To meet and receive an update from Superintendent Bhupinder Rai.

The Chairman welcomed Superintendent Bhupinder Rai, Commander for Windsor and Maidenhead and Inspector Emily Roberts, lead in Windsor and Maidenhead on rural crime. Inspector Emily Roberts is based in Windsor.

Superintendent Bhupinder Rai informed Forum members that Inspector Emily Roberts would be regularly attending the Rural Forum to update Members on rural crime.

Points highlighted by Superintendent Bhupinder Rai included:

·         Drop of crime by 14%, 133 recorded crime incidents last year compared to 114 this year.

·         Increase in arrests.

·         Currently six ongoing investigations.

·         Four further people charged last year.

·         Ongoing work includes:

§  Tack marking – engagement carrying on

§  Crime prevention

The intelligence was not really flowing as well as it could and therefore now using automated number plate recognition (ANPR). The peaks in rural crime are currently being looked at.

Questions and Answers asked by Forum Members included:

§  Hare coursing problems – in the past five weeks, had a very good response and police attended the farm within 10-15 minutes. It took one hour to catch the two hare coursers, both aged 14 years. It was confirmed that 14 years old was not under aged and was prosecutable. They may not be taken to court but would go through the correct youth justice processes and system.

§  What evidence was required by the police to prosecute the accused? It was advised that this was on a case by case basis by Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The police would arrest, collect evidence, conduct the witness evidence interviews and pass all information on to the CPS. Currently there were a few ongoing cases which would be good examples to learn from once completed.

§  The local access forum of West Berkshire is working with another company with large cars to capture the hare coursers. Insurance for this would be an issue.

§  Machinery theft – national organised crime – police have been successful in this. All organised crime information is collected and once a week the information is sent to Thames Valley headquarters. All patterns are looked at and weekly bulletins are prepared. Windsor and Maidenhead are very well linked in. This is still a significant problem nationally.

§  What do the rural community need to be aware of? It was highlighted that the biggest issue was cyber crime, and fraudulent transactions. Forum Members were advised that in the main, the fraud was targeted mainly at vulnerable people but not exclusively. Internet security work has to be preventative, issuing many safety messages.

§  Data tagging in coordination with Thames Valley Police.

Forum Members highlighted that they are not receiving Neighbourhood Crime emails that the community used to receive. Members were advised that the email was still sent out and the mailing list probably needs refreshing. Superintendent Rai would look into geo-fencing to see if the existing system can be adjusted.

ACTION: Clerk to send the contact details of Inspector Emily Roberts to all Rural Forum Members. . Email - Emily.Roberts@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

ACTION: Clerk to send the future meeting dates to Inspector Emily Roberts.