A total of 23 people were stopped and searched by police, resulting in one arrest during an operation to crack down on shed and garage thefts in the Carlton area.
Gedling Neighbourhood Policing Team, Gedling Reacher Team and Special Constables carried out the operation during Friday evening (March 5) and carried out a mixture of plain-clothed and high-visibility patrols in burglary hot-spot areas.
Police carried out the evening of action following a spate of 11 reported burglaries, attempted burglaries and thefts in the area between February 7 and 27.
During the operation, a 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of taking a vehicle without consent, having no insurance and drink/drug driving having failed a drugs wipe test and possession of cannabis. He remains in police custody.
A vehicle was also seized for having no tax and drugs was also recovered including cannabis and amphetamine.
Officers also carried out extensive door-to-door enquiries in affected areas, checked on victims and offered crime prevention advice while out on patrols as their investigations continue.
Inspector Chris Pearson, Neighbourhood Policing Inspector responsible for local policing in the Gedling borough area, said: “Unfortunately we have seen a significant increase in shed break-ins in the area but, as this latest operation has shown, we are determined to stop burglars in their tracks and are continuing to work hard to reverse this trend.
“Burglars are targeting bicycles and tools which have been taken from sheds and outbuildings so we’re urging residents to be extra vigilant and make sure their sheds, garages and outbuildings are kept secure to help avoid them falling victim to opportunistic thieves.
“Following the work overnight, we are continuing to follow a number of lines of enquiry in relation to the shed and garage breaks with officers reviewing CCTV footage.
“Along with that, patrols have increased with support from the local Reacher team, Operational Support officers and Special Constables, and we intend to continue this work to reduce crime in Carlton over the coming weeks & months.
“We are also urging people to report any suspicious activity to us by calling Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. If a crime is in progress call 999.
“I’d like to reassure local residents that we take reports of burglary extremely seriously and will work tirelessly to pursue offenders and bring them to justice.
“As part of our ongoing proactive work we are regularly engaging with residents, listening to their concerns and acting on them to help keep our communities safe.
“We also need residents to carry on working with us and follow crime prevention advice as we want to do everything we can to prevent burglaries from happening in the first place.
“Make sure your premises are kept secure at all times. If possible, padlock and secure any side gates or access to rear gardens and never leave garages or sheds unlocked, especially if they connect to your property.
“Take a look at your shed or garage and consider how you would break in if you had forgotten your keys. If you could get inside, so could a burglar.
“Make sure your doors and windows are locked at all times and that property such as bikes and tools are locked up securely. When you go out, always close and lock external doors and windows, even if you are just going out for a short time.
“Ensure the keys to your home and vehicles are kept in a place out of sight and well away from your letterbox and keep all spare keys in a safe place.”
