Hessle Road bid to end seasonal spike in shed crime

FAMILIES living in and around Hessle Road are being invited to a meeting aimed at reducing a seasonal spike in garden crime.

Humberside Police's West neighbourhood policing team will host the event at the Gypsyville multi-purpose centre this weekend.

It comes after it was revealed in the Mail's latest Crime Scene feature how officers were preparing for a jump in break-ins of sheds and garages.

Inspector Duncan Collins, the area commander of neighbourhood policing, told the Mail that break-ins tended to rise as the weather gets better.

He said: "As we said, through the coming months we have seen in previous years an increase in the number of sheds and garages that are broken into.

"This is generally because people are out and about more in their gardens and tend to leave expensive equipment out.

"We will be running a series of events to help people help themselves.

"The meetings are an opportunity for people to come and get an idea of what we can do to help and to get advice about helping to prevent crime."

The meeting is for people living within the beat area of the West team, which covers thousands of homes and businesses from the A63 and Priory Way, across Hessle Road, picking up parts of Boothferry Road, Anlaby Road and the estates of Gipsyville and Boothferry.

The meeting is a chance for people living in the area to discuss any policing issues they may have and have their cycles marked free of charge and registered on www. immobilise.com and arrange home security checks.

Those who have their cycles marked will be issued a cycle passport that contains details of the cycle marking and its registration.

Insp Collins said: "By marking the cycle and registering it online, we can identify a recovered stolen cycle more effectively.

"This means we can return them to their owners and it assists in the prosecution of thieves."

The meeting takes places from 10am to 11.30am on Saturday.

Insp Collins said: "We want people to come along and have a chat about how we can help."

To report a crime in progress, call 999, or for other less urgent matters or to report suspicious activity, call Humberside Police's non-emergency number 101. Alternatively, call Crime- stoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

(Reproduced from thisishullandeastriding.co.uk 19th April)

Gardien Comment:  More of these events would lead to a significant reduction in Shed Crime. For further advice see http://www.garden-security.co.uk/shed-security-print.htm