Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Marianne Kimani has joined partners from other agencies to carry out a Study Tour in the Gainsborough Drive area of Wellingborough.
The visit was the latest Study Tour to take place and saw the Deputy Commissioner join forces with other local agencies to visit areas that suffer from higher levels of acquisitive crime – such as vehicle crime and shop theft.
Marianne and crime reduction specialists from the Commissioner’s team were joined by representatives from North Northamptonshire Council, local officers from Northamptonshire Police as well as members of the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme who all came together to try and understand how crime occurs in the area and to develop practical ways to reduce it.
Also joining the Study Tour were management from Redhill’s Co-op and local pub the Ock n Dough who got the opportunity to talk to Marianne about shop theft in the area.
This was the third Study Tour carried out in the last six months, with the Queensway estate in Wellingborough and Eastfield in Northampton also being visited by Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone.
Marianne was pleased with how the visit went. She said: “The Commissioner and I want to make sure that all areas of our communities feel a physical and visible policing presence, so being able to take partners around the Gainsborough Drive estate was key in doing that.”
“I was extremely grateful to all the partners who joined us and to the local residents who came and spoke to us about their experiences living in the area and any problems they face.”
The area saw a spike in cases of vehicle crime in 2023 and whilst figures reduced last year, Marianne was still keen to visit the area to listen to residents’ concerns.
Marianne said: “We are committed to working with local residents and listening their concerns and we hope to be able to go away and come up with some practical solutions to help prevent and deter crime.”
Potential ideas that will be discussed on the back of the Study Tour include improving fencing to help keep people using the main paths around the estate, developing the surveillance infrastructure and how best to support shop owners who are affected by shop theft.
Andy Crisp, Chair of the County Neighbourhood Watch Association (pictured below) took part in the tour and said: “This was a very useful meeting as it enabled partners to identify the local issues that affect the community here in Wellingborough.”
“Vehicle crime and shop theft are known issues in the area, and I am pleased that we are being listened to and that work will be done going forward to help combat it.”
