Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner presents the village with its community box and ‘Thieves Beware’ signage.
A rural crime prevention initiative funded by Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe has expanded into its 12th community in the north of the county and the eighth in Rugby district alone. Stretton-on-Dunsmore became the latest ‘Supported Village’ when Mr Seccombe presented them with a community property marking box at the Parish Council’s Annual Meeting recently.
The Supported Villages programme aims to help communities with proactive crime prevention action and advice, providing a sustainable scheme which can then be maintained by villagers. By gaining ‘Supported Village’ status, villagers are demonstrating that their community is not a soft touch for rural crime, with households being offered advice on how to protect themselves against crime and working with local officers to mark their property.
In Stretton-on-Dunsmore, two community engagement events have been held in the village hall and the school, where local officers from Rugby Safer Neighbourhoods Team and the PCC-funded Rural Crime Officer provided crime prevention advice, marked property brought to the event by residents and provided property marking pens to take home. In addition, PCSO Dave Banks has attended a number of community groups in the village providing crime prevention advice.
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “Communities can play a major part in the fight against crime by ensuring they take sensible precautions to protect their valuables and understand how to reduce their risk of falling victim. The Supported Villages scheme helps to ensure that everyone – criminals included – knows that the village as a whole is security conscious and is working closely with the local police.
“I’m delighted to see the continuing success of the scheme across the county and I’m pleased to welcome Stretton-on-Dunsmore to the ‘Supported Villages’ fold.”
For more information about tackling rural crime, visit the Warwickshire Rural Watch website at: www.warwickshireruralwatch.co.uk.
