Christmas spirit!
I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas festivities and did not over indulge too much! I was very pleased to find that there were only a very small number of local drivers who were found to be over the prescribed alcohol limit, and fewer drink related incidents generally than we have seen in previous years. Hopefully this bodes well for the months ahead!

Fly-tipping
In recent months, I have noticed that there has been an apparent increase in incidents of ‘fly-tipping’ in and around our villages. I have found old tyres, household waste, and the remnants of old kitchens and garden rubbish dumped in ditches, farmland and roadside verges. This illegal practice is not only very unsightly; it has environmental implications and costs the taxpayer money that could be spent on something more beneficial to the rural community.

For example, on 6^th January I found a lorry load of tree cuttings piled in a passing place just off the A140 at Brockford and just prior to this date, a heap of rubbish comprising of old decorating materials, broken Christmas decorations, household waste and car wheels complete with tyres, was dumped at the roadside in Thorndon. Fly-tipping is an offence which carries heavy fines. We work closely with our partners at the District Council to track down those responsible. I would urge you all to report anyone you may see committing this offence; ideally we require registration numbers of any vehicles involved or descriptions of offenders. I will then pass these details to the council and assist them to pursue formal prosecutions against those responsible.

Vehicle security
You may recall that a few months ago, I reported that insecure cars in rural villages were being entered overnight with thieves making speculative searches for items to steal. In November, we had an isolated incident in Pages Green, whereby two cars parked on residents’ driveways were entered although nothing was actually stolen. Just before Christmas, we arrested two males who we believe were doing just that in the Framsden area and also recovered a car stolen from a nearby farm at Otley. We also arrested youths who broke into cars in Bacton in early January, and have arrested a further male on suspicion of stealing tools and audio equipment from a car in Eye on 21^st December.

Building security
Shed and garage burglaries are also a problem, particularly at this time of year. Although there have not been too many in your village, neighbouring parishes have suffered such thefts, with tools, fishing gear, golf clubs and the like being amongst the items commonly stolen. Several local garage workshops have also been targeted in late November and early December with expensive ‘Snap-on’ brand engineering tools being stolen.

Again I urge you to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the police. In late November, I searched two men in a flat-bed truck in Rickinghall, and found that they had £2,000 worth of fishing gear in the back, which had been stolen earlier that day from an address in Occold. I also executed two search warrants in Eye just before Christmas and recovered more stolen property which related to burglaries at nearby farm premises. Further arrests at Diss led to the recovery of items believed stolen from a burglary at Stuston and a car in Eye. I have also re-united a burglary victim from Thorndon with tools and other equipment recovered from the scene of a related burglary in Occold.

Most recently, on 17^th January, a burglary occurred at commercial offices on an industrial estate in Eye. We subsequently arrested a suspect following a routine search of a car on the A143 when we recovered computer equipment stolen during the burglary. Hopefully this news will reassure you that the thieves do not always get away with it!

Neighbourhood Watch!
Much of our recent success is due to information received from the community. As I get to know you all better, more and more of you are having the confidence to come forward and tell me what’s going on behind the scenes. If you have information about a crime or have knowledge about criminality in your area, please talk to me about it. ‘Intelligence’ is the life blood of the police service and each snippet of information you provide will help us to keep criminals on the back foot.

Can you help?
Information is sought from anyone who may have knowledge of a burglary that occurred at approximately 11pm on Monday 10^th January, when thieves smashed a hole in the wall of commercial premises in Norwich Road at Brockford in order to gain entry. This unusual crime may have attracted attention from a passing motorist, so if you can help please get in touch.

Road safety
As you can see, I have been very busy of late but now that the New Year is upon us, I am hoping to spend more time doing high profile speed checks in the Occold area and patrolling in the vicinity of the school at arrival and departure times to help keep your children safe. The Parish Council have also requested closer attention to road safety issues including illegal parking and excessive speed at this location.

I shall be carrying out regular speed enforcement in the village, using the new hand-held ‘laser gun’ issued to community officers at the end of last year. I am also concerned about the number of reports I have received concerning children not wearing seatbelts or other approved restraints during car journeys to and from school, so I shall be paying particular attention to these offences also. Please do not risk your child’s safety by allowing them to travel unrestrained – the increased risk of injury this poses in the event of an accident is now only too well documented.

Let's work together!
With very few crimes recorded in Occold in recent months, incidents of crime remain thankfully very low and together we must ensure that it stays that way. Let’s continue to work together to help make 2006 a safe and pleasant year for everyone

Best wishes, Jon Eaves, Community Police Officer