days a week, there is a presence in Hebden Bridge generally from 9 until 5 Monday to Saturday whilst Todmorden Police station is closed for refurbishment.   It was agreed that this had contributed greatly to public confidence and that the more visible police presence had been a real benefit.  There are real worries that once Todmorden re-opens that this presence will reduce to the disadvantage of Hebden Bridge.  It was suggested that people need to make their views known.

The issue of stone thefts was again raised as there seems to be a perception that this is still happening.  Since the recent arrests in this respect there have been no further problems reported to the Police and it was stressed that the Police do need to be informed of any suspected theft in order for it to be investigated.

An issue was raised re the disappearance of old fashioned door knockers at Albion Terrace.  This has not been reported to the Police who will go and speak to householders on Albion Terrace.

There is still a problem with cross border crime and over the next month officers are working extended voluntary hours to assist in stopping vehicles at up to 4am in the morning.

A resident highlighted that large groups of young teenagers are gathered and smoking on the playground at Victoria Road.

Different drugs available such as Ketamine and Mephadrone, are still currently legal to buy.  However both of these are about to be criminalised which should limit availability and reduce problems with these particular drugs in the longer term.

Priorities for the next 6 weeks are agreed as follows:-

• Monitoring behaviour on Valley Road playground particularly in the late afternoons/early evenings.
• Some top stones appeared to have been loosened on Valley Road with some now missing.  This may have been done in readiness for removal piece by piece.  The police will monitor the situation.
• Although the new path and improved lighting had improved Calder Holmes Park usage it was felt that there was still a need to carry out ongoing monitoring of the park environment.  One light appears to not be working and this will be raised with Hebden Royd Town Council. 

With thanks to those who came along and to PC Holt for chairing the meeting for us in the absence of Sgt Norbury who was on holiday. 

The next meeting will take place at the Town Hall on Tuesday 13th April at 6:30pm.  Please book this date and time out in your diaries and come along to take advantage of the opportunity to make a difference in respect of the policing carried out in our area.