In this months newsletter you will see we have been out across the Workington area to target issues.
This has included targeting anti-social behaviour hotspots and road safety issues such as speeding and drink and drug driving.
Now we are in the winter months we are reminding our communities of simple steps they can take to protect their property that could deter opportunist criminals.
We would also encourage our communities to report if they see any suspicious activity.
Inspector Pete Aiston
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Two arrested following reports of thefts in West Cumbria
Officers are urging residents in the Maryport, Dearham and Workington areas to be vigilant and report suspicious activity after a series of thefts were reported to police over the weekend.
Eight offences were reported over the weekend (2-3 December) and police are aware of videos which were circulated on social media showing a group of males trying to enter house and car doors.
Two 16-year-old boys have been arrested on suspicion of theft. They have been released on police bail while enquires continue.
Community Beat Officer PC Sam Steele said: “We have arrested two individuals in connection with reports of theft over the weekend.
“However, residents are reminded to take precautionary steps to secure their homes and vehicles.
“Thieves look for easy targets and the darker, longer nights provide criminals with more opportunity to commit crimes – especially if they can gain access to your home or vehicle without having to force entry.
“There is no place for theft in Cumbria. It is an awful crime that profits from taking from others and I would encourage you to report any suspicious activity to police so that appropriate action can be taken."
The following advice is provided to assist in reducing the opportunity for items of value from being stolen from your home or vehicle:
 Lock all doors and windows before you go out and ensure that your house and keys are secure before you go to bed
 Do not leave your home or vehicle unlocked
 Make sure valuables are not stored in vehicles overnight
 Do not leave items of value in the boot – even the smallest of gaps may provide an opportunity for an offender to see through
 You may know that a bag or a box in your vehicle is empty or contains nothing of value, but an offender won't do, and it may catch their attention
 Consider installing real or dummy CCTV
 If you see any suspicious activity, please contact police on 101. If you witness a crime in action, please dial 999.
Any reports will be investigated under Operation Themis – Cumbria Constabulary’s response to and focus on burglaries.
For more information on securing your property and protecting your home from crime visit: https://orlo.uk/lKUCV
Community payback Netherton
On 27 November, some young people were carrying out community payback within the community. On Sunday, Netherton and Flimby had a good tidy as a result of one child kicking doors in Flimby and two causing issues in Maryport Tesco.
Lessons learned by all, parents on board and happy locals. Good result all around.
Vehicle stops
On 9 December despite all the warnings that we will be out breath testing drivers this Christmas, people are still drink driving from Christmas parties.
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 "it was only one or two officer...."
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 One arrested Maryport tonight
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 Driving licence gone
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 Job gone
Cumberland detectives offer advice to stop burglars targeting your home
Police in north and west Cumbria are continuing to urge people to keep home security in mind to stop burglars targeting their homes.
Houses in places including Carlisle, Wigton and Whitehaven have been burgled in the last week, with a number happening during the hours of darkness.
Officers continue to prioritise all household burglaries, with offences investigated under Operation Themis, the operation tackling these crimes.
Numerous arrests and charges have been made in recent months – but officers are keen to stress the simple measures that can stop many opportunistic burglars.
Detective Superintendent Matt Scott said: “Being burgled, especially in your home, can be extremely traumatic.
“Cumbria is a safe place to live and we have a much lower number of these types of invasive crimes than in many other parts of the country but we have always taken this type of offence extremely seriously.
“When burglars strike, they can target anyone’s home, regardless of age or area. Often all they are looking for is a weakness in home security they can exploit.”
Burglaries at homes across Cumbria are often spontaneous crimes carried out by opportunist thieves trying door handles or reaching in through open windows.
Det Supt Scott added: “Simple steps such as locking doors, not leaving out-of-sight windows open and not leaving valuable possessions in view of potential thieves can be effective in preventing incidents.
“We appreciate energy costs are high, but please consider keeping a visible light or lamp on if you are out.
“We would also encourage you to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity you witness.
“By reporting information, this not only helps inform us of potential criminal behaviour but it can lead to robust action being taken and offenders being brought to justice.
“We are pleased with the great work done in recent years to ensure offenders are brought to justice.
“We are not complacent and we are doing all we can to make sure that people feel safe in their homes.”
Read more here.
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Community Beat Officer invited to Downing Street for local community safety champion’s event
Community Beat Officer Sam Steele was invited to Downing Street on Tuesday 5 December for a reception with the Minister of Security, Tom Tugendhat.
PC Steele was nominated by Mark Jenkinson MP to attend an event celebrating local community safety champions.
Sam recently received a commendation from Cumbria’s Chief Constable Rob Carden for his hard work and determination to target anti-social behaviour in Maryport which he reduced dramatically.
Speaking on his visit to Downing Street PC Steele said, “It was an honour to represent Cumbria at this event and shine the light on the successes myself and other Community Beat Officers have had within our communities.”
Chief Superintendent Richard Quinn said “Sam has been extremely dedicated in his role as Community Beat Officer for Maryport.
“This dedication has seen him significantly reduce anti-social behaviour in the area, gaining national attention.
“Sam has done this by building trust and confidence within the community and become a well-known face within Maryport. This has allowed him to understand the issues and take proactive action with the community, local businesses, and partner agencies to address the issues.
“He is a credit to the Constabulary, and we are pleased that his work has been recognised by the Home Office."
Cumbria’s Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Mike Johnson, said: “PC Sam Steele has made a significant difference to Maryport since becoming the Community Beat Officer for the area in September 2022.
“I was able to meet with Sam earlier this year in Maryport, walk his patch and hear about all the positive work that he has done so I’m very pleased to see that he has been recognised by the Home Office for his dedication to our communities.”
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Neighbourhood Policing Awards 2023
 Officers from Cumbria Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams have been recognised for their hard work within our communities at the neighbourhood policing awards.
The awards were presented during Cumbria Constabulary’s Neighbourhood Policing Conference which was held on November 23rd.
Eight awards were presented to officers and PCSOs by Assistant Chief Constable Dave Stalker and Deputy and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Mike Johnson, in recognition of their contribution towards neighbourhood policing over the past year.
From Allerdale the winners were:
 Neighbourhood Policing Individual Innovation Award 2022
Police Community Support Officer Pete Nichol from Workington NPT has been recognised for using his personal experiences to develop community relationships and working closely with the Allerdale and Copeland Autism support, assisting them to become a Disability Hate Crime Reporting Centre.
He has also built relationships with West Cumbria Autism Academy, attending regularly to engage the students, becoming a role model and proving that diagnosis does not have to be a barrier to achievement.
Pete has received lots of positive feedback for his work, parents who thank him for the support and advice, as well as Schools who value his input.
Police Community Support Officer of the Year 2023
Workington Police Community Support Officer Luke King has been awarded Cumberland PCSO of the year for his outstanding contribution to Neighbourhood Policing. Luke joined Workington NPT in February 2023 and has excelled in his role by working closely with partners to tackle crime and ASB in his patch on Workington North.
Luke’s partnership working with Castles and Coasts housing resulted in successfully obtaining the 2 years selective letting policy for Northside, which is a first ever for local focus hubs.
Luke received high praise from councillors, MPs and the Chief Constable for his work.
Neighbourhood Police Officer of the Year 2023
Allerdale Police Constable Sam Steele has also been recognised for his dedication to tackling anti-social behaviour in Maryport. Over the past 12 months Sam has made a huge impact by reducing ASB by 47%.
He has started to bring those responsible for causing ASB on litter picks, washing fire engines, making sure they pay something back to the community. This has gone down really well in Maryport and if you ask anyone, they all know PC Sam!
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StreetSafe is a service that allows you to report safety concerns in public places without giving us your name.
This includes issues like poorly lit streets, abandoned buildings, or vandalism, as well as instances where you feel unsafe due to someone following or verbally abusing you.
Report an issue here: StreetSafe | Cumbria Police
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Police urge people to be on their guard against phone frauds
Police are urging people to be on their guard against phone fraudsters.
The warning follows two incidents in Carlisle in the last three days where people received calls from people pretending to be police officers.
On each occasion the person calling raised concerns that the person’s card had been used or cloned and asked them to make further phone calls.
Investigations show these were not police officers and it was suspected to be an attempt to defraud the people of money.
Police are asking people to be aware of the following advice.
If you have any concern that the person on the phone may be a fraudster, put the phone down and call the police from a different phone on 101 for advice and guidance.
If you receive a call you’re not expecting, you should be suspicious. The vital things to remember are that the police would:
- Never ask you for your bank account details or PIN number over the phone.
- Never ask you to withdraw money and send it to them via a courier, taxi, bank transfer or by any other means.
- Never ask you to send your bank cards or any other personal property to them via courier, taxi or by any other means.
- If you have any doubts about the identity of the person that you are speaking with, please put the phone down and attend the police station in person, wherever possible, to discuss the call you have received, or call a trusted number for the police using a different telephone than the one that you have been contacted on.
We ask that the public please share this information with any vulnerable friends or family.
If you think you have been the victim of a fraud you can report this to police on 101 and to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 – or by visiting their website at Action Fraud
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