The Broadland Beat by Supt Dave Marshall

The Broadland Beat by Supt Dave Marshall - March 2010

Welcome to the first edition of The Broadland Beat - your monthly update on local policing in the Broadland area.

This column will provide updates on the work of Police and partners in the seven Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) which cover the Broadland area, as well as inform you about initiatives, crime prevention and witness appeals.

Firstly I want to stress how important you, the public, are in helping us solve crime and anti-social behaviour to bring those responsible to justice.

For example, as reported in the Evening News, the Sprowston and Spixworth SNT took swift action against five youths who had caused a series of criminal damage over a matter of days. Fence panels, greenhouses and walls were inconsiderately damaged causing distress and inconvenience to the victims. Without the help of the public, reporting the incidents and providing accurate descriptions, we wouldn't have caught the offenders who received various punishments as quickly as we did. It is this kind information we need you to continue to share with us, to help resolve local issues and drive out crime.

More generally, recorded crime in Broadland is down by 5pc so far this financial year and down by 23pc in the last two years. This equates to 1014 less people who have been affected by a crime.

However, we are starting to see an increase in the number of household burglaries and thefts from sheds and outbuildings as the nights get lighter, so please remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to us.

To address this problem, SelectaDNA, a property marking solution which gives property a forensic fingerprint, has been successfully rolled out across the district. We have managed to further increase security at over 484 homes and businesses including schools and places of worship, making Broadland a less attractive target. Broadland Community Partnership and Broadland District Council have played a major part in establishing this scheme.

Most thieves are opportunist so we can all try and eliminate the opportunities by taking some practical steps; locking your doors and windows, not leaving your car keys, bank statements or valuables on display will all make your home safer.

Although there is a slight increase in burglaries, Broadland continues to be one of the safest places to live in the county within the safest county in England. The statistical chance of your house being burgled is one in 334 years but it is my aim to make Broadland District an even safer place to live and work.

If you do suspect any unusual activity in your neighbourhood please contact your local SNT, even with the smallest pieces of information, as it will all help us build up a bigger intelligence picture about crime in your area. You may not always see an immediate effect when your information is passed to us but I can assure you none of it is lost - everything has value.

There are many ways to get in touch with your local SNT, either speak to them directly at their police surgeries held regularly in your area, call 0845 456 4567 or e-mail the team via their page on the website, www.norfolk.police.uk.