Good evening,
This week was the Safer Business Action Week, which is a national campaign coordinated by the National Business Crime Centre, to target Business Crime. During the week a range of activities took place which involved the City Beat Team supported by the wider Beat Management Team, the Western Problem Solving Team and Crime Prevention Officers.
On Monday officers deployed in a mixture of uniform and plain clothes to patrol the City. Several businesses were visited and staff/security spoken to in order to promote SaBA week and make them aware that plain clothes officers were deployed in the area. These visits were carried out alongside partner agencies including Chester Against Business Crime (CABC).
Two arrests were made, one for a person who had failed to appear at court and the other for Breach of Bail. Officers engaged on the operation also located a missing person.
On Tuesday officers held a Police Surgery inside Boots in Foregate Street offering Crime Prevention advice and items, including literature in relation to Fraud and how to identify scams to help people avoid becoming a victim of crime. High visibility patrol was conducted around the City Centre by officers.
On Wednesday there were a combination of uniformed and plain clothes officers were deployed in the City. The Chester Against Business Crime meeting was held and attended by a number of agencies and businesses.
A business drop in session was held in Chester Cathedral where there were representatives of Chester BID, the City Centre Manager, Community Safety Wardens, Police officers and Chester Against Business Crime. This event was for businesses to attend to discuss any issues or concerns they may have.
Several businesses were visited by officers and some joint patrols were carried out with store security staff. Uniformed officers visited premises on Bridge Street and Bridge Street Rows, speaking to staff to discuss any issues that were concerning them and offered crime prevention advice.
We also deployed the Safer Streets Bus on Eastgate Street with officers present to speak to members of the public in the area.
An arrest was made for theft from a shop.
On Thursday high visibility patrolling was carried out in the City and two males was arrested for public order offences at separate incidents.
On Friday high visibility patrolling continued along with visits to businesses by officers.
On Saturday plain clothes officers were into the City Centre to help deter any offences. When repeat offenders become aware of plain clothes officers patrolling in the area, this acts as a huge deterrent to them as they don’t know if they are being observed by a police officer. It is also an effective method of identifying offences and making arrests. Several stores were visited and made aware of plain clothes activity in the City. The Safer Streets Bus taken to Eastgate Street and parked up with officers to engage with the public. Crime Prevention items given out to members of the public and a presence maintained in the area.
On Sunday officers patrolled the City Centre, again visiting stores but also seeking to locate offenders who were wanted for retail offences.
As you will see there has been a range of activity carried out. Much of this is business as usual work for the team but I thought it would be good to highlight this work whilst it was Safer Business Action Week.
We have also had Police Dogs training in the City this week. Thank you to all those who have offered locations for them to train at. I know they have been made to feel very welcome. It is really appreciated and provides the dogs with a range of different locations with different challenges for them to train in. This training will continue so you may see the dogs in the City.
Below is a link to Residents Voice, which is a survey which allows you to tell us about the things you would like us to focus on in your area. Whilst it is called Residents Voice, this is also open for Businesses and people who work in Chester to complete which is something I would encourage. I know this has been circulated before but it can be completed by people again, as many times as they want, as the issues may change and it’s important that the results are current.
Resident’s voice | Cheshire Constabulary
Please can I ask that you circulate this update throughout your networks.
If you have any questions please get in touch.
Kind regards,
James
James Wilson – Inspector – Chester Local Policing Unit
Chester Police Station| Blacon Avenue |Chester| Cheshire | CH1 5BD
Phone: 01606 364666 | Email: james.wilson@cheshire.pnn.police.uk
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