Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Reducing Burglary Initiative

Strategic Development Projects

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London, South East, South West, West Midlands and Wales regions

TORBAY

Contact: Carol Jones
Community Safety Officer
Torbay Council
Civic Offices
Castle Circus
Torquay
Devon
TQ1 3DR
(01803) 207154

AMOUNT GRANTED

£71,900

PROJECT AREA

A central ward with a large number of houses of multiple occupancy dwellings, consisting of a mix of hotels and bedsits accommodating income support claimants.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

More than half of the wards burglaries are concentrated in multi-occupancy dwellings. These dwellings also suffer from a high number of thefts. There are known to be a number of drug dependent offenders operating in the area.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Introduce a Crime and Disorder Safety Certificate to improve standards of security in multi-occupancy dwellings.

  • Target harden households that are economically deprived within the target area.

  • Increase the detection of burglary offenders through fitting Home Office alarms to victimised properties identified as being at risk of further victimisation. Alarms will also be targeted at vulnerable properties in areas that have been identified as emerging 'hot spots'.

BRENT

Contact: Maureen Flannery
Senior Community Safety Manager
Room 109
Brent Town Hall
Forty Lane
Wembley
Middlesex HA9 9HD
(0181) 937 1053

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

A densely populated, ethnically diverse area to the South of the Borough. Housing tenure in the area is very mixed, with a large proportion of privately rented, and housing association rented accommodation. It is estimated that up to 20% of the area's population is transient.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Burglars predominantly live in, or close to, the target area, and stolen goods tend to be small and easily transportable. There is some evidence of under reporting of burglary being a problem, and it is also speculated that houses of multiple occupation are disproportionately targeted.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target harden victims of burglary and multi-occupancy dwellings.

  • Develop information systems on stolen goods, and analyse information to inform measures aimed at disrupting the market for stolen goods.

  • Undertake a publicity campaign and property marking in the target area in order to reduce incidents of domestic burglary (including publicity material translated for local ethnic groups).

  • Collect data on patterns of burglary among local ethnic groups, and set up a pilot initiative to work with a small ethnic group.

  • Develop and co-ordinate local data on offenders in target area, and assess the effectiveness of different intervention schemes (provisional).

SOUTHWARK (West Camberwell)

Contact: Guy Valentine-Neil
Neighbourhood Manager
West Camberwell Housing
Castlamead
232 Camberwell Road
London SC5 OED
(0171) 525 5932

AMOUNT GRANTED

£65,000

PROJECT AREA

A large, socially, physically and ethnically diverse inner city area covering two wards. The majority of residents live in council accommodation. Both wards are highly deprived, with an above average number of young residents.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

This area suffered a modest increase in burglary in the 1998-99 financial year. A hot spot analysis of the area revealed a shifting pattern of burglary concentration across the area, with one estate in particular suffering from a sudden increase in burglary incidents. Ground floor properties were most at risk of being burgled, and several estates were highlighted for their poor design which offered poor physical protection and limited surveillance/defensible space.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Establish a lock-fitting service to target harden burglary victims and vulnerable properties.

  • Target harden ground floor premises of vulnerable blocks in target area.

  • Establish a detached youth project.

  • Improve quality of service to victims, in particular victims belonging to vulnerable groups.

  • Develop a problem solving approach to burglary and improve relevant monitoring and communication systems.

SOUTHWARK (Parkside Plus)

Contact: DCI Wayne Smith
Peckham Police Station
177 Peckham High Street
London
SE15 5SL
(0171) 232 7107

AMOUNT GRANTED

£65,000

PROJECT AREA

This initiative covers a large, diverse urban area containing a mix of private (some gentrified) and council accommodation. Housing types vary from large 'slab block' estates to terraced rows.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Though the burglary figures in this area were slightly under twice the national average, it was thought that the under-reporting of burglary was a substantial problem in this area. Across the area as a whole burglary was falling but several hot spots were identified were burglary remained a residual problem. In these areas burglaries against ground level properties were most common.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Correct physical vulnerability of vulnerable estates in target area. More specifically, pilot and test new window locks on one estate.

  • Develop new ways of working with offenders in target area.

  • Develop a problem solving approach to burglary, and improve relevant monitoring and communication systems.

SANDWELL (Yew Tree)

Contact: Sgt. Gary Malpas/Inspector Laurie Dyer
West Midlands Police
West Bromwich Police Station
New Street
West Bromwich
B70 7PJ
(0121) 626 9000

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The estate is comprised of a mix of council and owner-occupied properties. There are some void properties, and local services are poor.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

There is a problem with incivilities and with a fear of crime (and attendant under reporting). There is also a problem with racial incidents. New residents are often targeted by burglars, and offenders are usually unemployed white males who are resident on the estate.

INTERVENTIONS

  • This initiative aims to follow resource intensive police 'Crackdowns' with a structured multi-agency approach to target hardening and crime reduction methods ('Consolidation').

  • Crime prevention information packs to every household on the target estate, together with Smartwater property coding for identified vulnerable premises.

  • The employment of Stealthguard property tracking devices to track stolen property.

  • The eviction of persistent offenders by the Local Authority.

  • The establishment by the Local Authority of protocols with new private developers on the estate with regard to secured by design awards.

  • An architectural liaison survey of the estate.

  • The promotion of neighbourhood watch and cocoon watches.

  • Diversionary work with young people on the estate.

  • Establish a community radio link.

 

SANDWELL (Smethwick)

Contact: DCI Simon Cross
West Midlands Police
Smethwick Police Station
Piddock Road
Smethwick
West Midlands
B66 3BW
(0121) 626 9154

AMOUNT GRANTED

£58,300

PROJECT AREA

The area has a growing ethnic minority population, a declining youth population, and a growing elderly population. It has a high rate of unemployment and welfare dependence. The majority of housing is council and tenant association owned, and is of poor quality.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The area has a high rate of burglary, but little in the way of repeat victimisation. Offenders are mostly local. Forced entry of properties through ground floor windows and doors is common owing to the inadequacy of existing doors and locks.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Undertake a crime reduction awareness programme encouraging households to receive property marking and a home security survey. Also employ positive publicity to reduce fear of crime.

  • Assessment of estate design and management, leading to initiatives to design out crime.

  • Targeted police patrol strategy, concentrating initially on the most prolific offenders supported by strict pre-sentence bail enforcement.

  • The development of crime pattern analysis and a repeat victimisation strategy.

  • The establishment of a rapid response target hardening team.

  • Probation service to work with ex-offenders to manufacture ornamental security grilles that can be used for target hardening as part of the community service order programme.

  • Local authority anti-social team to target action against prolific criminals from the area.

  • Promotion of neighbourhood watch and youth crime prevention panels.

BIRMINGHAM (Selly Oak)

Contact: PC Terry Lewis/Tony Webb
West Midlands Police
Police Station
341 Bournville Lane
Birmingham
B30 1QX
(0121) 626 4142

AMOUNT GRANTED

£62,830

PROJECT AREA

The area has a large number of multi-occupancy dwellings, which are privately rented out to students. Most of the property is Victorian and terraced.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The area suffers from a high turnover of students together with a number of absentee landlords. Consequently there is a regular influx into the area of attractive electrical items which are housed in properties that have very poor security. Chaotic student lifestyles, combined with poor property surveillance, and easy access to properties through rear back alleys, provides ample opportunities for offenders.

INTERVENTION

  • To gate alleyways in the target areas using specially designed self-locking gates.

  • Undertake property marking of all electrical items in target areas.

  • Develop the role of Streetwatch in the target area.

  • Incentivise landlords to upgrade the security of their premises through creation of an approved university accommodation list.

  • To gain data on the transport, storage, and disposal of stolen goods.

BIRMINGHAM (Stirchley)

Contact: Sgt. Nick Keane
West Midlands Police
Kings Heath Police Station
High Street
Kings Heath
Birmingham
B14 7SP
(0121) 626 4188

AMOUNT GRANTED

£58,850

PROJECT AREA

Consists of two hot spot areas within a police beat. Both hot spots are constituted by terraced housing blocks

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

There are two highly vulnerable hot spots where properties are predominantly broken in to from the rear due to ease of access (open rear strips in one 'spot' and open parkland in another).

INTERVENTIONS

  • Undertake a consultation process with residents and establish a management team.

  • Install 136 gates to secure back access route behind terraced properties in the target area.

WOLVERHAMPTON

Contact: DCI A.J. Smith
West Midlands Police
Police Station
Bilston Street
Wolverhampton
WV1 3AA
(01902) 649000

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

Three defined areas within the Borough.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The target areas have suffered from a rapid rise in burglary during the last six months, and this is believed to be linked to a rapid increase in the number of drug addicts, which in turn is related to the sudden halving in the local price of heroin.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Prioritise identified offenders on the basis of where they live and offend, giving priority to offenders who live and offend within the three defined areas.

  • Drug Referral Team to be kept informed by the police of intended arrests.

  • Identify drug-dependent offenders for referral to a Drug Referral Team. Contact to be made with offenders in police cells.

KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA

Contact: Caroline O'Donohue
Community Safety Team
Whitlock House
c/o Kensington Police Station
72-74 Earls Court Road
London
W8 6QE
(0171) 795 6660

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

A single ward within the Borough, with a high number of multi-occupancy dwellings owned by private landlords.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Multi-occupancy dwellings are particularly at risk of burglary, with illegal entry being gained through communal front doors. Once inside these doors burglars may sometimes burgle several flats in one go. The security of such dwellings is often inadequate, with private landlords being unwilling to invest in security equipment. Both repeat victimisation and artifice burglary are significant features of the burglary problem. Some offenders are known to be drug dependent.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Provide pendant alarms to elderly residents to reduce incidents of burglary artifice.

  • Provide crime prevention packs to letting agents and landlords, and publicise benefits of target hardening premises.

  • Target harden the communal front doors of multi-occupancy buildings, as well as individual flats and 50 repeat victimised premises.

  • Increase the effectiveness of agency patrols through employing targeted police patrols, and through training Local Authority parking attendants and street cleaners to look out for suspicious behaviour.

  • Crime Prevention Officers to publicise Neighbourhood Watch, and stimulate the formation of cocoon watches in multi-occupancy buildings.Conduct structured interviews with offenders who have committed burglary in the ward.

COVENTRY (Hillfields)

Contact: DCI Matt Sawyers
West Midlands Police
Police Station
Little Park Street
Coventry
West Midlands
CV1 2JX
(01203) 539022

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,500

PROJECT AREA

A large area with a mix of properties, including high rise blocks, a deprived population, and a high number of drug users.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Though the area has enjoyed some previous target hardening, burglary remains a problem and there is evidence of some displacement into a neighbouring beat. Drug misuse is considered to be a major driver of burglary, with drug dealers accepting stolen goods in exchange for drugs.

INTERVENTIONS

  • To employ and evaluate the Cleveland System (a burglary dwelling behavioural analysis database), against a specific area's burglary problem.

  • To support this initiative through enhancing the quality of collected information through an experimental extension of existing police recording procedures.

  • To identify the most effective coding framework procedure to support crime analysis.

  • To enhance the contribution of forensics to the reduction of burglary.

LAMBETH

Contact: DI Jim Brightwell
Brixton Police Station
367 Brixton Road
London
SW9 7DD
(0181) 649 2033

AMOUNT GRANTED

£56,880

PROJECT AREA

Target area covers four local authority estates, many of which house large refugee communities.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Among members of the refugee communities there is a general distrust of local officialdom and concomitantly a poor rate of burglary reporting. Burglary offences on two of the estates are generally committed by offenders resident on those estates.

INTERVENTIONS

  • To employ rangers to carry out directed patrols on the target estate, to identify incidents of burglary and property damage; and to act as an information and communications link for the police, local authority, and the community.

  • Establish a confidential freephone line to encourage residents to pass on information concerning burglary and related offending to the police.

  • To utilise portable Centinal Security alarms to target harden victimised properties, and to deter/incapacitate burglars either through related publicity or by arrest.

  • The divisional burglary squad to hold weekly surgeries to debrief rangers and to liase with the community.

  • To 'name', 'shame' and evict local authority tenants convicted of burglary and subsequently to publicise successes in order to boost community confidence in the effectiveness of on-going crime reduction methods.

HIGH WYCOMBE

Contact: Inspector George Wrigley
Wycombe Sector Commander
Police Station
Queen Victoria Road
High Wycombe
Bucks
HP11 1BE
(01494) 686039

AMOUNT GRANTED

£141,300

PROJECT AREA

Two electoral wards suffering from severe deprivation.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Offenders are believed predominantly to live locally. The majority of offenders are also reputedly habitual drug users. Offences mostly entail entry being gained via the rear of properties. There is some evidence that potential witnesses do not have enough confidence in local agencies to come forward.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Reduce repeat victimisation through an improved analysis of victim characteristics and through an assessment of the effectiveness of employed target hardening measures.

  • Improve communication with victims over the last 12 months, and with young people and ethnic minorities in the target area with a view to informing a repeat victim policy.

  • Offer target hardening to: repeat victims from the last 12 months; victims of burglary; those who approach the project for assistance; and those residing in identified 'hot spots.'

  • To work with the police burglary team to target and imprison prolific offenders, and to extract information from offenders on their targeting of premises.

  • Utilise Community Action Teams to consult with the public and publicise the initiative, and to plan and implement operations.

  • Expand the existing 'Express Offenders Policy' and the 'Anti-Social Behaviour Policy' to target identified burglars, and to modify their behaviour through multi-agency intervention.

  • Build upon current outreach work in area to raise young people's awareness of drug related crime, and provide alternatives, education and support. To develop youth forums and consult with young people.

  • Employ a researcher/analyst to maintain and develop an innovative Artificial Intelligence system (InvestigAide software). To use this system to analyse burglary data and in turn to inform other elements of this initiative.

HARINGEY

Contact: Ch. Insp. Paul Morris
c/o Community Safety Unit
Civic Centre
High Road
London
N22 8LE
(0181) 862 2654

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

A large and ethnically diverse ward. Overcrowded accommodation, and poor local amenities are features. There is a large number of flats and bedsits and a lot of privately rented accommodation. There is believed to be a large population of students and young adults.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Property offences tend to be clustered in those areas within the ward that offer easy access (and escape), and which are proximate to major through-routes. Offenders seem to come from predominantly outside the target area. The fact that access to properties is gained from the front of houses suggests that territoriality and surveillance in the target area is low.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Undertake a major community involvement initiative. Informing this initiative through further research into the composition and characteristics of the target area. Using this information to in turn inform other elements of the project; To then devise a strategy to re-establish a sense of 'ownership' among residents in the target area utilising a range of social and situational crime prevention measures.

  • Develop and then undertake a series of environmental improvements in the target area with a view to minimising burglary opportunities (improved visibility, better access control etc.).

  • Undertake a major publicity scheme aimed at deterring potential offenders, while enhancing the information, advice and practical support provided to victims by the police.

  • Offer information, advice and practical support to vulnerable residents as identified by Social Services.

OXFORD

Contact: DCI George Turner
St. Aldate's Police Station
St. Aldate's
Oxford
OX1 1SZ
(01865) 266067

AMOUNT GRANTED

£52,000

PROJECT AREA

Consists of a very deprived ward that houses a large number of re-housed homeless people, drug users and students. There are a large number of houses of multiple occupation. The area is relatively anonymous with a high resident turnover.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The area suffers from a high number of low value burglaries and repeat victimisations. Drugs are believed to be a major 'driver', and in particular a lot of offending is attributed to a number of young male heroin addicts who live in the area.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Improve the targeting of prolific offenders through an intelligence-led approach (including offender and victim profiling and crime pattern analysis).

  • Target harden burglary victims and other vulnerable properties (especially 'hard-to-reach communities' such as students and ethnic minorities).

  • Improve security of multi-occupancy dwellings through a registration scheme aimed at encouraging improvements in security, and through target hardening.

  • Disrupt the drugs market through high profile initiatives and an intelligence led approach.

  • To reduce fear of crime by generating publicity to support the above initiatives, and offer advice to targeted communities.

COVENTRY (Bell Green)

Contact: Insp. Bob Owen
West Midlands Police
Police Station
Stoney Stamton Road
Coventry
West Midlands
CV6 5DG
(01203) 539 020

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

A deprived estate on the periphery of Coventry. The majority of houses are local authority owned. One road within this area has been chosen for the initiative, which contains a mix of flats and houses, some of which are empty.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The estates suffers from the intimidation of victims and witnesses. There is also a notable problem of drug dealing and dependency among residents.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Intensively target harden void properties along two small residential streets.

  • To support this activity with environmental improvements and specifically through 'enhanced boundary treatment' and 'access restriction works'.

  • High profile policing in target areas, targeting know offenders utilising the existing 'Reclaim Initiative'.

  • Dedicated police officers to provide support to repeat victims of burglary.

  • Initiative aimed at supporting new tenants, and organising tenant 'moving in' dates so that they coincide with the tail end of periods of high police activity.

  • Further police work to support witnesses, and to develop the use of professional witnesses.

  • Extension of piloted truancy initiatives.

  • Utilisation of Drugs Arrest Referral Worker to work with identified offenders.

ISLINGTON

Contact: DI Tony Fuller
Highbury Vale Police Station
211 Blackstock Road
London
N5
(0171) 421 0601

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The area covers several estates within the borough, with a mixture of private and council owned properties.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

These estates suffer from high rates of both residential and non residential burglary. One estate in particular suffers from high burglary concentration, together with associated incivilities. Flats on the upper walkways of this estate are vulnerable to forced entry, while the estates elderly population are targeted by artifice burglars. The estate is also an active centre for drug dealing and for the marketing of stolen goods.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Identify repeat burglary victims and 'super hotspots' as a basis for targeting a range of situational crime prevention measures (including installing hi-tech video equipment in the homes of repeat victims of artifice burglary).

  • Extend existing arrangements for providing crime prevention advice and support, including the use of advertising to target residents who live in proximity to the site of a recent burglary.

  • Target harden repeat victims (and those victims judged at risk of a further victimisation).

  • Promote property marking.

  • High visibility police patrolling to displace/deter criminals in the target area.

  • Conduct a publicity campaign to deter potential offenders, and encourage the community to provide information on offending.

PLYMOUTH

Contact: Keith Halsey
Community Safety Co-ordinator
Plymouth Community Safety Partnership
Crownhill Police Station
Budshead Way
Crownhill
Plymouth
PL6 5HT
(01752) 751311

AMOUNT GRANTED

£170,700

PROJECT AREA

The seven central wards in Plymouth have over 2000 Houses of Multiple Occupancy. The socio-demographic characteristics of these wards varies widely. One is very deprived, while another consists principally of student accommodation.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

These dwellings account for only 3% of the housing stock, but suffer 20% of burglaries.

INTERVENTIONS

  • To analyse burglary patterns and methods of entries relating to multiple occupancy dwellings.

  • To improve the standards of security in city-centre and university multiple occupancy dwellings. Provide security publicity and advice, and through establishing a Certificate of Home Security and an accompanying inspections regime (through training existing property inspectors).

  • To encourage the formation of neighbourhood watch scheme among residents in multiple occupancy dwellings.

  • Develop a 'reduce your risk of burglary' video aimed at students and young people.

  • Identify and target vulnerable properties through existing Homesafe target hardening scheme.

  • Target harden repeat victims through existing Homesafe scheme.

  • To develop and implement a 'common security standard scheme.'

  • To raise the standards of security in B&B accommodation used to house homeless persons.

CARDIFF

Contact: Chief Inspector Richard Geen
South Wales Police
Rumney Police Station
Newport Road
Rumney
Cardiff
CF3 4FD
(01222) 222111 ext. 31201

AMOUNT GRANTED

£62,200

PROJECT AREA

A relatively new, but isolated estate on the outskirts of Cardiff with a very large child and young adult' population. A large number of residents are dependent on welfare benefits. The houses and flats are small, and the estate has few facilities.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The estate design follows Raburn like principles, combining easy access to properties for offenders, with a relative absence of private territorial space. Furthermore the properties have poor physical security. The estate has declined rapidly, with a growing problem with crime and incivilities. Schools exclusions and truancy are high, while parents exert weak supervision over the estates youth population. Burglary is a problem both on the estate and for the more affluent households that lie along the estate's periphery. A core of active young male offenders from the estate are reputed to be responsible for much of the crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Extend the existing Homesafe scheme in the target area. Offer free replacement of security fittings to victims of burglary and prioritise repeat victims.

  • Develop a co-ordinated and intelligence-led police response to burglary.

  • Set-up a community helpline to provide residents with help and advice about any issue on the estate.

  • Undertake a major community safety awareness campaign.

  • Visit every house in target area to offer post-coding and security advice.

  • Challenging offending behaviour through an education package aimed at secondary schools and excluded pupils (possibly).

  • Establishing an anti-truancy initiative.

  • Develop an education package for parents aimed at providing support and improving parenting skills (possibly).

  • Improve the environment of the target area through regular removal of rubbish and graffiti.

SOLIHULL

Contact: Superintendent. Paul Scarrott
West Midlands Police Force
Police Station
Homer Road
Solihull,
West Midlands
B91 3QL
(0121) 712 6000

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

A local authority ward with a mix of council and privately-owned accommodation. It is a large 'overspill' housing estate suffering multiple economic and social difficulties.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

This area has already enjoyed a substantial drop in burglary, but continues to suffer from a high burglary rate. The area offers easy access to offenders through back alleyways, while the poor standard of window and door locks in the area affords access to properties.

INTERVENTIONS

  • To target harden all properties in vulnerable areas, starting with previously burgled premises.

  • To secure or gate alleyways that are recognised as crime generators.

  • To improve lighting in high risk areas, e.g. street lighting and house lighting for vulnerable elderly residents.

  • To fit electronic access controls to all blocks of maisonettes and flats.

  • To provide safe meeting areas for young people, the minimal facility being a bench and appropriate lighting.

  • To provide sport and leisure facilities for young people in the area.

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STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE EAST MIDLANDS, EAST REGION, YORKSHIRE AND THE HUMBER

EARLESFIELD AND CHERRY ORCHARD ESTATES

Contact: Chief Superintendent Fiona Barber
Lincolnshire Police
Kesteven Area Headquarters
Stonebridge, St. Catherine's Road
Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 9DD
Tel. 01476 562501 x3200

AMOUNT GRANTED

£66,000

PROJECT AREA

No information is provided about the characteristics of the area.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Entry is gained through kicking/forcing insecure doors (windows had been upgraded through target hardening). The majority of the offenders actually live in the intervention areas.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Offender profiling by forensic psychologist-examine 1998 burglary data to identify reasons behind offender actions and specifics of target selection. Will help to target next generation of upcoming burglars on estate

  • Target hardening-replace doors of burgled houses and in dwellings on either side of burgled dwelling

  • Use informants to gain a better understanding of stolen goods market on the estate and target well-known fences

ST. GILES ESTATE, Ref. 5
Contact: Tom Coates, Manager
Urban Challenge
C/O Delta, Lincoln City Council
City Hall
Beaumont Fee
Lincoln LN1 1DJ
Tel. 01522 873454
uban.chal@lcc.datadata.net

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

There are both local authority and privately owned (ex-local authority stock) residences on this estate. There is a high crime area, social deprivation, low educational achievement, high unemployment, lack of community cohesion and local facilities are run down.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Simple environmental problems and poor level of security may be contributing factors in parts of the area when criminal select targets.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Civilian Crime Reduction Officer will be employed and trained to 'Secured by Design' standards. Tasks-survey houses subject to burglary, arrange security upgrades of dwellings to prevent repeat victimisation.

  • Multi-agency approach (Crime Prevention Officer, police, Housing dept.) to tackle anti-social tenants, community policing, targeting unemployment, social exclusion, substance misuse, extending Neighbourhood Watch and cocoon watch

  • Target hardening-houses that have been burgled, are occupied by single parents, are let to newcomers to the estate and are surrounded by voids. Measures will include locks, security lighting and burglar alarms.

  • Intelligence-led policing and consolidation; targeting and arrest of known offenders and handlers

FIRTH PARK/FIRVALE

Contact: Anne Lane, Community Safety Officer
Sheffield City Council
Town Hall
Surrey Street
Sheffield S1 2HH
Tel. 0114 2734019

AMOUNT GRANTED

£123,701

PROJECT AREA

The area has a mixture of private, Council and Housing Association properties. It has a higher than average population of children and ethnic minority residents, mainly Asian. There is a high level of deprivation, above average unemployment, and a high turnover of tenants, giving the area an appearance of not being.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Little information is provided about burglary type. There is a presumed link between drug use and the burglary level.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target hardening at identified residences and property marking.

  • Covert surveillance techniques, including CCTV in 'hot spots' and 'cluster' alarm equipment for use with repeat victims.

  • Multi-agency volume offender and cell intervention pilot project to target offenders particularly with drug problems

  • Research to examine the viability/need of a community worker to address fear of crime and perceptions of crime in the area

MORTON, NORTHFIELDS AND TAILBY ESTATES

Contact: Inspector Ian Coulton
Leicestershire Constabulary, Hamilton Police Station
Colin Grundy Drive
Off Keyham Lane
Leicester LE5 1FY
Tel. 0116 248 5714

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The area is made up of mostly Local Authority housing; there are high numbers of offenders living within the area.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Little information is provided about burglary type. There is a presumed link between drug use and the burglary level.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Survey with structured interviews of all known offenders who have committed offences in the area; how offences were committed and what local activities could address the problem

  • Target hardening-swift secure dwellings of first-time burglary victims and other vulnerable residences (repeat victims, potential victims)

  • Property marking of items and collecting numbers of privately-owned property to be entered on police database

BURLEY, HYDE PARK AND KIRKSTALL

Contact: Sean Tunstall
West Yorkshire Police Force
Millgarth Police Station
Milgarth Street
Leeds LS2 7HX
Tel. 01132 413031

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The area population is predominantly students and young people living in Victorian terrace housing.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

A majority of the burglaries have no forced entry-this has not been reduced despite traditional crime prevention information campaigns.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target hardening-identify multi-occupancy/shared housing and install/upgrade doors to a minimum specification to prevent sneak-ins/walk in burglaries

  • Conventional crime prevention publicity campaign aimed at target audience

BELLE ISLE AND MIDDLETON

Contact: David Cooper, Detective Inspector
West Yorkshire Police
Holbeck Division
10 Burton Street
Leeds LS11 5EF
Tel. 0113 2414680

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The area is comprised of Local Authority, Housing Association and owner occupied housing. There are high levels of social deprivation and unemployment. Educational achievement for young people is low.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Most burglaries are committed by forcing window frames (29%), smashing window panes (21%), forcing doors (15%) and smashing door window panes (11%). Of the offenders, 75% are aged 18 or 19 and live in the area. Many of the houses are adjacent to open fields, particularly the back of the properties. There are a high number of untaxed and unroadworthy vehicles in the area, used by burglars to commit their crimes and transport stolen property.

INTERVENTIONS

Target hardening:

  • Install fencing in rear gardens, especially in 'hot spot' areas; reduce or remove private hedge borders

  • Upgrade street-lighting in 'hot spot' areas, including vandal proofing

  • Remove and dispose of all untaxed/unroadworthy vehicles (through relevant legislation and existing local procedures)

PEARTREE

Contact: Keith Collett, Community Safety Officer
Derby City Council
The Council House
Corporation Street
Derby DE1 2FS
Tel. 01332 256160

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

This is an inner-city area with a high ethnic minority population. Most of the property is privately owned or rented.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Burglary has been a main problem for many years, especially during the last seven.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Specific techniques of prevention were not addressed; the process by which burglary reduction would be achieved was emphasised.

  • Develop an anti-burglary, multi-agency community task force led by a Burglary Reduction Co-ordinator

  • The task force will initiate small local projects using neighbourhood watch, victim support, private landlord forum, and so on

  • A program of target hardening will be carried out focusing on victims, neighbours of victims (cocooning) and self referrals

  • A GIS mapping system will be developed to assist with multi-agency work

BROOMHILL

Contact: Anne Lane, Community Safety Officer
Sheffield City Council
Town Hall
Surrey Street
Sheffield S1 2HH
Tel. 0114 2734019

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,319

PROJECT AREA

The housing is a mixture, from Victorian terraces, semis and large detached houses, to local authority blocks of flats. Many of the households are multi-occupancy dwellings, leading to a high turnover in the residence population. There is a high percentage of clusters of students (many of whom are from overseas), and a low level of deprivation. There are 3 hospitals and a university nearby, leading to a high number of people in the area during the day.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The area attracts burglars from other areas of the city.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target hardening at identified residences and property marking

  • Covert surveillance techniques, such as mobile CCTV and tracking devices in 'hot spots', and 'cluster' alarm equipment for use with repeat victims.

  • Multi-agency volume offender and cell intervention pilot project to target offenders' different needs, such as housing, education/training/employment opportunities, drug/ alcohol dependency; target repeat offenders, promote drug reduction strategies

BURNGREAVE, EARL MARSHALL AND PITSMOOR

Contact: Anne Lane, Community Safety Officer
Sheffield City Council
Town Hall
Surrey Street
Sheffield S1 2HH
Tel. 0114 2734019

AMOUNT GRANTED

£157,585

PROJECT AREA

The area is predominantly council rented properties. Many properties are voided and difficult to let, and there are general signs of disorder. There is a high mix of both Afro-Caribbean and Asian populations, and high levels of social deprivation (unemployment, single parent families, infant mortality).

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Little information is provided about burglary type.

INTERVENTIONS

  • 'Broken windows' approach- fixing street lamps, cutting back shrubs, removing litter. Street caretakers-visible presence, act as contact with local residents, and feed information back to the police and local housing officers

  • Crime prevention survey for all burglary victims

  • Cocoon watch and neighbourhood watch

  • Train more Victim Support workers-provide advice and assistance in securing households

  • Target hardening-for repeat victims. Install CCTV, alarms, traceable electrical items

  • Prolific offenders will be subject to a range of options, such as surveillance and targeting once identified, use of cell intervention, access to drug referral worker, truancy orders

BUTTERSHAW, BRADFORD

Contact: Inspector Paul Jeffrey
West Yorkshire Police
The Tyrls
61 Hallings
Bradford BD1 5SG
Tel. 01274 373523

AMOUNT GRANTED

£81,400

PROJECT AREA

The housing stock is comprised of post war local authority owned properties, privately owned and private rented accommodation. It is socially and economically deprived, has a high unemployment level and has limited recreational facilities. There is a predominantly white European working class resident population, but also an increasing number of Indian subcontinent residents.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

There are high levels of drug dealing and drug misuse linked to acquisitive crime. There are also high levels of youth disaffection and offending.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Continue and develop the repeat victimisation scheme-faster responseIncrease target hardening to areas identified as being vulnerable to burglary

  • Reduce youth offending-provide a multi-agency co-ordinated response to locally identified crime problems; linked with the Youth Offending Team

  • Develop community based watch schemes and crime reduction interventions

  • Develop the level and quality of actionable criminal intelligence generated from within the community Increase proactive targeting of known burglars/handling offenders in the area

GREAT HORTON AND SCHOLEMOOR

Contact: Inspector Brian Langford
Odsal Police
Wittex House
Odsal
Bradford BD6 1BW
Tel. 01274 376255

Inspector Paul Jeffrey
Lowcroft Police
Lilycroft Road
Bradford BD9 5AF
Tel. 01274 376619

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

Scholemoor is a council estate made up of semi-detached houses. Great Horton is made up of privately owned, rented turn-of-the-century terraces and some detached properties.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

A number of offenders live on the Scholemoor estate. Drug abuse is a problem, with burglaries conducted to fund drug dependency. It is believed that offenders who travel in from Scholemoor commit the burglaries in Great Horton.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target Hardened 'Show House'-a neighbourhood housing office will be fitted with low budget methods of security, such as strengthening door/window frames, suitable bolts. This will be a permanent crime prevention exhibit and will be advertised to encourage residents to help themselves.

  • Security audit will be conducted to gauge the need for improved security; it will be done with the help of local community members

  • Continue and develop intelligence-led proactive policing to target known burglars in the area.

  • Use Crime Pattern Analysis to identify 'soft targets'; multi-agency approach to reduce the vulnerability of properties

ASHBOURNE ROAD SOUTH

Contact: Keith Collett, Community Safety Officer
Derby City Council
The Council House
Corporation Street
Derby DE1 2FS
Tel. 01332 256160

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

This is an old inner city area where many houses have been converted into flats and bedsits, and are mainly owned by private landlords. The student population is a significant percentage of dwellers and victims.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Little information is provided about burglary type.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Develop a multi-agency anti-burglary task force, representing statutory, voluntary, resident and student/university representatives (work to be co-ordinated by the Burglary Reduction Co-ordinator). They will initiate small scale local projects through neighbourhood watch, victim support, private landlord forum, university student services, etc

  • A program of target hardening will be carried out focusing on victims, neighbours of victims (cocooning) and self referrals

  • A GIS mapping system will be developed to assist with multi-agency work

OVENDEN, HALIFAX

Contact: Chief Inspector Christopher Hardern, Community Safety Co-ordinator
West Yorkshire Police, Halifax Division
Richmond Close
Halifax HX1 5TW
Tel. 01422 393125/337018

AMOUNT GRANTED

£142,170

PROJECT AREA

The Local Authority owns 30% of the housing in the area.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

A significantly high numbers of offenders live in the ward.

INTERVENTIONS

Target hardening:

  • Burglary specific crime prevention information will be provided to all households

  • Renovations and new houses will be built to 'Secured by Design' standards

  • Basic security measures will be offered to all burglary victims and vulnerable residents

Support for vulnerable victims and witnesses:

  • Initiative whereby repeat victims living in Local Authority houses will be offered enhanced security measures (they will receive an alarm for 6 weeks and then will be encouraged to buy their own)

  • Direct telephone line to a call centre who will then contact the police on their behalf

Develop a support network for witnesses

Intelligence led targeting of offenders:

  • Provide support for existing, and develop new community groups

  • Develop informant networks

TODMORDEN

Contact: Chief Inspector Christopher Hardern, Community Safety Co-ordinator
West Yorkshire Police, Halifax Division
Richmond Close
Halifax HX1 5TW
Tel. 01422 393125 /337018

AMOUNT GRANTED

£31,400

PROJECT AREA

There is mixed housing in the area, with local authority and privately owned properties, and is a short distance from the town centre.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Some problems may come from travelling criminals but the majority of them live in the area. They commit all types of burglaries, including 'sneak ins'.

INTERVENTIONS

Target hardening premises:

  • Provide all households with crime prevention information (awareness campaign); Identify vulnerable properties and offer basic security measures to all burglary victims

  • renovations and new houses to be built to 'Secured by Design' standards

Support for vulnerable victims and witnesses:

  • repeat victims living in Local Authority properties to be offered enhanced security measures(they will receive an alarm for 6 weeks and then will be encouraged to buy their own)

  • Direct telephone line to a call centre who will then contact the police on their behalf

Intelligence led targeting of offenders:

  • provide support for existing and develop new community groups

  • intelligence sharing between organisations

RAWMARSH

Contact: Tim Hawkins, Policy Officer
R.M.B.C.
Community Safety Unit
Community Regeneration
Civic Buildings
Walker Place
Rotherham S65 1UF
Tel. 01709 382121 Ext. 2883

Insp. M.Chiddey, Community Safety Officer
South Yorkshire Police
Community Safety Unit
Community Regeneration
Civic Buildings
Walker Place
Rotherham S65 1UF
Tel. 01709 382121 Ext. 2883

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The area is predominantly residential on the edge of Rotherham. Dwellings are a mix of Local Authority rented (mostly 1930's semi-detached) and some privately owned/rented properties (semi-detached and terraces). Drugs misuse is a main concern. There are also high levels of deprivation. Most of the households are families or single elderly people.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

It is believed that burglary is drug related in this area.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Offer victims immediate target hardening and advice through Keepsafe project

  • Develop links between prevention and detection through police use of offender-profiling; focus on intelligence-led policing

  • Liase with social landlords to develop security improvements for vulnerable residents

  • Link burglary prevention work with other local interventions

  • Victim Support, school sand the housing department can all help to make the public aware of simple crime prevention methods

DALLOW

Contact: Andrew Elvin, Co-ordinator or Sergeant Simon Daize
Safer Luton Partnership
6 Cardiff Road
Luton
Bedfordshire LU1 1PP
Tel. 01582 480770
saferluton.partnership@virgin.net

AMOUNT GRANTED

£70,200

PROJECT AREA

There is mainly small Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses in this area. There are passages between each pair of houses that gives access to the back of properties. The ward is characterised by high deprivation and unemployment

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

As a result of the nature of the layout of the houses and streets, offenders are able to gain access to numerous houses ('garden-hopping) via the rear of the properties and remain out of site while committing burglaries. The football ground in the area may also be a significant risk factor for burglary as it attracts a large number of young males into the area.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target hardening to repeat victimisation premises (both as per Homesafe burglary initiative, i.e. gates, locks, lights)

  • Gating of identified streets in order to create a 'ring of steel' to bolster the protection for the whole street

STONESFERRY/BRANSHOLME

Contact: Sarah Pearson, Manager or Brian Kelly, Police Liaison Sergeant
Hull Community Safety Partnership
The Guildhall, Room 10
Alfred Gelder Street
Kingston Upon Hull HU1 2AA
Tel. 01482 615022
sarah.pearson@cmtclerk.hullcc.gov.uk

AMOUNT GRANTED

£135,880

PROJECT AREA

The 2 areas contain local authority and private housing - the boundary between them is not obvious. Both areas also have privately rented dwellings. Road access is to the back of the houses, which typically have high fences on both sides, and a pedestrian walkway access to the front. There is limited natural surveillance at either end of the houses.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Burglars gain entry to dwelling by sneaking in or through forced entry. The front door is the most popular entry point, followed by the rear door and windows

INTERVENTIONS

  • Stage 1-'Selectamark' provided to every household in SDP area; high profile publicity of anti-burglary initiative in local media; enhancement of Neighbourhood Watch schemes

  • Stage 2-Free target hardening for all victims of burglary in the area (fitting a basic minimum level of home security such as new window locks, door chains, window alarms, door bleepers, etc); support from Victim Support Scheme and Community Beat Officer

  • Stage 3-Police Crime Prevention Officer to visit all repeat victims; enhanced target hardening to be fitted as required; consideration given to fitting a monitored alarm system

LENTON AND LENTON TRIANGLE

Contact: Paul Marshall-Day, Project Co-ordinator
Nottingham City Council
Department of Housing Services
14 Hounds Gate
Nottingham NG1 7BA
Tel. 0115 915 5555
Paul.Hull@Nottinghamcity.gov.uk

AMOUNT GRANTED

£167,300

PROJECT AREA

The houses in the area were built at the turn of the century and were not designed with defensible space in mind. They are in short terraces, with access to the back via passages between the terraces. Students in multi-occupancy dwellings appear to be the most common victims of burglary. The area is generally run down.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Most of the burglars gain entrance via rear ground windows. Passages between the houses lead to poorly-lit back alleys which offer good cover for burglars and help their escapes. Many of the houses are left empty during university vacations.

INTERVENTIONS

  • An awareness/education package will be produced and targeted at students and their landlords (preventative measures, UV pens for post-coding, virtues of student watch)

  • Prioritise crime victims-implement physical security measures and high visibility policing; work with Victim Support to provide more local assistance

  • Security gates for vulnerable shared premises entries and improved lighting

  • Police to target known offenders through surveillance

TOP VALLEY AND BESTWOOD PARK

Contact: Paul Marshall-Day, Project Co-ordinator
Nottingham City Council
Department of Housing Services
14 Hounds Gate
Nottingham NG1 7BA
Tel. 0115 915 5555
Paul.Hull@Nottinghamcity.gov.uk

AMOUNT GRANTED

£277,200

PROJECT AREA

The Top Valley estate has a Radburn layout-car access and garages are at the edges of housing, front doors are reached by a network of alleyways. Natural surveillance is limited and lighting is poor. Dustbin shelters are being used as climbing platforms and the wheelie bins are used to cart stolen goods away.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

It appears that the current features of the Top Valley estate facilitate crime. 'Highly predatory multigenerational extended families' intimidate others on the estate, driving many out in order to make housing available for other family members.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Repeat victims and vulnerable residents to receive burglar alarms

  • Produce a crime prevention leaflet

  • Use of covert tracking devices and portable tracking unit - would help to obtain evidence against burglars and to identify handlers and disposers of stolen property

  • Shared pathways & alleyways to be gated; Increase lighting in the rear of houses & flats

  • Use of highly visible uniformed patrols in hot spot dwelling areas-to reassure the public and prevent crime

QUEENSWAY, WELLINGBOROUGH

Contact: Superintendent Ken Willis, Police Area Commander
Northamptonshire Police, Eastern Area Police Headquarters
Police Station
Midland Road
Wellingborough NN8 1HF
Tel. 01933 304000

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

There is a maze of alleyways between buildings that assists in moving through the Estate without using the road or main pathways.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Persons previously arrested and dealt with for house burglaries have had a current drug problem. MO's used by these persons and others have included the smashing of front door glass or arm through the letterbox in order to turn the Yale lock. On other occasions both front and rear door panels have been smashed in order to gain entry.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Property marking campaign-organisation of displays near 'hot spot' areas where engraving facilities, UV Marker pens and crime prevention information have been provided

  • Expansion of security package-security measures for properties around attacked premises

  • Continued targeting of offenders and intelligence-led policing

  • Media campaign through the local paper and radio station to encourage people from the estate to talk about crime, drugs, etc.

  • Assess and implement environmental/design features on estate (improved lighting, walkway closures, creation of defensible areas)

EAST WARD, PETERBOROUGH

Contact: Inspector David Harvey
Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Thorpe Wood Police Station
Londthorpe, Peterborough PE3 6SD
Tel. 01733 424414

AMOUNT GRANTED

£76,000

PROJECT AREA

This is one of the most deprived areas in the city. The housing stock is a combination of older style Local Authority, privately rented and owner occupied houses. There is a higher than average ethnic minority population, a substantial permanent site for traveler families and a number of properties designated for seniors.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Little information is available about the burglary problem. Research will be necessary to explore the presumed links between drug use, youth offending and domestic burglary.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Interventions with young people to tackle perceived increasing drug problem in the area-Drug/alcohol worker to liaise with police to reinforce existing drug referral system; link this system with Guardian Awareness Program

  • Interventions to make young offenders aware of the impact of their activity on vulnerable members of the community, in line with reparation schemes-work with youths on the fringes of the criminal justice system, truants, those excluded from school and those in the care of Social Services

  • Continuation and extension of the repeat victimisation program to become more proactive; increase level of knowledge of home security

^ Back to top ^


STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE NORTH EAST AND NORTH WEST REGIONS

STOCKPORT, GREATER MANCHESTER

Contact: William Bradshaw, Head of Policy Planning
Stockport Council
Tel. 0161 474 3011

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,200

PROJECT AREA

Edgeley South has predominantly private sector, back-to-back, pre-1914 housing; a large proportion of properties are privately rented. Residents here are predominantly 'long stay' elderly or 'new' young first time buying couples. Bridgehall/Adswood has predominantly public sector housing with some Housing Association property and a number of privately owned properties. Adswood/Davenport has a mix of post-war public and inter-war private sector housing. There are high levels of deprivation in all 3 beats, including high levels of benefit dependency, unemployment, educational achievement and health problems.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The location of Bridgehall acts to attract external crime. It is an isolated estate separated from the surrounding area by two railway lines, with access limited to one road and one footbridge. Resident turnover in the Bridgehall/Adswood area is as high as 40% which enables the preservation of anonymity and acts as an attraction for internal crime.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target hardening existing repeat victim's and new victim's properties

  • Increased publicity

  • Use of ex-offenders for intelligence purposes; tackling offending behaviour

  • Engaging the community through a resident's survey and consultation exercise

  • Proactive identification of households vulnerable to burglary but not yet burgled, using evidence from the survey and assessment based on known factors contributing to burglary, site visit etc. Where appropriate, a problem solving, multi-agency co-ordinated response to target harden property to prevent burglary from happening"

LIVERPOOL

Contact: Alison O'Shaughnessy, Project Secretariat
Community Safety Team
Central Policy Unit, City Council
4th Floor, Millennium House
60 Victoria Street
Liverpool, L1 6JJ
Tel. 0151 233 6727
ally@cix.co.uk

AMOUNT GRANTED

£64,300

PROJECT AREA

The area targeted is comprised of terraced houses that have alleys to the rear of the properties. Free access to the alleys gives rise to opportunities for burglary.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The physical layout of the area lends itself to the committal of burglaries. The point of entry is usually to the rear of the properties via the back alleys.

INTERVENTIONS

  • An alley-gating scheme has been adopted to restrict access to the alleys

  • A target hardening programme is being implemented to increase the security of the properties themselves

  • To address the social issues, an important contribution of the initiative will be to work with ex-offenders, providing them with, amongst other things, pre-employment training.

FITTON HILL AND BARDSLEY

Contact: Fiona Meechan or Ruth Fairhurst
Tel. 0161 911 4982 0161 911 4189
CE.Meechan@oldham.gov.uk

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

Houses in this area are a mixture of older terraced properties and 1950s housing stock. The latter have been subject to recent investment and physical regeneration and are considered to be in 'good condition.' The outline did not specify whether the design of these houses included any crime promoters such as alley ways. Some properties have gained a poor reputation and are difficult to let.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The area in recent years has had a level of burglary that is over twice the national average, and has had the highest rate in the Oldham division for three years running. There is some evidence to show that those who are involved in domestic burglary are also involved in 'burglary other', particularly in respect of school premises; substance misuse and drug dealing; and anti-social behaviour. There also appears to be an internal market for stolen goods in some areas.

INTERVENTIONS

  • physical target hardening of properties

  • the fostering of Home Watch schemes

  • offender based interventions

  • the disruption of the market for stolen goods

STOCKTON, INNER STOCKTON

Contact: Mike Batty,
Head of Community Safety and Security
Security Centre
Stockton-On-Tees TS18 1TE
Tel. 01642 391198

AMOUNT GRANTED

£101,400

PROJECT AREA

The area consists of older properties with newer redevelopment, and has a mixture of housing tenure (local authority, housing association, large scale private landlord, small scale private landlord, and owner-occupied). The population falls into low income groups and contains high proportions of elderly people, people from ethnic minorities and an increasing number of students.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

In the calendar years 1997 and 1998 the level of burglaries in the area was running at between three and four times the average level for the police district.

INTERVENTIONS

  • further detailed crime pattern analysis

  • work in schools

  • property marking

  • mobile CCTV

  • hire covert vehicles

  • 'sting' operations

  • community involvement / publicity

DEEPLISH, NEWBOLD, ROCHDALE

Contact: PC Ian White, Community Safety Officer
Crime Management Unit
Rochdale Police Station
The Holme
Rochdale OL16 1AG
Tel. 0161 856 8446

AMOUNT GRANTED

£55,000

PROJECT AREA

The target area is populated by a high percentage of ethnic minority groups, predominantly Bangladeshi, Pakistani and other Asian. Consequently the SDP considers it vital to have interpretation facilities available at all stages of the project.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Domestic burglaries have taken place at various times of the day and night, but the risk in Deeplish seems to be at 4am. It is significant also that the risk increases again during the evening period between the hours of 6pm and 10pm. Research has shown that over 50% of all properties burgled have been via a rear ground floor window, approximately 25% via a rear door, with the remaining 25% by way of the front of the property.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target hardening of homes that have been subject to burglary will be implemented, reinforced by a wider campaign to raise awareness of crime prevention amongst the community

  • The project has made connections between drug misuse and burglary and have incorporated an arrest referral system into the strategy.

BURNLEY, BURNLEY WOOD

Contact: Anne Mullin, Adrian Leather or Lucy May
Community Safety Unit
Burnley Borough Council
Town Hall
Burnley
Lancashire BB11 1JA
Tel. 01282 457 042

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The target area suffers with problems of urban decay characterised by many empty and derelict properties, attracting crime problems including arson and vandalism. It also attracts many 'problem residents'. The housing is traditional terraced linked by a network of poorly lit back alleyways, which act to promote domestic burglary.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The make up of the area is conducive to the perpetration of crimes such as burglary.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Both properties and surrounding streets will be physical target hardened; priority will be afforded to victims of previous crimes in an attempt to reduce repeat victimisation

  • Offender based interventions-diversion schemes, drug outreach programme, and the 'naming and shaming' of offenders.

  • Community intervention-landlord initiative, and the provision of crime prevention advice

  • The project will also work to disrupt the market for stolen goods.

RUSHOLME (MANCHESTER)

Contact: Chief Inspector Andy Holt
South Manchester
Sub-divisional Headquarters
Greenheys Police Station
Charles Halle Road, Moss Side
Manchester M15 6NP
Tel. 0161 856 4403

AMOUNT GRANTED

£47,150

PROJECT AREA

The majority of students in the area live in privately rented terraced houses. These houses are connected by networks of alleyways that provide offenders with an easy and concealed access to the rear of dwellings.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Over 50% of burglary victims in the target area are students. The SDP have therefore focused on the problems experienced by this group. The student burglary problem is compounded by the 'burglar-attractive' items that student houses contain and the fact these properties are left empty during university holidays.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Physical crime prevention-target hardening of properties and the area surrounding them

  • Situational crime measures will include alley-gating and improvements to street lighting. This will be supported by the dissemination of crime prevention advice through leaflets and public meetings held at the universities. An innovative approach taken is the provision of a secure store for student property on campus during vacations.

LADYBARN, MANCHESTER

Contact: Supt. Steve Westcott
Greater Manchester Police
Tel. 0161 856 6101

AMOUNT GRANTED

£59,315

PROJECT AREA

There is a diverse mixture of housing in the Ladybarn area. Students living in multi-occupancy private rented accommodation represent a significant transient population.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Almost 50% of burglary victims over the past three years have been students. A fresh influx of students annually, the standard of housing in which they live and the abundance of 'burglar-attractive' items in student homes provides 'rich and easy pickings' for the burglar.

INTERVENTIONS

  • target hardening-attention will be paid to repeat victimisation

  • situational crime prevention e.g. poor street lighting and estate layouts and escape routes

  • offender targeting

  • Crime Prevention education is to be employed

HARTLEPOOL BELLE VUE/RIFT HOUSE ESTATE

Contact: Alison Mawson
Hartlepool Borough Council
Municipal Buildings
Church Square
Hartlepool TS24 7EQ
Tel. 01429 523 473

AMOUNT GRANTED

£65,000

PROJECT AREA

The area consists of approximately 60% private and 40% public housing. There is very little multiple occupation as houses are small. A large part of the area is Victorian terraced housing with mixed privately rented and owner-occupied tenure. The local authority stock has some semis, some blocks of 4 and some flats. The level of deprivation is high and significantly above the national average.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The Hartlepool area was identified as having one of the highest burglary rates in town.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Diversionary schemes for young people

  • Education and awareness

  • Target hardening - Selectamark, alley-gaters, improved security for vulnerable people

  • Anti-burglary co-ordinators/support worker for the area

TOWN EAST/WEST

Contact: Collin Galloway
Middlesbrough Police Station
Dunning Road
Middlesbrough TS1 2AR
Tel. 01642 303368

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,510

PROJECT AREA

The housing stock in the area is predominantly small two storey terraced houses built in the early part of the century. The project is based in the main area of student housing and is directed primarily at the student population.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The domestic burglaries in the area represent 22% of all burglaries in the District. Six streets within the target area account for 28% of student victim burglaries. 77% of the student victim burglaries gained entry through a rear door or window.

INTERVENTIONS

  • disrupting offending

  • resident offender limitation

  • introduction of community orientated problem solving

  • opportunity reduction

  • a partnership/accreditation scheme with landlords and the University which is innovative

AYRESOME

Contact: Collin Galloway
Middlesbrough Police Station
Dunning Road
Middlesborough TS1 2AR
Tel. 01642 303368

AMOUNT GRANTED

£47,200

PROJECT AREA

The area consists of 2-storey, semi-detached terrace houses from the early part of this century.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

8 streets in the area account for 40% of burglaries (6 of the streets are in one small area). 55% of the total premises burgled were entered via a rear door or window.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Reduce the opportunity to commit crime-target hardening, property marking, publicity

  • Limit the offending behaviour of residents-Anti-social Behaviour Orders, evictions

  • Disrupting offending through surveillance, 'sting' operation, informants, stop/search

  • Introduce community orientated problem solving

  • Create 'Friends against Crime' scheme (sort of mini-Neighbourhood Watch)-will use mobile phones for gathering information

GROVE HILL

Contact: Collin Galloway
Middlesbrough Police Station
Dunning Road
Middlesbrough TS1 2AR
Tel. 01642 303368

AMOUNT GRANTED

£66,000

PROJECT AREA

The area is comprised of 1940s council housing which are predominantly semi-detached and terrace houses. The local authority owns over 70% of the properties.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Burglary in the area is concentrated in 20 streets. Twenty percent of the burglaries are 'walk-ins' and 50% gain entry through a rear door or window. A majority of the offenders live locally.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Reduce the opportunity to commit burglaries-target hardening, mobile alarms, publicity

  • Limit offending behaviour of residents-Anti-social Behaviour Orders, evictions

  • Disrupt offending-surveillance, 'sting' operation, informants, stop/search

  • Introduce community orientated problem solving

  • Introduce 'Friends against Crime' scheme (sort of mini-Neighbourhood Watch)-will use mobile phones to gather information

BURNLEY, STONEYHOLME AND DANEHOUSE

Contact: Anne Mullin, Adrian Leather or Lucy May
Community Safety Unit
Burnley Borough Council
Town Hall
Burnley
Lancashire BB11 1JA
Tel. 01282 457042

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

Stoneyholme and Daneshouse have more lone parents, unemployed, and individuals on income support than any other Burnley ward, and one of the highest levels in Lancashire. Thirty eight percent of the residents are from ethnic minorities. Housing in the area is primarily cheap owner occupied or property rented privately or from the housing association. Many properties are derelict and/ or empty

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

This area has consistently been the residential district with the third or forth highest crime rate over the last six years. Design features such as a network of back alleys and absent back street lighting make burglaries easier to commit and get away with.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target hardening of repeat properties

  • Visits to victims to offer advice

  • Support for neighbourhood watch schemes, (particularly amongst ethnic minorities)

  • Targeting identified offenders (including naming and shaming)

  • Improving drugs services

  • Community involvement; and environmental improvements such as tackling as graffiti and vandalism

ROSSENDALE-NORTH CENTRAL BACUP

Contact: David Taylor
Housing and Environmental Health Department
Town Hall
Rawtenstall
Rossendale
Lancashire BB4 7LZ
Tel. 01706 217 777 x318

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The area consists of low rise flats and houses either owner occupied or rented social housing. Burglary contributes to the high turnover of residents-council properties here have a higher turnover than in the rest of the borough. However it is unclear how the connection is made between tenure, turnover and victimisation.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

'Sneak in' burglaries account for 15% of all recorded burglaries and 85% of these occur in privately owned properties.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target hardening, prioritising repeat victims, will be employed along with situational measures-improving lighting, blocking escape routes.

  • Innovative devices, mobile trackers that can be attached to electrical equipment, will track stolen property to the point of re-sale, providing market intelligence and enabling the detection of offenders

  • The Partnership will examine how savings from Community Safety initiatives, such as reduced rent loss on empty properties, can be reinvested into further initiatives.

WIGAN SHACKERLEY

Contact: Phil Harrison
Tel. 01942 827511

AMOUNT GRANTED

£61,150

PROJECT AREA

The SDP is comprised of a single police beat within which there are two distinct areas that vary substantially in their social and economic makeup.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The beat area has had a consistently high rate of domestic burglary for the past three years.

INTERVENTIONS

The project aims to manage and develop these initiatives through a joint community/agency partnership structure. This structure encompasses four main areas of work:

  • Situational Crime Prevention - repeat victimisation will be reduced by police visits, security upgrades and property marking - street lighting will be improved and there are plans for mobile security patrols -

  • Enforcement Strategy - targeting know offenders - setting up a telephone hotline - disrupting the market for stolen goods.

  • Young People at Risk - drugs education programme - 'Teenmeet' (provision of meeting places for teenagers - junior youth club work.

  • Community confidence building - production of a regular newsletter - setting up a 'community house' to act as an information centre and a base for police surgeries - provide general crime prevention information.

WIRRAL, BALANTYNE, BEECHWOOD

Contact: Chief Inspector Matthews
Merseyside Police
Tel. 0151 777 2201

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The target area is not described.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

A drug problem appears to be the root cause of domestic burglary, and although the rate is still high it is less than it was during a 1980's heroin epidemic.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Police will continue to use their existing dedicated burglary and drugs teams

  • Crime will still be 'designed out' wherever possible

  • Target hardening and property marking will be introduced to the area for the first time as part of this bid

  • 'Neighbour Nuisance' (Housing) will be given added support

  • An existing drug referral role will be expanded to cover alcohol abuse (part time Outreach worker for 'U-turn' project).

  • A cyber café will be the focal point of the bid

LANCASTER- MORECAMBE

Contact: PC Glen Oldham
Lancaster Police Office
Thurnham Street
Lancaster LA1 1YB
Tel. 01524 596 738

AMOUNT GRANTED

£53,600

PROJECT AREA

The area is comprised of a large number of low quality, multi-occupancy accommodations formerly used by the tourism industry, which in recent years has attracted an imported, transient and largely unemployed population. The ward is described as an area of urban deprivation.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The MO of many burglaries includes details that the aggrieved persons have been away for a period on holiday or the flat was empty and not checked for a while. This indicates a level of local knowledge by the offenders. In 47% of the burglaries, entry was gained at the rear of premises via alleys either by breaking windows, forcing back doors or finding an insecure window, door or boarding.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Target hardening-increase police presence in vulnerable areas; implement cocoon watch; use of baby alarms to allow neighbours to monitor vacant houses; the use of peer pressure to persuade landlords to upgrade security

  • Deter offenders- implement a building registration scheme that registers landlords and imposes conditions on tenants, which if violated may lead to eviction. Burglars are being indirectly targeted by disruption of the market for stolen goods. The new police shift system allows more focused use of patrols-which in turn impacts on targeting of persistent offenders, repeat victimisation, and the outlets of stolen goods.

  • A partnership approach between the Police, Lancaster City Council and the NHS drugs and alcohol team, has provided community nurses who will be based/work in the custody office of Morecambe Police station. They will work with offenders to prevent re-offending- track individuals detained at Morecambe police station who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol and assists them where possible.

GATESHEAD BENSHAM

Contact: Superintendent Nichol
Northumbria Police, Gateshead East Area Command
High West Street
Gateshead NE8 1BN
Tel. 0191 454 7555 Ext. 64123

AMOUNT GRANTED

£106,000

PROJECT AREA

The Bensam area is characterised by dense terraced housing which is a mix of owner occupied, local authority rented and private absentee landlord rented accommodation. Poor quality housing, high levels of unemployment, difficult environmental features and a transient local population are factors that collectively have resulted in high levels of crime. In addition, there is a local Jewish population of about 4,000 people.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Bensham has a burglary per household ratio three times higher than the national average. Most burglaries occur when force is used to rear windows and doors.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Offender-based strategies

  • Target hardening

  • Environmental work

  • Community development

  • Work with media

NEWCASTLE JESMOND

Contact: Supt. Robert Pattison
Northumbria Police
Newcastle North Area Command
Gosforth Police Station
Hawthorn Road
Newcastle Upon Tyne NE3 4EH
Tel. 0191 221 8523

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

There is relatively desirable housing in the area (the general quality of the properties is high), with a large number of students. There are no arrested burglars live in Jesmond.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

90.7% of all burglaries were committed against terraced premises. The street layout is such that almost without exception, each premises is accessible via a rear lane, which have very poor lighting. The most common method of gaining entry is via an insecure rear door.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Essentially, this is a target hardening scheme.

  • Community Action Team

  • Target hardening

  • Selectamark

  • Raising awareness - students + landlords; through seminars, and will continue

  • Neighbourhood Watch

  • Use of new technical equipment (covert cameras and computers) to record images and sends them back directly to police force (able to watch vulnerable areas while in the office)

SOUTH TYNESIDE ALL SAINTS, SOUTH SHIELDS

Contact: Detective Chief Inspector J. Reynolds
Northumbria Police
Tel. 0191 454 7555 x 65041 Direct 0191 563 5041

AMOUNT GRANTED

£60,000

PROJECT AREA

The housing stock in the area is predominantly privately owned terrace flats.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

Terraced flats were the main type of property targeted by burglars in 1998 (33%). Overall, 55% of the propertied burgled in 1998 were privately owned. The method of entry was largely dictated by the design of the dwelling. Almost 80% of the terraced flats were entered via a door.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Offender based strategies-Burglary Squad in area command, one DC dedicated to target area (visits all burglaries, is in contact with other organisations and agencies); analyse trends, set up operations, and arrests. Use mobile video recording system and electronic intruder detection measures

  • Crime Prevention-'Tonstall' phones and Police alarms for victims/witnesses; target hardening equipment purchased plus contract for fitting arranged, initially directed at repeat burglary victims.

  • Community based strategies-Involvement and consultation with Neighbourhood Watch, Residents Associations and Housing Dept. to 'Beat the Burglar'; proposals for property marking scheme; CAPE scheme (Community Action Policing and Enforcement) to give support to residents; Community Police Constable based in area, acts as liaison/contact point for residents and other agencies

SUNDERLAND-CARLEY HILL, SOUTHWICK, MARLEY POTS

Contact: Andrew Griffiths, Housing Manager
Cornhill Centre
Goschen Street
Southwick
Sunderland SR2 7DN
Tel. 0191 553 5225/5235 (direct)

AMOUNT GRANTED

£59,812

PROJECT AREA

The area profiled contains three estates, and suffers from high levels of deprivation and unemployment. The Southwick area is a large local authority estate with some privately owned/rented properties. The other two estates have a marginally better local reputation.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM

The burglary problem affects Council, private and housing association housing stock. Children of known families who have criminal records commit most offences. In most cases, entry is gained by insecure doors or windows or where a front door has been forced.

INTERVENTIONS

  • Raise the public's awareness through advice and information sessions, road shows

  • Target hardening, property marking- Selectamarking (extension of existing scheme); one CCTV camera in centre of estate

  • Neighbourhood Watch; police/housing helpline/Safelink telephones

  • Reduce the risk of offending/re-offending-diversion schemes

  • multi-agency support of victims, effective delivery to victims and repeat victims

  • liaison officer working with police; youth focus worker; police task force

  • I2 computer system (all information from all partners in the area to be put on one system)

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Last update: 08/09/03

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