New Patrol Support Team helps to reduce vehicle crime

A new Local Policing Patrol Support Team (PST) has had an immediate impact on helping to reduce vehicle crime across the county.

Led by Sergeant Steve Davies, the PST was set up in January to support uniformed colleagues with addressing new and priority crime issues.

In addition to arresting offenders and disrupting criminal activities, the team, which is made up of one sergeant and six officers, has had a number of positive results.

In the first three weeks of ‘Operation Alternator’ – a new operation to tackle vehicle crime – the PST reviewed more than 300 offences and identified a number of vehicle crime hotspots.

The team of experienced officers, which is based in the north of the county, has also helped to halve the number of vehicle crimes from 490 offences in January to just 240 in April.

But the PST’s success is not limited to reducing vehicle crime. It has also concentrated on some of the longest outstanding offenders for offences including domestic abuse.

The team has arrested more than 100 people since it was formed – reducing the number of high risk wanted individuals from 14 to none.

The number of arrest warrants has been cut from 80 to 16 across the force and in north Warwickshire from 48 to eight.

These legal orders issued by the courts allow officers to arrest someone who is living in the community but has failed to appear in court for any number of offences.

On the back of the team’s success, the force is now looking to establish a second team in the south of the county.

Sergeant Steve Davies said: “We know that the number of vehicle crimes happening in north Warwickshire was starting to impact public confidence in the police.

“Since the implementation of the Patrol Support Team and the launch of the new operation, we have seen a week on week reduction in the number of offences, which is a really positive step.

“The team was created to address priority issues and the officers were recruited as they all have a strong desire to make a significant contribution to reducing crime.

“We knew they needed to be extremely flexible around when and where they work to maximise their results and so far, we are very happy with the outcome.”

Issued: Laura Maltby, Corporate Communications