Robberies and affrey in Newbury Options

[GMR]

A crime like this would take all of 60 seconds to commit. Please explain how you would go about stopping such a crime.

OK... you are right... we can't... Great news for the criminals though. Christmas has come early!!!!


Robin Hood roundabout or subway is notorious for people using it for their own ends. Either put cameras in or close it off (or..... let people be abused). What you are suggesting is surrender or hinting that you allow them to get on with it.

[Iommi]

The chances are, the people doing this are known to the police. That might not help now, but if they were banged up until they were old an grey the last time they committed this offence, no mugging.

[GMR]

The chances are, the people doing this are known to the police. That might not help now, but if they were banged up until they were old an grey the last time they committed this offence, no mugging.

The problem with that idea is for that to happen the police would have to actually do something; you see the problem here with the construction of your sentence? Put what I said to what you have said makes what you said look like an oxymoron. In other words a conundrum wrapped up in enigma rolled into a riddle. Sorry if I've confused things, but you are not the police so should be able to decipher what I am saying? And if you are then the banging on my front door at this time of night actually makes sense

[On the edge]

Yes - I know I'd much rather have a safer subway than a free lollipop and a balloon now and again. As has been mentioned earlier - the Police can't be everywhere - but lets see a few more patrolling round on foot. That would at least be rather more of a deterrent than acting as a play warden for the local kids.

[Bloggo]

A crime like this would take all of 60 seconds to commit. Please explain how you would go about stopping such a crime.

Easy, when you catch them you lock them up in an unpleasant place for a long time. IE, a meaningful deterent. If they don't learn the lesson and commit the crime again them you lock them up for longer.
Not having a meaningful deterent will mean people will continue to be abused.

[dannyboy]

when you catch them .

that is the nub of the problem, no?

[dannyboy]

The problem with that idea is for that to happen the police would have to actually do something;

Do something - yes I agree. What I'm asking you is what that something should be.

The police have finite resources & time. So they allocate this to the areas most likely to get results.
Having a few coppers waiting around the Robin Hood or Burger King undrpasses to catch a mugger in the act isn't a good use of those resources.

[GMR]

Yes - I know I'd much rather have a safer subway than a free lollipop and a balloon now and again. As has been mentioned earlier - the Police can't be everywhere - but lets see a few more patrolling round on foot. That would at least be rather more of a deterrent than acting as a play warden for the local kids.

They can't be everywhere, that is true, but where they are is not really affective.

[GMR]

Do something - yes I agree. What I'm asking you is what that something should be.

Cameras in the subways, police patrolling the area.... better still give me the bloody job of coordinating them. I can't do a worse job, can I?

The police have finite resources & time. So they allocate this to the areas most likely to get results.

I agreed, but we see a lot of police either doing nothing or playing silly buggers at fates.

Having a few coppers waiting around the Robin Hood or Burger King undrpasses to catch a mugger in the act isn't a good use of those resources.

I agree, silly me! It is far better to let them get on with it. In fact couldn't we advertise those areas as 'free hotspots' for criminal activity?

[JeffG]

I'm up for a free hotpot. Yum!

[GMR]

I'm up for a free hotpot. Yum!

Recheck... it says 'hotSpots"

[On the edge]

Do something - yes I agree. What I'm asking you is what that something should be.

The police have finite resources & time. So they allocate this to the areas most likely to get results.
Having a few coppers waiting around the Robin Hood or Burger King undrpasses to catch a mugger in the act isn't a good use of those resources.

Is there something else we could throw into the mix? We know these incidents take place; we could start by not walking home alone; but as part of a group. Use mobile phones to alert the Police when suspicious activity is noticed and also to ask friends and family to come and meet you. Thinking about it, there are a good few things we can do ourselves here.

[Iommi]

The silence from the Police on this matter is deafening.

Wise words OTE, but it won't be long before we see these on the street corners of Newbury. Here's GMR and the Clay Hill chapter just entering the Robin Hood underpass...

[GMR]

Is there something else we could throw into the mix? We know these incidents take place; we could start by not walking home alone; but as part of a group. Use mobile phones to alert the Police when suspicious activity is noticed and also to ask friends and family to come and meet you. Thinking about it, there are a good few things we can do ourselves here.

Good idea.... make the police's life even easier. More time for doing fates and other less important things. In fact I can envision a time where police will be totally redundant.

[GMR]

The silence from the Police on this matter is deafening.

Wise words OTE, but it won't be long before we see these on the street corners of Newbury. Here's GMR and the Clay Hill chapter just entering the Robin Hood underpass...

There is one problem with that photograph Iommi and that is they haven't got guns.

Oh, and Red isn't my colour... too Arsenal.

[Guest_NWNREADER_*]

Back in the 90s West Berks Police Area was involved with discussions with a Home Office chappie re the new proposals for performance measuring. It was made very clear the focus on detections having to be shown to increase was not really the best, as it required the numbers of crimes committed to increase - especially with robbery. The local reporting was even modified to reflect the opportunity to show (ethically) crime rates as well as detection rates so the measure included success in preventing crime rather than reacting to events. The then local boss was instantly put in place.....

The central government method of measuring performance is 90% to blame for the current situation.

Look at the 1829 (I think) key policing objectives as published by the then Commissioner of the Met and see which ones are no longer what is required......

[JeffG]

Recheck... it says 'hotSpots"

You cheated.

[On the edge]

Back in the 90s West Berks Police Area was involved with discussions with a Home Office chappie re the new proposals for performance measuring. It was made very clear the focus on detections having to be shown to increase was not really the best, as it required the numbers of crimes committed to increase - especially with robbery. The local reporting was even modified to reflect the opportunity to show (ethically) crime rates as well as detection rates so the measure included success in preventing crime rather than reacting to events. The then local boss was instantly put in place.....

The central government method of measuring performance is 90% to blame for the current situation.

Look at the 1829 (I think) key policing objectives as published by the then Commissioner of the Met and see which ones are no longer what is required......

Aaah the days of real management and not a focus group in sight! Number one - actually suggests crime prevention is also about protecting crims from punishment. So tough penalties did work. Think all we are suggesting now is that we pay more attention to number 7. We can do some of this ourselves - stout heart and a stout stick.

[GMR]

You cheated.

Sorry.... wasn't I supposed to?

[Darren]

Good idea.... make the police's life even easier. More time for doing fates and other less important things. In fact I can envision a time where police will be totally redundant.

You clearly have a bag of Aunt Bessies on your shoulder about this Fun Day. Wouldn't the nasty man let you go on the rides?


One of the biggest ways of reducing crime and the fear of crime is to get communities working together. To do so, you need to find a way to bring them together and the fun day is an ideal way to do that.

My understanding is that the whole day was organised by PCSO Reeves as part of his community duties. As you have previously said you are against PCSO's as they are a "gimmick, what difference did it make???


Having uniformed officers at the subway would only act as a deterrent while they are there and you cannot have officers there 24/7 as crime will just relocate. I would imagine that there is quite a lot of surveillance going on and targeting by plain clothes officers.

Reading this forum I sometimes wonder if some have watched too many episodes of Heartbeat and think Newbury is still in the 60's where crime is rare until very recently when some townies moved in. If anyone digs through the crime figures for similar sized towns I expect you will find a similar story.

For anyone who thinks that policing in the town is lacking, why not go off and do something about it instead of complaining???
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/joinus/join-vpoloff.htm

I guess it's easier to complain than to step up.