Friday 13th December 2024

Dear Resident/ Business Premises

Please see this months news -letter, covering this months campaigns around Op Magpie (Burglary Crime) and Op Limit (Drink/Drug driving.)

Local news 

Man jailed for burglaries at Tesco and Starbucks in Crawley

A man has been jailed for committing two business burglaries in Crawley.

Harvey Brackpool broke into Tesco Express in Commonwealth Drive on 8 November and stole cigarettes and a charity box. Then on 10 November he broke into Starbucks in Queens Square and stole a charity box.

The 22-year-old, of no fixed address, was arrested on 9 December and charged the same day to appear at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 10 December.

He pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced to 24 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay £100 compensation.

Brackpool was described by the court as having a flagrant disregard for people and their property.

Chief Inspector Steve Turner, District Commander for Crawley and Mid Sussex, said: “We are committed to bringing more offenders to justice and safeguarding our community, including local businesses from burglars.

“Our teams worked tirelessly to ensure Brackpool was charged, and this swift conviction highlights our strong stance against burglars.

“We will continue to target suspects and ensure communities feel safe and protected.”

Sussex Police to visit high risk domestic abuse victims in the run up to Christmas.

As the festive season approaches, Sussex Police and their partners are intensifying efforts to protect victims of domestic abuse during a time when they are often at their most vulnerable. Under the banner of Operation Hope, the initiative aims to safeguard individuals and deter perpetrators.

Statistics show that incidents of domestic abuse tend to rise over the Christmas period, highlighting the importance of proactive engagement with both high-risk victims and offenders. Over the coming weeks, officers and specialist support workers will carry out discreet safeguarding visits to individuals identified as being at high risk of domestic abuse.

The highest-harm perpetrators are managed through Sussex Police’s Complex Domestic Abuse and Stalking Unit (CDASU), which works to limit their ability to reoffend while collaborating with partner agencies to encourage behaviour change. Officers from the CDASU will be actively engaging with these perpetrators throughout the festive season.

Operation Hope builds on Sussex Police’s commitment to tackling domestic abuse, following its recent support for the UN’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence—a global campaign aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls.

Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Lewis said: “Christmas should be a time of joy and celebration, but sadly for some people, more time at home means they are at a greater risk of violence and abuse.

“Domestic abuse devastates lives every day of the year, and we and our partners remain committed to protecting victims, whatever the occasion. For those who need extra support or protection during this festive season, our message is clear: we are here for you.

“If you are in an abusive or controlling relationship, please know that you are not alone, and help is available.”

Anyone in need of support can report to Sussex Police via 101, online, or by calling 999 in an emergency. Online reports can include instructions on how to clear browsing history to ensure safety. If calling 999 and unable to speak, pressing 55 will connect callers to the police automatically.

Sussex Police employs specialist investigative teams to handle domestic abuse cases and offers discreet video call interviews to respond efficiently to victims. Additionally, the force leads a multi-agency domestic abuse perpetrator project targeting the highest-risk, most dangerous offenders to reduce harm and repeat victimisation.

Further support is available through Safe Space Sussex.

Sussex Police launch winter crackdown on drink and drug drivers.

There will be increased drug testing of motorists on our roads as part of Sussex Police’s annual crackdown on drivers over the limit.

Additional patrols will be in place as part of the nationwide campaign to tackle drink and drug driving called Operation Limit.

The focus on drug-driving follows a rise in the number of drug-driving offences detected across the country, and officers will also be continuing their efforts to catch drink-drivers as well.

Motorists are being warned that there are no excuses for drink or drug-driving as Sussex Police launch the annual winter crackdown campaign today.

Being over the limit can have fatal consequences, with drink and drug-driving being one of the main reasons why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.

But it also has consequences for those who are caught while over the limit, such as losing their driving licence, and potentially losing their job as a result. 

Read more here  

Man jailed for fast food burglary in Crawley

A man has been jailed for burglary of a fast-food store in Crawley.

On Tuesday, 3 December, around 4am, police who were on patrol heard a loud alarm sounding from Wingstop in Crawley Leisure Park.

Officers arrived and saw a window had been smashed and entry was gained into the fast-food shop.

Abdoulie Kinteh was found at the business and upon being searched was found with a black phone, three cans of beer and a delivery driver handheld device.

Kinteh, 48, of no fixed address was arrested and charged the same day to appear at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 4 December.

It was heard that he also breached two criminal behaviour orders.

He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 41 weeks’ imprisonment.

Chief Inspector Steve Turner, District Commander for Crawley and Mid Sussex, said: “We are determined to bring more offenders to justice and protect our community, and businesses, from burglary.

“Our teams worked really hard to ensure Kinteh was charged, and this quick conviction shows our robust approach to burglars.

“We will continue to target suspects and ensure communities across the county feel safe.”

Knife crime operation update

Knives seized and arrests made as part of national campaign.

Officers visited schools, checked retailers, and completed searches in Sussex as part of Operation Sceptre, a national campaign to tackle knife crime.

More than 70 weapons were taken off the streets as part of the campaign, while 23 arrests were made across the county.

Police also carried out checks on shops and retailers to ensure that staff completed age checks on restricted items such as knives. 

There were also public engagement meetings held and visits to schools to engage with young people.

Sussex Police's force lead for serious violence and knife crime, Chief Inspector Jim Loader, said: "One knife on the street is one too many, and one knife can cause a huge impact on the lives of victims and their families.

“We are steadfast in our commitment to reducing weapons on the streets, with weeks of action such as Op Sceptre highlighting the ongoing year-round efforts implemented to decrease the number of people carrying knives, as well as providing interventions to steer individuals away from this lifestyle.

“Sussex is a safe place, and knife crime here is substantially below the national average by area.

"But we know there is always room for improvement. That is why we remain dedicated to enhancing safety, proactively taking weapons off of the street as well as offering educational visits to young people across Sussex and partnering with charities that provide support and guidance. Read more here 

Crime Prevention Advice

With Christmas just around the corner, keep your property and presents safe with this advice!

➡️ Keep valuables and Christmas presents out of sight and hidden

➡️ Dispose of boxes and packaging carefully, particularly any from expensive items

➡️ If out and about shopping, don't leave bags on display in your vehicle

➡️ Be mindful about distraction burglaries

#BeatTheBurglar #OpMagpie

Business Burglary

Protecting your business from the outside in 

Follow our advice here to make the property more secure, deterring them from targeting your premises.

Fraud

🎄🎅 This Christmas, Action Fraud is here to help you stay safe from fraud.

🎁 Every day, we’ll be highlighting a different fraud type to help keep you safe.

Let’s enjoy a #FraudFreeXmas together

spkl.io/4438

Service and Information 

There are some things you can do online, including reporting something to us or making an application.

However you choose to make contact with us, we'll treat it in the same way.

On behalf of Crawley Police

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday, from everyone here at Crawley Police 🎄

Our teams will be working throughout the Christmas period and will be out and about across the districts keeping an eye on anyone on the naughty list! 👀

You can contact us, any time, day or night online, via 101 or in an emergency, dial 999.