Pangbourne Community Policing

PANGBOURNE COMMUNITY POLICING

Operation Fascia targets anti-social behaviour in West Berkshire.

Police in West Berkshire have been carrying out Operation Fascia, which is aimed at targeting anti-social behaviour in the area.

This follows on from the success of Operation Footprint that was carried out over the summer.

Using data from analysts, officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and Specials have been targeting anti-social behaviour hotspots with the aim of preventing criminal damage.

Supt Chris Shead, West Berkshire LPA Commander, said: "Anti-social behaviour is a significant concern to the communities that we serve and it is widely accepted that it often leads to criminal damage.

"Criminal damage has increased by over a third this year within West Berkshire and it is one of the key crime issues that we are targeting.

"The aim of the operation has been to have a highly visible presence in areas that have anti-social behaviour, to prevent acts of criminal damage being carried out.

"What may appear to be high jinks or 'fun' to those involved, often causes huge distress to victims. This is exacerbated when the same people are repeatedly targeted and we intend to deal with offenders robustly and quickly to ensure that we minimise the impact of their wrongdoing.

"Anyone found engaging in criminality or anti-social behaviour will be dealt with accordingly, either by arrest if appropriate or the issue of a fixed penalty notice. My officers will be relentless in their pursuit of those committing damage."

The other aspect of the operation is visiting victims that have been repeatedly targeted and giving them crime reduction advice.

Romy Freiburghaus, Crime Reduction Adviser for West Berkshire, gives the following tips:


	Make sure your home and the surroundings of your home are well lit and well maintained.
	Improve natural or other surveillance, cut hedges at front of the house down to one metre.
	If your property has been targeted, take a photo of the damage and try to repair the damage as soon as possible.
	If possible park your car in your garage
	If you do park on the street, don't leave any valuables in your car. Fold in wing mirrors. Retract aerials.
	Improve lighting if you park outside your home
	Park your car in well lit areas, especially in town centres near pubs and night clubs

If you want to make a real impact on your neighbourhood you could form a neighbourhood watch group. For more information, contact the Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator Angela Money via 0845 8 505 505.