Chief Constable’s vision realised

THE Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police saw his vision of policing for the people become a reality during a day of raids and checks.

Chief Constable Alf Hitchcock, who took up the post back in January, pledged to take action on crime that residents feel is most damaging to the community on his appointment.

He continued to fulfil this on Tuesday (May 17), as he supervised officers during a day of arrests and intelligence gathering across Central Bedfordshire.

Operation Vision headed to the streets of Biggleswade, Sandy and Potton in an exercise that saw a quantity of drugs and cash being seized and three people being arrested for offences including money laundering, burglary and possession with intent to supply.

They have been bailed without charge pending further enquiries.

Mr Hitchcock – who joined officers for a morning of spot checks on vehicles entering and leaving EMR scrapyard in Biggleswade following a spate of metal thefts in Central Beds – said the force is committed to acting on the public’s concerns.

He said: “Making the types of crime that concern the public the most and are most damaging to the community our priority is something that is vitally important to us.

“When I arrived at Bedfordshire Police we outlined these priorities quite specifically and one of the key areas is what we term acquisitive crime. This means theft and burglary and intelligence has shown that metal theft is becoming an increasingly attractive option for criminals, especially the theft of lead from the roofs of buildings.”

As well as being searched for stolen goods vehicles stopped by officers were also checked for red diesel use.

More than 750 homes and farms were also visited and 248 people were spoken to about their issues and concerns. Around half of these have signed up to the Ringmaster crime messaging service.

In the evening a team of specials returned to the streets of Sandy to carry out patrols focusing on antisocial behaviour.

For the full story see the Biggleswade Chronicle of Friday, May 20.