INPSECTORS BLOG: A message from Monmouthshire South Inspector, Lysha Thompson

Hello readers, thank you for taking the time to read this month’s Blog. Again lots of feedback from last month’s Blog and I have shared some issues raised and the thanks received with the Teams at Caldicot and Chepstow. Also thank you for the comments and well wishes received for the Officer who was assaulted, I have shared them with him. Fortunately not too bad a scar, the suspect remains on police bail at this time. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

So, not only was it a very wet January but it was another very busy one for the Teams with the greatest demand on us in January being in response to road traffic accidents and driving hazards. There were several calls about the flooding and lots of reports of debris and trees in the carriageway. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Unfortunately, this month has started equally as wet so please remember to drive to the conditions. Expecting the unexpected on the roads particularly on our more rural roads will increase your awareness and safety. Please take responsibility for your safety and the safety of others when you get behind the wheel and please drive carefully. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Crime ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Our main focus this month has been on a crime series in the Caldicot area. Over the weekend of the 10th January two homes were burgled in the Castle Lea area of Caldicot. In addition to this, we had 6 homes broken into during the evening of the 14th January in Caldicot. On all occasions the occupants were out and entry was gained by smashing rear windows. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following our press releases and social media appeals, we have received pieces of information to follow up and our colleagues from CID have been assisting us with this. If you have any information in relation to these offences no matter how trivial you may think it to be please contact us on 101 or contact the Caldicot Neighbourhood Team directly at Severnside@gwent.pnn.police.uk. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In Chepstow, we have had an increase in incidents of criminal damage with a number of windows smashed at the beginning of the month in the Bulwark area. There was also damage caused to a couple of gardens in Bishops Close. We have increased our patrols in the area but the incidents appear to have been random incidents of damage with stones being thrown at the windows. If you have any information in relation to this please contact us at Lowerwye@gwent.pnn.police.uk. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Anti-Social Behaviour ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On a more positive note, calls about anti-social behaviour have dropped significantly in January across the Chepstow and Caldicot, Magor and Undy areas. We are still experiencing some isolated incidents in Caldicot Town Centre which the Neighbourhood Team continue to focus on and a number of anti-social behaviour warning letters were letters sent out last month to young people involved with this. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Officers also dealt with some traffic offences in the Magor area at the start of the month and one vehicle was seized for having no insurance. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Anti-social behaviour calls in Chepstow are low at this time, although we still continue to receive a high number of complaints about illegal parking. I make mention of this every month and we have issued another 49 parking tickets this month. It is very disappointing that a lot of the tickets are issued to local residents, professional people and responsible drivers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

We have lots of areas across South Monmouthshire that we need to focus on as identified through the ‘Your Voice’, process so I do not always have an officer in our Towns to deal solely with parking. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A high portion of the tickets were issued at Deans Hill and Bridge Street – these are permit areas and restricted waiting zones only. Please check the signs and lines before you park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

General Team Updates ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

We had some positive court results in January with three people convicted for separate motoring offences. Each receiving significant fines and a driving ban of 17 months, 27 months and 36 months. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Also, you may recall us sharing the excellent work of both the community and police in October when officers detained and arrested a man in Caldicot who was caught burgling a house whilst the owner was at work. In January, that man was sentenced to 29 months in prison. A timely reminder to those who commit these crimes that we can and do find them! ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There was also some great team work between officers at Monmouth and Chepstow last month following a distraction theft in Monmouth where a lady’s purse was stolen from her whilst shopping. Following some quick actions at the scene descriptions of the men involved were circulated across the stores. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following some absolutely spot on vigilance from security staff, the men were seen in the Chepstow area a short time later. Details were passed to officers and they were promptly arrested in the Town Centre. I have no doubt that a number of further offences were prevented as a result of the swift response by our officers and again the strong community links that we have in our Towns. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Engagement ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Planning started this month for the National Drowning Prevention campaign. With lots of bodies of water across Monmouthshire we are looking forward to working with South Wales Fire and Rescue, Severn Area Rescue Association and Monmouthshire Leisure services who will be also be getting involved in this campaign. We will be holding a number of events across South Monmouthshire to raise awareness so there will be plenty more on this in my future Blogs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Don’t forget to follow us on our local Twitter accounts @gpchepstow and @gpcaldicot ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Have a safe and …..hopefully drier February ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Kind Regards
Inspector Lysha Thompson ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​