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Police blitz takes on the burglars | Police blitz takes on the burglars |
(20 minutes later) | |
By Adam Fleming BBC News Burglary is at its lowest rate in 35 years in Lancashire | By Adam Fleming BBC News Burglary is at its lowest rate in 35 years in Lancashire |
Lancashire Police have been running Operation Julius across the county for most of July, but on Wednesday their "blitz on burglary" was focused on Preston. | Lancashire Police have been running Operation Julius across the county for most of July, but on Wednesday their "blitz on burglary" was focused on Preston. |
A huge team of officers meet in a park in the centre of the city to be briefed on the assignment. There are personnel from the mounted unit, the firearms team, the traffic squad and from all across the force. | A huge team of officers meet in a park in the centre of the city to be briefed on the assignment. There are personnel from the mounted unit, the firearms team, the traffic squad and from all across the force. |
The teams are told be highly visible on the streets. "Simply, we are going to reassure the public that we're tackling burglary. And we're going to annoy the people who've been committing the crimes," one officer says. | The teams are told be highly visible on the streets. "Simply, we are going to reassure the public that we're tackling burglary. And we're going to annoy the people who've been committing the crimes," one officer says. |
The call is to a man suspected of carrying out a string of robberies. Constable Toby Cobban knocks on the door and the camera crew keeps a discreet distance, but the man does not want to talk. | The call is to a man suspected of carrying out a string of robberies. Constable Toby Cobban knocks on the door and the camera crew keeps a discreet distance, but the man does not want to talk. |
"You're going to make me lose it and you won't like it when I lose it," he tells Constable Cobban. | "You're going to make me lose it and you won't like it when I lose it," he tells Constable Cobban. |
Other suspects will receive visits from the police, to warn them that they are being watched but also to offer them help, such as treatment for drug addiction. | Other suspects will receive visits from the police, to warn them that they are being watched but also to offer them help, such as treatment for drug addiction. |
The point of this operation is that rates are low and we want them to stay that way Chief Inspector Ian Mills Police target suspected burglars | The point of this operation is that rates are low and we want them to stay that way Chief Inspector Ian Mills Police target suspected burglars |
Chief Inspector Ian Mills, who is leading Operation Julius, says he is proud that burglary rates in Lancashire are at their lowest for 35 years. That means there are an average 1.2 burglaries per day in the county. | Chief Inspector Ian Mills, who is leading Operation Julius, says he is proud that burglary rates in Lancashire are at their lowest for 35 years. That means there are an average 1.2 burglaries per day in the county. |
"The point of this operation is that rates are low and we want them to stay that way," he says. | "The point of this operation is that rates are low and we want them to stay that way," he says. |
But that is little consolation for Pat Pelling, whose terraced home was burgled two weekends ago. Thieves snatched £100 in cash and a new mobile phone from the coffee table in her front room while she slept upstairs. | |
"It made me feel sickly. The fact that someone has been in your home frightens you," she says. She now sleeps in a different room so that she can hear if someone opens the door at night. | "It made me feel sickly. The fact that someone has been in your home frightens you," she says. She now sleeps in a different room so that she can hear if someone opens the door at night. |
She is visited by Detective Martin Dawson who has been investigating the break-in. He says most burglary victims assume they have been specifically targeted, which is rarely the case. | She is visited by Detective Martin Dawson who has been investigating the break-in. He says most burglary victims assume they have been specifically targeted, which is rarely the case. |
But he admits that there is a real lack of helpful forensic evidence in Mrs Pelling's case and so it will be difficult to solve. | But he admits that there is a real lack of helpful forensic evidence in Mrs Pelling's case and so it will be difficult to solve. |
On a bustling street in the city centre, PC Yvette Ashton visits a pawnbrokers - an obvious place for thieves to turn stolen goods into cash. | On a bustling street in the city centre, PC Yvette Ashton visits a pawnbrokers - an obvious place for thieves to turn stolen goods into cash. |
She has formed a close working relationship with the shop's manager and reminds her to be on the look-out for suspicious behaviour. | She has formed a close working relationship with the shop's manager and reminds her to be on the look-out for suspicious behaviour. |
PC Ashton also takes her ultra-violet "smartwater" light into a mobile phone shop. The owner reluctantly hands over some second-hand mobiles so she can check they have not been security-marked and reported stolen by previous owners. | PC Ashton also takes her ultra-violet "smartwater" light into a mobile phone shop. The owner reluctantly hands over some second-hand mobiles so she can check they have not been security-marked and reported stolen by previous owners. |
By mid-afternoon a new team of officers are being briefed so that they can carry Operation Julius on into the night. | By mid-afternoon a new team of officers are being briefed so that they can carry Operation Julius on into the night. |
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