Bridgnorth council may change focus to target vehicle crime

The council works in conjunction with the police to emphasise three areas of particular concern to residents in the town, which police then target and report back on. At the moment their priorities are for an increased police presence to help aid a reduction in anti-social behaviour among teens, the elimination of illegal drug activity and reducing speeding cars around the town centre.

Tuesday's town council meeting heard that four of the council's own vehicles at the depot in Stanley Lane had recently been damaged.

Other incidents in the last two weeks have included two trailers being stolen from a business on the Ludlow Road, and the deputy Mayor, Councillor Karen Sawbridge said her partner's Tipper Truck had been vandalised while it was parked at Bridgnorth Rugby Club.

A police report to the meeting also said there had been three 'section 59' orders issued by police in the town in the last two weeks.

The orders give officers power to stop a vehicle and issue a warning if the driver is causing alarm or distress to members of the public or if the vehicle is believed to be illegal. If the driver doesn't comply, the vehicle can be seized and they will have to pay a fee to have it released, with a final action being seizing the vehicle indefinitely.

Councillors said they wanted to move the speeding issue up the crime agenda but take off the anti-social behaviour item as that was already being addressed adequately.

They are already hoping to bring in a 20mph speed limit in and around the town centre and Councillor Sawbridge said the vehicle issues need to be prioritised.

She said: "We have seen an increased police presence in and around the town to deal with anti-social behaviour and I commend them for that but we have seen a big increase in vehicle crime including theft and vandalism in recent weeks.

"There has been a spate of incidents including four of our vehicles being targeted recently and it seems to be petty at times, with the damage being done for the sake of it. My partner's trailer was damaged where it was parked at the rugby club and it seems to be quite random. It's not as if it is all thefts of the vehicles, although there have been a few of these.

"As we have heard at the meeting, the police have issued a number of section 59 warning notices recently and it is good they have been given the tools through the law to do so.

"The speeding issue will hopefully be dealt with if, as we wish, a speed limit of 20mph is introduced in the town centre and the drugs issue we have heard is a nationwide problem and bad as it is, the police can only do so much. So it may be better to look at the vehicle crime as a priority where they have powers to deal with it on the spot."