Welcome to what will be a regular column within the Marlborough News! The intention is, on a monthly basis, to update you with a flavour of some of the work your local Neighbourhood Policing Team are completing along with an overview of our priorities and engagements within the Marlborough area.
Firstly, an opportunity to introduce you to your Marlborough Policing Team- Pc Jason Steele, Pcso Mark Braithwaite, Pcso Emily Johnson and Pcso Melissa Camilleri, led by Sgt Chris Wickham. I’m sure many of you will have seen the team out and about during various events in Marlborough and I know many of you have engaged with them during out regular community ‘drop in’ sessions. These are shown on both the Wiltshire Police website – click here – and also on our ‘Marlborough Police’ facebook site, so feel free to follow!
When considering the current Policing priorities for May in Marlborough, the Neighbourhood Team are focussing on a number of areas including building wider engagement with young people, aimed at breaking down barriers and encouraging young people to make the ‘right choices’. The team regularly attend the Youth club, scouts groups and schools however are more than happy to attend other locations when requested- to request a visit please do email us and we will see what we can do to support. Over the last few days we have attended the Marlborough sports and activity festival and I know the team had a great time engaging with so many of you.
Whilst Marlborough remains a safe location, like all towns of a similar size Marlborough does experience its own issues with Drug use and anti-social behaviour in pockets. Our teams regularly patrol and continue to explore options for drugs warrants where this is an option- an open request that if you are aware of something happening in your community you can report this anonymously via crimestoppers, or by contacting the team.
In addition, the team are currently working with a number of business premises following a spike in shoplifting offences- this is a national trend and has made national news across the country, and we are working on a devised business plan approach in order to target and deal with offenders who commit theft in our local Marlborough shops.
As I write this, the weather is starting to warm up with sunny days on the horizon! Great news for many, however this unfortunately often provides ample opportunity for thefts from cars in beauty spots as well as opportunistic targeting of those leaving windows/doors unlocked. The team will be conducting patrols and checks of key locations however please do take steps to ensure that valuables are not left on display in vehicles or left insecure.
Ove the coming weeks the team will be at a number of public engagement events including Ramsbury Beer and wine fayre, Froxfield and Baydon and advertised coffee mornings/drop in sessions and I know would welcome seeing you.
If you would like to contact the team, please use the below email address for direct contact into the Neighbourhood Team inbox.
Inspector Ben Huggins
Contact for the Neighbourhood Policing Team- devizesareanpt@wiltshire.police.uk
The Veteran Trees of Savernake – to behold, to respect and to keep alive
