Norfolk police chiefs said safer neighbourhood teams (SNTs) would remain the 'bedrock' of local policing, despite changes which came into force in January.

These have seen the introduction of four new teams policing Norwich to reflect council boundaries – and a closer working relationship with the local authority.

Norwich South works in partnership with other local agencies to identify and address community concerns.

The Norwich South SNT was created following policing boundary changes in the district in January 2012 and covers the areas of Eaton, Lakenham, Tuckswood, Vauxhall Street and the Golden Triangle.

The Norwich South area is made up of the four council wards of Nelson, Town Close, Eaton and Lakenham and has strong community links.

The area is a mixture of homes, industrial premises located in the area of Norwich Business Park and open spaces around the Eaton area, which includes Eaton Golf Course.

Other places of interest include St John's Cathedral, the largest Roman Catholic Cathedral in the UK, and City College Norwich, which attracts students both from Norfolk and around the world.

Each policing area in Norwich South is led by beat managers – an officer in charge of the area – with patrol officers and PCSOs working underneath to ensure calls can be responded to 24 hours a day.

The team, stationed at Earlham Police Station, is led by Inspector Lynne Cross, pictured, and the team continue to work with partner agencies on the existing priorities:

To address issues of anti-social behaviour in and around Southwell Road and Grove Road areas.

Target the theft of cycles in the Golden Triangle area.

Officers have increased patrols in the Golden Triangle in a bid to combat cycle thefts and this, coupled with increased crime prevention awareness has led to a significant reduction in incidents. Insp Cross said: 'We've been able to reduce cycle thefts through increased high visibility patrols while also improving awareness about bike security through cycle marking days.

'A lot of crime is opportunist and while many bikes stolen had been locked, a lot of offences happened because bikes had been left insecure. It's important to stress that by taking simple steps and making life that little harder for criminals, people can help avoid becoming a victim of crime.'

In the last week, the Norwich South neighbourhood has seen a slight rise in car break-ins, prompting a warning from Insp Cross for motorists to remove all valuables from display.

She said: 'I would ask motorists to make sure vehicles are always left locked and secure and that drivers do not advertise their property to thieves by leaving attractive items such as handbags, phones or sat-navs on display.'

Insp Cross also urged residents to report incidents of suspicious activity, such as people peering into vehicles or trying car doors.

She said: 'House-to-house inquiries will often lead us to discover that residents heard or witnessed things out of the ordinary but decided not to call police. I would urge anyone who hears or sees anything suspicious to dial 999.

'Calls of this nature are crucial and mean we can immediately send officers to that area and therefore have a greater chance of detaining a suspect.'

Officers continue to address issues of anti-social behaviour and recently the team, along with members of the Special Constabulary, carried out an action night in Eaton Park.

It followed concerns from members of the public regarding underage drinking, associated anti-social behaviour and illegal drug activity.

Officers carried out patrols throughout the evening with a number of stop searches conducted. Three people were issued with cautions for possession of cannabis, while several youths were moved on by officers.

Insp Cross added: 'This was a positive night of action and we will continue to be pro-active in dealing with concerns about anti-social behaviour in the neighbourhood.'

The next meetings of the Norwich South team are on:

Wednesday, May 16 when a surgery will take place at Waitrose in Church Lane, Eaton, between 2pm and 3pm for a chance to meet with local officers and discuss any issues or concerns you may have.

Sunday, May 27 when a surgery at Notcutts garden centre on Daniels Road, Norwich, will be held between 11am and noon. Again people will have the chance to meet with local officers or discuss any issues or concerns.

To contact the team call 101 or email SNTNorwichSouth@norfolk.pnn.police.uk