Police and Neighbourhood Support report for May 2016

Neighbourhood Support report for May 2016
from Kathy Gilbert, Area Coordinator Raglan

Kia Ora,

I hope that you are all safe, warm and dry during this sudden change from a long warm summer to early winter conditions.

Occurrences to be shared for public awareness from Raglan Police for the month of May are:

• Four occurrences of Family Violence
• Three Car Crashes
• Nine burglaries included a business premise being burgled twice.
• One theft ex-car
• Three shoplifting
• One rescue at sea
• One missing person
• One land rescue

Sadly I report again that we have witnessed multiple incidences of family violence, and multiple burglaries in our community. Commercial premises that sell alcohol have been targeted.

Decisions and choices are being made that are causing harm to this caring community. What affects one affects all. We have the ability to look after one another. Please support one another through stressful times. Be an alert and supportive neighbour. Make friends with your neighbours. Let them know you are supportive of them.

If you can safely calm a  situation do so. If not report it to Police   immediately. They are there to assist and, hopefully bring unity to a situation. Remember the motto of Police in Aotearoa / New Zealand is  “Safer Communities Together”.

Burglaries are on the increase  Nine (9)  incidences  in one month are deeply worrying.  As I am writing this report I have learned that there have been two arrests to account for two of the burglaries. Please ensure you have  locked your homes and vehicles.

There have been rumours and  “knowledgeable”  statements going around Raglan and surrounds for sometime that the burglaries are not being committed by ” our locals” and that they are committed by  “out of towners”.

The truth is that according to Police the burglaries  have been  committed by  ” our locals”.  This community has a grand opportunity being small in number,  to look after one another and keep one another and our property safe. Someone knows the folks committing these crimes.  It impacts on ALL of us!  Men, women and children.  OUR  community !

Let us educate and empower those amongst us who are committing crimes against the community to feel we are all in this together. One large extended family/whanau,  and to look out for every single one of us. Each one of us taking responsibly to keep EVERYONE  safe and secure.

I thought I would share the NZ Police Commissioner’s Blog with you.  See below.

Arohanui Kathy

Safer Communities Together “Waikato Police successfully target burglary offending” Waikato Police are pleased with the early results of an operation focused on burglary offending. The Waikato operation is part of a nationwide NZ Police focus on targeting offenders who commit burglaries and resolving these crimes, which cause great distress in our communities. “In the last three weeks we have put 34 offenders before the courts for burglary and related offending,” says Detective Inspector Chris Page, the district’s manager for Criminal Investigations. A further 54 people have been put before the courts on outstanding arrest warrants. “Some offenders faced multiple charges – for example, three offenders from outside the district have been charged in relation to 25 offences, and three separate offenders are charged with 12, seven and seven burglaries respectively,” says Mr Page. “This operation has led to a decrease in burglary offending over the last three weeks, but we are far from finished.  In fact, this is really only the start of a lengthy and focused operation.” Mr Page says a number of offences were committed because cars and houses were unlocked. “While Police caught 10 burglars ‘on the job’, this is a very low percentage of the total number of burglaries across Waikato district.  There are several easy steps you can take to stop burglars in their tracks: lock your house and car, install security measures if you can, keep an eye out for your neighbours, report suspicious activity immediately, and record the serial numbers of your possessions.” Police would also ask anyone who has information about burglaries in their community to contact Police, either by calling their local police station, or providing information anonymously via Crimestoppers. “These offenders wreck people’s homes and lives.  When we look out for each other and connect in our communities, we make everything harder for them.”