THERE will be more bobbies on the beat in south Warwickshire towns as part of a “summer blitz” on crime.
Warwick, Leamington and Stratford are among 500 towns nationwide to sign up to the government’s Safer Streets campaign that will see increased police patrols and targeted enforcement powers against troublemakers, including banning perpetrators from hotspots, to tackle increasing levels of town centre crime and anti-social behaviour.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “High streets and town centres are the very heart of our communities. Residents and businesses have the right to feel safe in their towns.
“But the last government left a surge in shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour which has left too many town centres feeling abandoned.
“It’s time to turn this round, that’s why I have called on police forces and councils to work together to deliver a summer blitz on town centre crime, to send a clear message to those people who bring misery to our towns that their crimes will no longer go unpunished enforcement powers against troublemakers – including banning perpetrators from hotspots.”
Warwick and Leamington Labour MP Matt Western welcomed the move.
He said: “We should all be able to enjoy our high streets and for them to be places we want to be, and this will play an important role in addressing some of the crime we see on our high streets too frequently.
“It is also welcome news for shopkeepers who too often find themselves victims of anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. They, like all of us, deserve to feel safe at work.”
Stratford Lib Dem MP Manuela Perteghella added: “I am pleased that we will see more police presence on the streets this summer, especially after incidents of crime and anti social behaviour, in Stratford in particular.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own homes and walking down their streets, and businesses and shops must be able to operate without fear.
“Public trust in the police is essential. Building that trust requires confidence that the police will respond to and properly investigate local crime.”
