Caerwent Community Neighbourhood Watch

POLICE NOTES

JUNE 2002 This month I am going to explain the law regarding damage, and important changes in the Crime Recording System. RECENT CRIME PATTERNS Unfortunately, the shed and garage burglaries and thefts from vehicles are still occurring regularly in the local area. It appears that these offenders are targeting garages as well. Dealing with these crimes is now one of our priorities and extra patrols have now been resourced to catch the offenders. CRIMINAL DAMAGE A short time ago a wall in Llanvair Discoed was damaged and I have received information that a tree on the Caerwent Playing Field has also been damaged. Damage usually has to be repaired which involves time and money. Basically, if you don't own the property and damage it without the owner's permission then you commit the offence CRIMINAL DAMAGE. The damage does not have to be deliberate - "reckless" will suffice. To explain this I have given some examples below: I'm throwing stones near a greenhouse and inadvertently smash a pane of glass. CRIMINAL DAMAGE has been committed because I'm being RECKLESS. I go skateboarding on the flat roof of the Community Hall causing some damage. Again I've caused CRIMINAL DAMAGE by my RECKLESS BEHAVIOUR. I climb a tree that does not belong to me and damage it. This is also, technically, CRIMINAL DAMAGE. A couple have a heated argument and the wife throws a vase at her husband (!), missing him but smashing the vase. If the vase was owned by wife - no offence, but if the vase was owned by the husband - then CRIMINAL DAMAGE has occurred. If you do cause damage recklessly, the victim will often just ask you to pay for the repair or replacement. Police action is not always the most appropriate method of dealing with this issue unless all other alternatives fail. CRIME RECORDING On the 1st of April 2002 important changes were introduced with regard to the way Police record the level of crime. Basically, if someone says that they have been a victim of a crime, unless there is specific evidence that a crime has not occurred, then a crime must be recorded and a crime complaint completed. These changes were introduced to try and establish the TRUE LEVEL of crime which has previously been under-recorded. Personally, this has had a major effect on my workload. I am now completing many more forms and other paperwork. More importantly however, it will mean that the crime rate will technically rise and the detection rate will decline. This is already clear from the April crime figures. Please remember that the real crime rate is not rising just because the recorded crime rate has. PEDAL CYCLE POSTCODING The pedal cycle postcoding was quite well attended. I'll repeat the occasions again in a couple of months. Once again, I welcome any feedback on my articles and if you would like me to explain any aspect of criminal law, I'll be happy to do so. FINALLY, REMEMBER, IF YOU SEE OR SUSPECT THAT A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED, CONTACT THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING THROUGH TO A POLICE STATION, DIAL 999. Until next month. Ashley Turner. PC 737, Community Police Constable

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