Here is the latest Wallingford Sector neighbourhood update from Police Community
Support Officer (PCSO) Sue Harris.
The Wallingford Sector covers the neighbourhoods of Wallingford, Cholsey, Moulsford,
Benson and Berinsfield.
Your Neighbourhood Policing Team consists of A/Inspector Steve Hookham, Sergeant
Fraser Weller, PC Nicky Beltran, PC Bob McIntyre, PC James Moxey, PC Simone O’Dell,
PCSO Sue Harris, PCSO Jennie Cox and PCSO Louis Page.
New staff
First of all this month I would like to welcome PCSO Louis Page to the team. I am sure
everyone in the local community will join me in wishing him well in his new role and I know
he is looking forward to meeting you all.
Local Priorities
The Wallingford Sector neighbourhood Local Priorities that have been identified by the
community and police are:
• Violent crime
• Burglary
• Rural crime
These are being dealt with by your neighbourhood policing team in partnership with
residents and other agencies.
Violent crime
Unfortunately there was some disorder over a weekend in November in the town centre.
PC Bob McIntyre works very closely with the local pubs ensuring that those that are
involved in disorder are prosecuted but also that they will be banned on Pubwatch for a
long period of time. There is also very good CCTV in Wallingford town centre which
enables the police to identify offenders who wish to cause trouble and upset the night time
economy.
Burglary
Over the weekend of 29 November a number of sheds and a building site were broken into
at Brightwell- cum- Sotwell. Please ensure your sheds are secure and that your padlocks
are anti-bolt crop. Also it is worth looking on the internet and purchasing a shed alarm,
these typically cost between £10 – £20.
SmartWater
Another deterrent is to mark your property with SmartWater, more information is available from their website www.smartwater.com. Kits will soon be available at Wallingford Police Station for £15 each (opening times can be found on our website www.thamesvalley.police.uk).
Rural crime
On 27 November three men were arrested in Benson for the offence of night poaching.
Crime prevention advice
On 5 December the Wallingford Neighbourhood Policing Team will be visiting the village of Ewelme to offer residents crime prevention advice. This is something we will aim to do in all the villages in the New Year.
Community engagement
PCSO Jennie Cox and PCSO Louis Page visited the 2nd Scouts Group and spoke to them
about personal safety to help them achieve their public service badges.
PCSO Sue Harris and PC Simone O’Dell spent the day of 29 November in Waitrose,
Wallingford collecting donated food for hampers for the elderly in the area, who will be on
their own this Christmas. We were overwhelmed with the generosity of Waitrose customers
and would like to thank everyone who donated.
Anti-drink and drug drive campaign – is it worth the risk?
The Christmas and New Year anti-drink drive campaign will take place between Monday 1 December and 1 January across all police forces in the UK. To continue the theme from last year and this summer the joint Thames Valley and Hampshire campaign is called ‘Is it worth the risk?’
Over the years these campaigns have been highly successful in reducing the numbers of
drink drivers on our roads which is a major factor in death and injury to our community.
Research shows that increasing the number of breath tests conducted by officers reduces
the number of drink drive crashes. One in seven UK road deaths result from drink drive
crashes where the driver was over the limit.
The annual TISPOL Drink Drive campaign will add the weight of European police forces to
the campaign with a week of action taking place Monday 8 December through to Sunday
14 December. TISPOL is committed to reducing death, serious injury and crime on
Europe’s roads. Its activities are guided by research, intelligence, information and
experience, to produce measurable results that contribute to reducing casualties and
making roads safer. More information can be found at www.tispol.org.
Drugs arrests
On 17 November PC James Moxey, PC Simone O’Dell and PC Bob McIntyre arrested
three people in Wallingford for possession of drugs.
Crime Mapping
The Home Office national crime mapping website gives the public access to street-level
crime information as well as information on their Neighbourhood Policing Teams,
Neighbourhood Priorities and Events – details of Have Your Say and other neighbourhood
activities. Log on to www.police.uk, type in your local postcode or neighbourhood name and
then click on ‘Find out more’.
Thames Valley Alert
Receive free local crime alerts and crime prevention advice by registering at
www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk today. This allows anyone who signs up to choose what
updates they receive and how they would like to receive it. A new option includes receiving
information via text but more traditional landline and email messages are still available.
You can also filter the updates you receive by specifying the priority level of the messages
you receive.
Have Your Say meetings
Upcoming Have Your Say meetings are:
• Friday 5 December, outside the primary school, High Street, South Moreton, with
PCSO Sue Harris.
• Wednesday 10 December, in the Market Place, Wallingford, with PCSO Jennie Cox.
• Monday 15 December, outside the Co-Op, Fane Drive, Berinsfield, with PCSO
Jennie Cox.
• Tuesday 16 December, in the Parish Hall car park, Sunnyside, Benson, with PCSO
Sue Harris.
These meetings are an ideal opportunity for local residents to speak to their local police
officers and PCSOs about any local issues, no appointment is necessary just turn up and
speak to your local officers. Further meetings will be publicised locally and on the force
website at www.thamesvalley.police.uk.
Contact us
If you want any advice or would like to contact the neighbourhood team you can call us on
the police non-emergency number 101 or if it is an emergency then dial 999. You can also
contact us via email: WallingfordBerinsfieldCholseyNHPT@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk.
Please note this email address cannot be used to contact Thames Valley Police to report
crimes or for any urgent matters. If you have information about crime or anti-social
behaviour in your area but you do not want to speak to the police, please call the
Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555111. To view information on your neighbourhood team
visit the Thames Valley Police website at: www.thamesvalley.police.uk.
