THE team have made a proactive start to the New Year, continuing with some of our local policing operations from last year.
There has been an increase in high visibility policing presence around the Derwent parade area of South Ockendon to combat anti-social behaviour on Operation Teuton.
On January 6 PC’s Paul Glensman and Rob Watts stopped and arrested a male for driving under the influence of drugs, and also gave him a cannabis warning after finding him in possession of a controlled substance.
We are pleased to announce that compared to this time last year, Operation Wagtail has seen a 66% reduction on calls regarding car cruising around Lakeside from this time last year.
January 8 saw PC’s Rob Watts and Paul Glensman assisting Operation Raptor when a suspect made off. After a foot-chase PC Glensman caught the suspect who was charged with possession of class A drugs.
During January we have been teaming up with Thurrock Councils anti-social behaviour housing team in a partnership approach to tackle multi-agency problems. We have seen various results and gathered information in order to pursue prosecutions.
On the 11 January Pc Rob Watts was on Operation Wagtail and seized a vehicle for no insurance as well as issuing the driver with a fixed penalty notice for not having a licence, along with another 6 fixed penalty notices to other drivers for various reasons. Unsafe and careless driving will not be tolerated in Thurrock!
We have continued throughout the month to run Operation Sacrifice across Thurrock and have seen a significant reduction in the amount of calls for nuisance motorcycles.
PC’s Rob Watts and Paul Glensman assisted Essex County Fire and Rescue Service on January 12 with arresting a male wanted for fire safety offences in Thurrock. The male was believed to have been leasing an unsuitable property, putting people at risk.
Our Active Citizens stepped up to assist PC’s Rob Watts and Paul Glensman with evacuating residents of Mersea Island when we received a flood warning on January 13, despite the cold conditions and long day they kept in good spirits and aided families reaching designated places of safety. We would like to sincerely thank them for their time and dedication.
Pc Rob Watts called on the assistance of one of Essex Police’s traffic units on January 15 when he stopped a male he believed to be driving under the influence of a controlled substance. A roadside drugs test was carried out and found positive, and subsequently the male was arrested for the offence.
PCSO’s Kelly Roberts and Gary Woolford came to the aid of an elderly female who had lived without heating for 3 months on January 16, after contacting N-Power for assistance they ensured her heating was restored, topped up her gas card for her and contacted agencies to assist her in future. Helping vulnerable people is a daily part of our job, working closely with our partnership agencies to keep people safe.
On January 19 Thurrock CPT were in Aveley High street in response to complaints about HGV parking. Results included 3 £50 non-endorsable tickets to HGV drivers for parking breaches, 1 driver was fined £50 for obstruction after breaching a no waiting area, 1 driver using a disabled badge fraudulently was given £30 ticket for obstruction, 2 drivers were given £100 tickets and 3 point on their licence for dangerous use of vehicles and 1 driver given £100 for not wearing a seatbelt.
There is a current crime trend of motorbikes being taken across Thurrock, with PCSO’s Billy Page and JoJo Mitchell recovering a stolen motorbike in Drake road, Chafford hundred on January 24. Locks are being cut, so please keep your motorbikes out of sight and where possible in a secure location.
We have started Operation Mole in order to deter fly-tipping offences across the Thurrock district. If you have any information on persons or vehicles used for fly-tipping please contact ThurrockCommunityPolicingTeam@essex.pnn.police.uk.
On 25 January PC’s Paul Glensman and Rob Watts arrested 2 suspects for theft of fuel from a company in Bulphan after finding the males with large canisters of petrol. The vehicle they were in was seized for being used in crime.
A large quantity of cigarettes and tobacco were seized from a premises in Grays Town Centre on January 26. PC’s Andy Cayless and Paul Armstrong were on a joint operation with Thurrock Council’s Trading Standards and a visit was made after information received that they were being illegally sold at the location.
Our next local community meeting will be held on February 6 from 7pm at West Barn, High House Production Park, Vellacott close, Purfleet, RM19 1RJ. Come along and speak to your local officers about local policing priorities.
Lastly as some of you know Inspector Lee Argent has been moved to a new role at Essex Police headquarters. We wish him all the best in his new role and thank him for the support he gave our team. We would also like to welcome Inspector Paul Ballard as our new governor. Inspector Ballard is new to Community Policing and coming from Harlow but has previously worked in Thurrock, so welcome back Paul!
The community safety partnership are proposing a Public Spaces Protection Order for Grays High Street. Have your say on how we should tackle ASB at:
https://consult.thurrock.gov.uk/portal/tc/env/pp/pspograys
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