PCSO Sally Ballantyne & PC Phillip Hall
The importance of reporting suspicious vehicles and the results achieved across Eden
Appleby
We received a phone call on the morning of the 14 September, regarding a suspicious vehicle driving around housing estates in Appleby. The report was that the occupants of the vehicle were looking for scrap metal.
The caller gave us the registration, this enabled us to do various background checks on the vehicle and the registered keeper. We were able to get the driver's details and see any previous reports regarding this vehicle. These checks included checking their scrap licence. it was identified that they did not have a scrap licence for the area.
Following the report, we undertook enquiries to locate the vehicle, but we did not find it in the area and no further reports we received. We have passed the information on to our community wardens regarding them not having a scrap licence for Eden. We have also added the vehicle to the ANPR hotlist.
Alston
Our officers stopped a vehicle full of scrap when out on patrol in Alston.
This vehicle was known to us due to previous intelligence provided to us by the public.
The driver was found to be wearing no seatbelt and they had no scrap licence for Eden.
They were reported for road traffic offences and the vehicle was seized.
This is now part of a joint scrap investigation between the police and Eden District Council.
We identify suitable partner agencies who have specific training, skills, and powers to assist us with our enquiries.
The day after the vehicle was seized we met with the DVSA (Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency). They weighed the vehicle and conducted a full examination.
- Eight major defects (immediate prohibition) were identified; the tyres had less than 1.6mm tread, three tyres had cord exposed, there were numerous under inflated tyres and inoperative indicators.
- Four minor defects (delayed prohibition)were identified; the tyres were of different sizes across an axle, the chassis was corroded, there was a defective drive shaft.
- The weight on the rear axel was heavier than permitted.
This vehicle will require a full MOT on release and cannot be driven on a public road until this has been completed. Further enquiries are ongoing around the scrap investigation.
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Out on patrol
PCSO Sally Ballantyne has been out on patrol around the Appleby Primary and Appleby Grammar school areas when the schools are starting and ending. These foot patrols have been very productive with Sally speaking to many of the children and parents.
Thank you to everyone who has taking the time to report incidents and concerns to Sally, your support helps us to build better intelligence of any negative activity area in order to proactively address it.
Parking
We would like to remind all parents and carers to not park on the double yellow lines. The lines are there for the safety of all the children.
People parking on the lines has already resulted in issues for the bus companies, transporting students to and from school, and not being able to pull into the school ground safely.
Please stop parking on the double yellow lines it could result in a child getting hurt.
We will continue to monitor these areas. I will speak to any offending drivers and they will be moved on.
We are also busy getting our school input talks booked in with the schools for the upcoming weeks and months.
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Working with agencies to tackle local issues
On Thursday 8th September, PCSO Sally Ballantyne, met with Olivia Day, the local housing officer for Castle & Coast.
Olivia is new to working in the Appleby area, so we took the opportunity to show her Appleby and discuss ongoing problems within Castle and Coasts' managed properties.
We carried out a door knock at a property where residents had experienced anti-social behaviour and asked them to completed a Street Safe.
Street Safe is an anonymous survey that identifies areas of concern within the community so police and partner agencies can understand what life is like for the residents, and look to take action on any areas of concern.
We left the residents with important information to support them going forward and will be revisiting the area shortly with our crime prevention officer.
If you have concerns about anti-social behaviour in or around your home, please report them to us so we can investigate and provide you with any safeguarding or support advice needed.
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PCSO Karen Dakin & PC Phillip Hall
Officers working with our rural communities
Farming
We have visited Penrith Auction Mart in recent weeks to raise awareness of rural crime and spoke with the local farming community. We listened to concerns and reports and provided safeguarding advice.
Crime reports
Two 4x4s have been reported stolen and a there is a reported theft from a vehicle in Kirkby Thore. These incidents are currently being investigated.
17 Swaledale sheep have also been reported as taken from the Dufton area.
If you have any information on these incidents please get in touch.
Schools and education
We have visits planned to deliver bonfire and Halloween safety talks. Looking further forward, we have dates booked in for road safety week in November.
The parking buddies are also outside our schools to help to keep children safe.
Reporting crime
PCSO Karen Dakin will be attending the regular drop-ins which provide an opportunity for people to meet with their local policing team. The drop-ins are held on:
- The first Monday of the month at Maulds Meaburn coffee morning, between 10:30am and 11:30am.
- The second Monday of each month, at Shap Primary School, between 11:00am and midday.
We continue to work alongside our rural communities and thank all of you who have taken the time to speak to us about concerns or incidents.
Please continue to report anything suspicious via www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it. You can also call 101.
PCSO Karen Dakin.
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PCSO Janet Allinson & PC Gemma Threlkeld
It's show time! A great chance to be out offering advice and listening to concerns
PCSO Sally Ballantyne and PCSO Erica Norman visited Brough Show as part of our patrols out-and-about in the community,
As a big, local event it was a great opportunity to engage with the community and partners. We listened to local concerns and offered crime prevention advice.
We also received welcomed intelligence regarding a local incident of anti-social behaviour, which we are following up.
We would like to thank everyone we spoke to and all the kind people on the stalls and stands who looked out for our welfare making sure we were hydrated whilst on foot patrol.
It was great to catch up with the people we hadn't seen for a while!
We will be back next year.
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Ongoing investigations for burglary
On Tuesday 16th August, we received two separate calls reporting burglaries at commercial premises.
At one incident, diesel was syphoned from a tractor and items including extensions cables and strimmers were taken.
In the other premises nearby, a trailer and diesel were taken. An attempt was also made to steal a Land Rover.
CCTV has been received relating to these incident. Officers have identified a vehicle in the footage and are making enquiries to locate.
Join us!
Have you ever thought about being a police officer?
Could you be make a real difference to people in Cumbria and help keep them safe?
Recruitment is open now. We are looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to apply now to join our teams.
For more information on the role of a police officer and the numerous entry routes, please visit www.cumbria.police.uk/careers.
PCSO 5178 Nicholson & PC 2485 Watson
Working together to promote water safety
We are lucky enough to live in a beautiful area where there are many rivers and lakes to enjoy.
However whilst water provides us both beauty and entertainment, bodies of water can also pose dangers.
Having an awareness of the potential dangers and being prepared for your environment and activity will help to improve your personal safety.
Earlier this year we worked with Cumbria Fire and Rescue Services to raise awareness of the dangers of open water and provide safety advice.
Throughout August, Eden Police also worked with the Lake District National Park, Lake Rangers, supporting them around Ullswater with engagement with lake users.
We discussed topics such as speeding on motorised boats and jets-skis, wearing buoyancy aids and ensuring you wear the right equipment for open water swimming.
Cumbria County Council's website has some really useful advice for keeping safe in and around the water.
We'd like to remind people to park responsibly when visiting a lake and not to cause obstruction to other road users.
This multi-agency working is something which we will be doing every summer!
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Test purchase of alcohol and vapes
On Thursday 25th August we conducted a test purchase operation in Penrith, using volunteers aged 15-17.
We visited 13 stores to attempt to purchase vapes or alcohol.
Our volunteers were successfully challenged at all 13!
We visited 11 public houses. Our volunteers were successfully challenged at nine venues. The two venues who failed to challenge the volunteers have had action taken against them.
Thank you to our volunteers for their time and support.
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Your local officers
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Simply go to our website - www.cumbria.police.uk
Scroll down the home page and you can browse different areas to see who your local team are - or enter your postcode.
Not only will you be able to find out who your named local officers and PCSOs are, you will also be able to view our local policing priorities and details of any meetings or events we will be attending.
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In other news...
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Burglar sentenced to four years after targeting Penrith and Kendal homes
A prolific burglar who targeted multiple properties of elderly people in Penrith and Kendal has been sentenced to four years in prison and given a three year driving ban.
Read more here.
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Cumbria Police highlight exploitation of vulnerable individuals forced into sex work
Cumbria police are working with partners to highlight ongoing work regarding the safeguarding of victims forced into sex work and the pursuit of offenders exploiting them. The work, which is ongoing, is aimed at raising awareness of this area of crime and to encourage the reporting of information.
Some sex workers will operate independently and of their own fruition. However, not every sex worker does so because the want to.
Read more here.
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