Fakenham crime falls by 15pc
Chris Hill Police said increased officer presence and a host of community initiatives had led to a 15pc fall in reported crime in Fakenham, Wells and Holt during the last 12 months.
Chris Hill
Police said increased officer presence and a host of community initiatives had led to a 15pc fall in reported crime in Fakenham, Wells and Holt during the last 12 months.
Sgt Tony Toynton, of Fakenham's Safer Neighbourhood Team, made a report to the Annual Assembly of the Town Meeting, held at Fakenham College's conference centre last Tuesday.
He said reported crime for the 12 months up to April 2010 had fallen by 15pc compared to the previous year.
Sgt Toynton said the figures in Fakenham had been helped by the presence of more uniformed officers and patrol cars as a result of a Norfolk Constabulary response team being based in the town from last spring.
He also pointed to the success of an alcohol enforcement order introduced in the town centre in July, and an initiative to work with housing associations to reduce anti-social behaviour among their tenants.
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“You can always argue about the way the Home Office records crime, but when you look at the figures there ahs been a significant reduction,” he said. “We had our quietest Christmas and New Year for some time. Anti-social behaviour is down and public order offences in the town centre are down.”
Sgt Toynton said his police officers, two full-time and two part-time, were dealing with between 7-10 crimes a month, with the most successful officer solving 49pc of them in the last year.
One member of the public asked whether Norfolk County Council's plans to switch off street lights between midnight and 5am would hamper the effectiveness of the town's CCTV and encourage vandalism in areas like Queens Road, Bridge Street and the Market Place.
Sgt Toynton said: “We do have a problem with identification, but the CCTV in Fakenham is adequate. As far as I am aware, I have not been directly contacted about turning the lights off overnight, but on the streets you have mentioned I would fervently object to it, as it is asking for trouble.”
