Welcome to the latest edition of the  Penrith & Alston newsletter

In this month's newsletter we have some positive updates on previous news stories such as the aggressive cold callers at the beginning of the year and a recent sentencing for a large scale cannabis farm found in Penrith earlier in the year.

Local officers have also been out and about engaging with the communities and visiting schools to officer crime prevention advice and raise awareness around personal safety.

Pease continue to tell us about the issues which are affecting you by reporting them via the reporting methods at the bottom of the newsletter, or speaking to one of our team out and about.

Neighbourhood Policing Team Inspector
Ross Woods

Man jailed following discovery of large-scale cannabis farm

A man was jailed for 10 months in May after police discovered a cannabis farm containing over 250 plants with a street value of up to £236,000.

Klaudion Sollaku, 30, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown court for producing a Class B controlled drug – Cannabis.

Officers discovered the farm in a former takeaway on Burrowgate, Penrith, on 23 March 2023 after a report from a member of the public who, whilst carrying out work, had located a number of cannabis plants under grow lights inside the property and called the police.

Upon arriving at the location, officers entered the building and went down into the cellar. Within one of the two cellar rooms, both full of cannabis plants being grown, police found Sollaku curled up in a corner under the cover of some cannabis plants.

Sollaku was then arrested and his phone was seized.

An assessment was later carried out and found the premises contained three rooms holding a total of 223 plant and 65 seedlings.

The grow had a potential street value of £78,680 and £236,040.

The seizure and investigation forms part of Operation Alliance - Cumbria Constabulary’s ongoing response to protect the county against serious and organised crime.

A spokesperson from Cumbria Police’s Community Serious and Organised Crime Unit said:

“Our investigations into drugs crime relies on intelligence and information. We would urge anyone who has seen or knows of anything suspicious to contact the police”.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or report online via www.cumbria.police.uk/report-it or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Immigration enforcement

On 22nd May, Eden police and Immigration Enforcement agencies worked in partnership carrying out site visits in the Eden area.

Two people were arrested for immigration offences and will be dealt with by the enforcement agency.

Op Sceptre Update: Between 15th and 21st May Eden NPT took part in Operation Sceptre

The team delivered inputs to local schools and youth groups educating them on dangers of possessing knives and bladed articles.

On Friday 19th May, we carried out a knife test purchasing operation in Penrith town. We’re pleased to report that all eight businesses who were tested passed and no knives were sold to children under 18.

We have also allowed the public to dispose of knives anonymously and safely at Hunter Lane police station.

These items will be disposed of and prevent potentially dangerous and harmful blades from being carried on our streets.

Eden officers attend Farmers Mart and give crime prevention advice 

Eden neighbourhood policing team attended Penrith & District Farmers Mart and carried out checks on agricultural and plant equipment ahead of the large machinery sale.

Thanks to the mart for welcoming us and Datatag ID Limited, and to Ifor Williams for working with us to confirm no stolen property was present. Making property harder to sell on makes it less appealing to steal.

We also attended on the day of the sale and were able to engage with those present and offer crime prevention advice.

Top tips:

• Note down chassis and VIN numbers for your property
• Make your property identifiable, we would recommend SelectaDNA
• Install tracking devices and immobilisers
• Advertise with signage the security measures used
• Improve site security including CCTV and lighting
• Keep property locked and secure when not in use

Update: Aggressive cold callers

You might remember our Facebook post from January about cold callers in Armathwaite and Calthwaite .

The offenders were escorted from the area and reported for summons (court). We later issued them with Community Protection Notices (CPN) with strict conditions.

Jason Caswell of Middlesbrough recently appeared before Magistrates in Carlisle. He admitted the alleged offence and was fined £80.

Three other men failed to attend court and the case was proved in their absence:

- Thomas Petch from Middlesbrough fined £440

- Logan Petch from Stockton on Tees fined £440

- Jak Ford from Stockton on Tees fined £500

Please continue to raise concerns about aggressive door to door sales or people acting suspiciously in areas where elderly or vulnerable people live.

Many of these sellers will claim to be reformed offenders working for some sort of official Probation Service rehabilitation project or scheme supporting veterans.

The Probation Service DO NOT operate or endorse door to door sales.

Eden mounted volunteers

One of our Mounted volunteers, Bev with her horse Paddy, met over 90 children over 2 days while visiting Alston and Nenthead Primary Schools.

Paddy and Bev visited along with PC Norman Black and PCSOs to talk about road safety, crossing the road, keeping safe while cycling, riding and 

walking on the road. We also talked about how all road users can keep each other safe.

The students are now going to produce some posters along with Kirkby Thore primary to raise awareness of the information they have learnt.

All the children had a chance to stroke Paddy and look at the Electric Police car.

Alston Primary School 'stranger danger' talk

PCSO Tony Labram has been delivering stranger danger talks to pupils at Alston primary school.

The talks follow concerns reported to the neighbourhood policing team by school staff who were informed by parents of a suspected suspicious vehicle in Fairhill carpark.

Neighbourhood policing officers attended the area and the vehicle was located and occupant spoken to. He was found to be there legitimately and no offences reported.

However, police have taken the opportunity to deliver a talk to educate young people on how to keep themselves safe.

PCSO Tony has also been patrolling the area to provide reassurance to the community.

Rural ASB on fells

We met with the Deputy Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner and others to discuss rural anti social behaviour and damage on fells including Caldbeck Common.

This area is well signed, but continues to see incidents involving off road vehicles, motorbikes and road registered vehicles churning up the stunning landscape.

We are working with partners including Lake District National Park and Natural England to educate people about the damage their behaviour does. Thanks also to Green Lane Association and Cumbria Trail Riders Fellowship for sharing this message, and advising people on where they can lawfully drive off road.

Driving on common land and in an anti-social manner are offences and illegal vehicle use on this land and SSSI sites can cause irreparable damage to flora and fauna. It also poses a danger to lawful users including walkers and grazing animals.

We have some live investigations and are working with partner agencies to tackle and target this type of offending.

Water Safety

There has been too many tragic incidents especially amongst young people who have fatally lost their lives in open water.

Although our lakes and rivers are beautiful to visit, they also pose hidden dangers and we would like to take the opportunity to remind everyone of some basic water safety tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

We are supporting Cumbria Fire and Rescue service with their water safety advice which includes:

-Never swim alone

-Always wear a life jacket

-Cold water shock- even if it is a hot day, the temperature of the water will still be cold, this causes the body to go into 'shock' mode, where you will involuntarily gasp and inhale water which is one of the most common causes of drowning

-Do not consume alcohol or drugs

For more information and safety advice visit: Water safety | Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service

Data and analytics driving Cumbria's Vision Zero ambitions

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Over the past month, the Constabulary has moved to focusing its use of Road Safety vans on specific hotspot areas, as identified via collision data compiled over a number of years.

This past month, three hotspot areas have been identified and focused upon. One of these has been the A66 at Eden – a road which has seen 198 collisions in the past five years.

>>Read more

Cumbria Police celebrates National Volunteers’ Week 2023

Cumbria Police celebrated the valuable contribution made by the force’s volunteers as part of National Volunteers’ Week.

This includes special constables, police support volunteers, volunteer police cadets and leaders and even mini police who are all managed by the Constabulary’s Citizens in Policing team.

>>Read more