Chief Inspector Daf Goddard presenting the community box to Michael Koch, Chair of Marton Parish council with Carol Cotterill, Rural Crime Officer, PC Paula Haden, PCSO Kamilla Shilton from Rugby SNT and members of the Marton community.
Marton has become the latest rural community in the north of the county to join a crime prevention initiative funded by the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Seccombe.
By gaining ‘Supported Village’ status, villagers are demonstrating that their community is not a soft touch for rural crime, with households and community buildings being offered advice on how to protect themselves against crime and working with local officers to mark their property.
The Supported Villages programme, part of the Rural Crime Project, aims to help communities with proactive crime prevention action and advice, providing a sustainable scheme which can then be maintained by the community. Over the past year, parish councillors have been working with PC Paula Haden, PCSO Kamila Shilton and PCSO Helena Seal, from Rugby SNT, supported by North Warwickshire’s Rural Crime Officer Carol Cotterill, on the project.
Property marking and crime prevention events have been held where villagers have attended bringing items to be marked and get crime prevention advice. ‘Thieves Beware’ signs are now at all village gateways stating that you are entering a village where property is marked.
To mark its new ‘Supported Village’ status, the parish council was presented with a crime prevention toolbox and a community box by Chief Inspector Daf Goddard at their recent Parish Council Annual General Meeting. Both boxes provide information and equipment for the parish council to support local residents with property marking and crime prevention.
Marton becomes the fifth village in the Rugby district to join the Supported Villages Scheme after Binley Woods, Willoughby, Wolvey and Brinklow, with four others in the north of the county also protected. More villages across the area have contacted the rural team and are working with officers on taking crime prevention measures in their area and becoming ‘Supported Villages’.
Michael Koch, Chair of Marton Parish Council said: “We are really pleased to be working with the police and the Rural Crime Project to support our residents in the village on crime prevention and helping to protect their property.”
Carol Cotterill, Rural Crime Officer said “Working in partnership with the local community and police, the Rural Crime Project, funded by the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner provides advice, support and equipment to help people mark their property and take actions to help prevent crime. Marton now becomes our ninth village on this scheme, with a number of other communities also working with the team to be proactive in their communities.”
For more information about tackling rural crime, visit the Warwickshire Rural Watch website at: www.warwickshireruralwatch.co.uk.
