Police 'inaction' leads to growing crime fears from Newark residents

Residents of a Newark area claim they are living in fear of being burgled while police do little more than issue crime numbers to victims and tell them to contact insurers.

Homes in and around Bentinck Road, Hawton Road, Boundary Road, Hardwick Avenue and Dunholme Avenue have suffered burglaries or attempts to break into homes or garages.

One resident, Carla Brown, said the problem was continual, and people were becoming scared to leave their homes.

She said a lot of suspicious activity was no longer being reported because people believed nothing would be done.

“Just telling people to contact their insurers is giving free rein to the criminals,” Mrs Brown said.

“We don’t feel protected. We need to have more of a police presence.

“People are living in fear. They are hiding things in their own homes.”

Christ Church, off Boundary Road, recently added CCTV to try to stop anti-social behaviour.

Mrs Brown said: “We see the vans driving down the roads and slowing down so the people can peer into homes.

“There is an obvious pattern to this spate, but we never see a police car patrolling or even a community support officer knocking on doors warning of what’s going on and offering crime prevention advice.”

Mrs Brown, who has lived there for 20 years, said the area was usually a nice place to live.

“We have our own Whatsapp group to stay in touch, check on a neighbours ­— even threw a street party for a couple who were leaving the area ­— but it isn’t only our job to keep us safe. There are people who are paid to do that.”

The area’s county councillor, Keith Girling, said he would hold a public meeting where he would discuss securing garages, sheds and outbuildings and he intends for the police and antisocial behaviour officers to attend.

“In the meantime, we continue to work with the police regarding resources within Newark,” he said

Mrs Brown intends to contact Newark MP Robert Jenrick, who is meeting Nottinghamshire’s chief constable, Craig Guildford and police and crime commissioner Paddy Tipping in November because constituents are telling him Newark is under-policed.

Sergeant Paul Cash, from the Newark Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We have had four reports of burglary in the Boundary Road area in the last two months and we continue with enquiries in relation to these.

“The local neighbourhood team will be in the area over the coming weeks to provide a visible presence and crime prevention advice.

“We are committed to ensuring a safe neighbourhood and we will be holding drop-in sessions at the Cleveland Square Community Centre.

“These sessions are open to the whole community so please come along and let us know if you have any concerns at all.

“At any other time, the beat team can be contacted by email to raise any concerns or issues relating to the area and for crime prevention advice.”

Drop-in sessions will be held on November 20 and 29, 4pm to 6pm.