Frome Rural Priority – Crime reduction advice
The Rural Beat Team are working with the communities to offer crime prevention advice and also to conduct targeted patrols to give local residence some reassurance.
We would strongly encourage everybody to secure and mark their property where possible, for our farming community we recommend fitting trackers to high value machinery as standard practice.
A free Trailer marking day with Rural crime team and Frome rural neighbourhood team are being planned for the summer date to be confirmed
Caravan Security
• Lock the coupling head using a good
quality hitch lock and use a good quality
clamp on the wheels.
• Consider fitting a reputable tracking
device.
• Make sure your caravan is security marked
with the 17-digit vehicle identification
number (VIN) onto the vehicle chassis and
etched it into the windows.
• Fit an alarm.
• Close and lock doors, windows and any
roof lights when you leave, even if only for
a short time.
• Always lock your caravan and take the
keys with you.
• Remove all your personal belongings
when you are not using your caravan.
• Security mark all your contents.
• Keep a photographic inventory of all your
equipment. This should be kept at your
home address.
Catalytic Converters
Catalytic converters contain several valuable
metals. This is why thieves steal Catalytic
Converters.
• Park your vehicle in a locked and secure
garage/compound at all times or a well-lit
public area.
• Park in such a way as to make access to
the catalytic converter difficult or parallel
with another vehicle if you own one.
• Security mark your catalytic converter
Actions
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Tuesday 18th April, 2023
CRIME REDUCTION ADVICE AS THE WEATHER IMPROVES.
Caravan Security
• Lock the coupling head using a good
quality hitch lock and use a good quality
clamp on the wheels.
• Consider fitting a reputable tracking
device.
• Make sure your caravan is security marked
with the 17-digit vehicle identification
number (VIN) onto the vehicle chassis and
etched it into the windows.
• Fit an alarm.
• Close and lock doors, windows and any
roof lights when you leave, even if only for
a short time.
• Always lock your caravan and take the
keys with you.
• Remove all your personal belongings
when you are not using your caravan.
• Security mark all your contents.
• Keep a photographic inventory of all your
equipment. This should be kept at your
home address.
Catalytic Converters
Catalytic converters contain several valuable
metals. This is why thieves steal Catalytic
Converters.
• Park your vehicle in a locked and secure
garage/compound at all times or a well-lit
public area.
• Park in such a way as to make access to
the catalytic converter difficult or parallel
with another vehicle if you own one.
• Security mark your catalytic converter -
Monday 28th November, 2022
Recently, we led an intelligence-driven rural crime operation covering the Mendip East area. A multi-agency team consisting of Neighbourhood (PCs and PCSOs), Rural Affairs, Ops (drone unit), special constables and Wiltshire constabulary officers was created to carry out the operation.
The aims of the operation were to provide intensive patrols around known hotspots of wildlife and rural crime; predominantly poaching and thefts.
The operation stopped 15 vehicles, reassurance visits on multiple farms, and stop-checked people who were out legitimately pest controlling.
In conjunction with the rural crime action, we ran a trailer marking event to help reduce the number of trailer thefts in the area.
During the operation, we pulled a trailer displaying incorrect number plates and the correct owner’s identity was verified.
We are pleased to crack down on rural and wildlife offences and protect agricultural and land-based business.
Rural crime is a force priority, and we encourage anyone who sees suspicious activity or is a victim of rural crime to report to the police online, on 101, or on 999 if a crime is in progress.
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Thursday 18th August, 2022
On Tuesday 9 August, a large group of people accessed Standerwick Cattle Market and established an unauthorised encampment.
This created a significant disruption to the running of the market, damage was caused to facilities and there was additional disruption to other businesses in the area.
Frome Neighbourhood Police spent a considerable amount of time and resources to collate enough information to instigate new powers under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, granted by the Police Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
On Wednesday 10 August, officers from across Avon and Somerset visited the site at Standerwick to serve the trespassers with a notice to leave; they promptly left the site.
This was a great result, utilising these new powers which have had a very positive outcome for the businesses which were experiencing difficulties due to this situation.