Police crack down on burglaries over festive period amid 600 reports made to officers

Hampshire Constabulary took action to prevent burglaries, gain intelligence and deploy forensics to help solve crimes.

The campaign, known as Operation Banish, included crime prevention messaging and encouraged the public to report suspicious activity possibly linked to burglary.

Between November 29 and December 31 a total of 313 residential burglaries were reported, 92 of which were in Southampton. There were a further 279 break-ins to sheds and garages.

Police attended 567 of 592 reports with 246 (43 per cent) being attended within an hour. A total of 77 incidents were attended in Portsmouth and 120 in Southampton.

Officers arrested 55 people for 112 offences, 16 of whom faced formal action being taken.

Forensic opportunities were identified at 92 burglaries when specialist officers attended. Enquiries are ongoing to identify further suspects as results are obtained.

There were 153 social media posts relating to burglary arrests, charges, crime prevention, and appeals were issued between December 6 and December 31 across police social media accounts. The combined reach of these posts was 2,057,118 people.

Officers from Operation Hawk teams worked with colleagues from Neighbourhood Policing, Response and Patrol, and other specialist resources across the force during the operation.

One successful example took place on Thomas Road in North Baddesley following a break-in early on December 9.

‘We were called just after 3.30am to reports of an ongoing burglary after a neighbour noticed noise and torches inside,’ a police spokesman said. ‘A water cylinder had been stolen.

‘A 30-year-old man of no fixed address was located in the garden on suspicion of burglary. Adam Paul Welch was subsequently charged with burglary as part of our investigation and has been remanded to next appear at Southampton Crown Court on Tuesday January 25.

Chief inspector Marcus Cator, who led the operation, said: ‘We understand how distressing burglary can be for victims. It’s not simply a case of valuables being stolen, but the emotional impact of this and the effect it can have on people feeling safe in their own home.

‘We provide support to victims as part of our response to burglary, but this is why it’s so important that people report suspicious activity to us in the first place as it can help us to prevent offending before it has even happened.

‘Our Neighbourhood Teams have been building a comprehensive picture of what’s been happening in our communities, and this really helped us to target our Operation Banish activity.

‘The figures speak for themselves. We’ve made some significant arrests as part of this focus on burglary and are working hard with the forensic opportunities that have presented themselves to secure further evidence and convictions where possible.

‘Traditionally burglary reports increase around Christmas with darker evenings and people buying valuables as presents. I’m pleased that teams from across the force have tackled this issue so confidently and provided an excellent level of service to our communities.

‘We’ll continue to take the same approach where we can, regardless of the time of year to tackle and prevent acquisitive crime across Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.’

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Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said: ‘Targeted action by the constabulary is having a positive impact across a number of areas. I am particularly pleased to see strong results in Operation Banish, which has seen a focus on those individuals that are considered at high risk of committing burglary.

‘When comparing data for December 2019 to December 2021, Operation Banish contributed to a 7.8 per cent reduction (45 fewer in 2021) in reported residential burglaries in four weeks.

‘Burglary is one of those crimes that you have told me matter to you most. The impact of theft, in particular burglary, can cause significant distress to victims. The invasion of your privacy can leave lasting effects. Protecting victims and catching the criminals that commit these crimes will remain a high priority.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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