Town is target of ousted city criminals
CRIMINALS who have been successfully driven out of Nottingham are turning to Hucknall as their next target, it has been claimed.
High-tech cameras have been used in the city to read the number-plates of cars and flag up certain vehicles if they are known to belong to criminals.
The Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have been hailed by officers as a deterrent and a key weapon in reducing crime.
But it is suggested that the success has forced criminals to look elsewhere – and Hucknall has become one of their favourite alternatives.
Coun Chris Baron (Lab), a Hucknall member of Notts County Council, says this is why the number of burglaries in Hucknall has increased in the last two years.
In April and May, 40 houses were broken into – compared to only 23 in the same period in 2006.
Now Coun Baron wants 150,000 splashed on permanent ANPR cameras to afford Hucknall and the rest of Mansfield and Ashfield the same protection as the city.
He said: "Because the cameras have been such a success in the city at reducing the burglary rate, the criminals know about them and it disperses them outside the area."
For years, there have been claims that criminals from areas including Bulwell and Bestwood have also travelled to Hucknall to cause trouble, including town-centre violence on Friday and Saturday nights.
ANPR cameras could also be used to combat this. But the town's police chief, Insp Dean Brown, believes offences such as burglary and car crime would be affected more by the cameras.
He explained that ANPR patrols are already carried out in the town but are done using mobile cameras shared with the rest of Ashfield and Mansfield.
He agrees that permanent cameras would help his officers.
"We obviously get criminals who come to Hucknall from the city," said Insp Brown. "That's always been the case," he said.
"But we work very closely with the city to identify criminals and we put things in place to catch them.
"Only this week, we arrested three suspects with regard to a burglary. They all live in the city. This is a result of understanding who commits crime and who is coming into Hucknall.
"We use ANPR but we are working with the county council and Ashfield District Council on permanent cameras, which would be ideal.
"However it is not the case that criminals are choosing to commit crime in Hucknall instead of the city. They are still committing crime in the city.”
Chris Thompson, an officer with the Ashfield Partnership Against Crime (APAC), said offenders travelling into Hucknall is just one possible reason for the increase in burglaries.
He added: “The volume crime team, based at Hucknall police station for months, is targeting criminals in the area, as are regular ANPR operations.
“In just the past six months, 500 units of SmartWater (a unique liquid that marks property with an indelible signature) have been distributed to Hucknall homes as part of an ongoing drive to protect more properties.
“We are also working with trading standards to introduce ‘no cold-calling zones’, particularly in places populated by elderly and vulnerable people.
“And with 30% of all break-ins still the result of properties being left insecure, I would implore everyone to keep doors, windows and other access points locked.”
Email to a friend
Print this page- BREAKING NEWS: Town chief ousted after losing big vote
- Shock plan to develop Rolls-Royce site and create work for hundreds
- Animal-cruelty hell discovered behind the gates of ‘Haven’ farm
- Go-ahead firm to develop arson-hit pub and garage
- New road junction lights the way for frustrated congestion-hit motorists
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Hucknall
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -3 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 2 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
