We Don't Buy Crime blog: April to May 2023

In this edition of our acquisitive crime blog, we'll be looking at the important work that our We Don't Buy Crime (WDBC) and rural crime teams have been carrying out.

The WDBC team is helping to prevent crime and keep our communities safe. The team partner with local communities and businesses to catch and convict offenders who commit:

• burglary
• robbery
• theft
• vehicle crime.

These offenses are collectively known as ‘acquisitive crimes’ and are the type of crime that offenders profit from. Our team understands the impact that these types of offenses can have on individuals, communities, and businesses, and so work with them to minimise the risk of them happening.

Chief Inspector Hannah Lawton said:

"The officers and staff who work in the We Don't Buy Crime team work hard with communities and business to help keep them safe from these crimes.

"The team hold monthly events and training sessions to educate members of the public on how to keep their properties and/or businesses safe, and they also carry out operations across Gwent to catch offenders.

"Their work plays a vital role in keeping Gwent safe and reassuring local communities."

In April alone, the WDBC team:

• distributed 36 crime prevention packs that included SmartWater
• recovered £1,000 worth of stolen goods
• delivered 66 educational inputs
• reviewed 807 acquisitive crimes.

The work that this team carries out can help lead to decreases in these acquisitive crimes.

Community engagement is also a major part of the WDBC team’s role...

The WDBC team and the neighbourhood watch coordinator visited Milton Court in Ringland, where they discussed crime prevention measures and residents’ concerns.

The residents were delighted to have their mobility scooters forensically marked with SmartWater and work is ongoing to help reduce the fear of crime and create a safer neighbourhood.

Throughout the month, PC Moore, our WDBC business crime officer, joined our Heddlu Bach at their schools to chat to them about crime prevention, forensic property marking, and the importance of keeping the school and community safe.

Our Heddlu Bach, aka our "mini police", are part of a scheme that is run as a partnership between Gwent Police and local primary schools. The youngsters learn about a vast number of things from different officers from across the force. If you'd like you child to be part of the scheme, please speak to their school to see if they take part.

Rural crime

Rural crime is an issue for large areas of Gwent, such as Monmouthshire, but it tends to go unreported. This type of crime can impact things such as insurance premiums, food prices, and local communities.

We have a dedicated rural crime team that work round the clock to help keep our rural communities safe, and work closely with the WDBC team to offer farmers crime prevention advice and packs that include forensic marking technology.

In April alone, the team dealt with:

• 247 off-road bike calls
• 73 livestock calls
• five livestock attacks
• eight deliberate grass fires
• three heritage crimes.

The team also introduced two new initiatives.

The team have carried out their usual commitments throughout April, including holding farming community surgeries at Raglan Livestock Market and Op Nightwatch patrols in respect of a recent increase in thefts from outbuildings in rural Monmouthshire.

They also attended an all-Wales rural crime conference. Those who attended the event heard about the Welsh government’s wildlife and rural crime strategy for Wales (2023 - 2025), and our team also gave their own inputs about rural and wildlife crime in Gwent.

While there, PC Mark Powell was awarded a very special rural crime award for his contribution and commitment to tackling rural crime and supporting our communities.

Fantastic work from the team!

For information and advice on rural crime and how to prevent it, click here. 

To find out more about upcoming events and the work that the teams are doing, follow them on Twitter:

• WDBC team
• rural crime team.

If you would like to find out more about how the team can help you, please email [email protected] or [email protected].

If you witness a crime, please call 101, use our online reporting system, or message us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also report it 100% anonymously to Crimestoppers via their website or by calling 0800 555 111.

In an emergency, always dial 999.