Neighbourhood Watch

Northern Area Country Watch Report

 NORTHERN COUNTRY WATCH WEEKLY

OPERATION QUEBEC - UNAUTHORISED ENCAMPMENTS

This operation is designed to display a responsive approach to unauthorised encampments within the area of Hampshire and the IOW,  to help prevent the long term encampments where environmental anti social behaviour tends to occur which impacts on the local community. 

Hampshire Constabulary will identify and work with landowners to target-harden those sites that have previously been used for such encampments. Traveller sites will be actively policed and evidence gathered of the condition of the land when groups leave. This evidence will be used to aid further police decision making around future removals.

We will continue to ensure that all our activity is considered within the context of the European Convention on Human Rights both for the travelling and local community. A balance will need to achieved in all cases. 

Country watch Members may be aware of ongoing police action regarding members of the travelling community in the Farnborough area, which are currently in a farmers field in Hawley Lane. Police response to this unauthorised encampment is being implemented through Operation Quebec. Hampshire Police have been aware of this group since mid April. We are actively involved with the land owner to secure the removal of this group from private land. 

We urge members to continue to make sure that their land and property is kept secure and checked regularly to help prevent these camps being set up in the first place and to report any suspicious activity or vehicles that may be a precursor to a camp being set up in your area. All suspicious incidents should be reported via the 101 number. 

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Targeted patrol officers from the Basingstoke area arrested three males after stop checking a van in the early hours of the morning in the Whitchurch area. The van was found by the officers parked up on the side of the B3400, the occupants were spoken to by the officers and were unable to account for why they were there. Further investigation by the officers resulted in them locating a lawn mower and a strimmer in the van, which had been stolen during a burglary to an outbuilding at a nearby property. The three males were subsequently charged with Non dwelling burglary. 

Reported Rural Crime

If you require any help or advice on how to access the information on this web site please contact the Country Watch Team.

Hampshire Police UK is the official Hampshire Constabulary web site. Details of your local Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNT) can be found on this, along with other information in relation to Hampshire Constabulary.

If you wish to contact the Hampshire Horse Watch regarding any Equine related crime prevention advice or to request tack marking you can E-mail them at equine@hampshire.pnn.police.uk

(N.B. The links to the web addresses have been removed as some people experienced problems when accessing the links via this message.)

VEHICLES OF INTEREST

(N.B. we will only be putting part registrations on this weekly update of vehicles seen, even if we have a full registration number given to us. This is because not all details are necessarily correct when passed to us and we would like you to report any suspicious vehicles, not just the ones we circulate to you on this E-mail)

Winchester and surrounding area

No vehicles of interest reported

Andover and surrounding area

26/4/12: 1942hrs: Blue Mitsubishi L200 MK04*** seen acting suspiciously around rural premises in the Ragged Appleshaw area.

27/04/12: 1545hrs: Turquoise Land Rover Discovery T317*** seen in the Faccombe area possible poaching activity.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

With the upcoming early May Bank Holiday weekend we are asking members to be alert to any possible rave related activity.

This could include:

the removal of locks from secured access points

• groups of vehicles congregating in rural areas
• convoys of vehicles
• loud music from remote woodland

Please report any such activity on the Hampshire Constabulary non emergency number of 101 as soon as possible.

By receiving early warnings Hampshire Constabulary have a much better chance of disrupting the rave and dispersing those responsible for its organisation.

AND FINALLY

Please keep reporting to help us help you.

Please remember to update us of any change to your contact details so we can keep our records up to date.

countrywatch@hampshire.pnn.police.uk

Northern Country Watch team:

Andover Police Station

PC 3961 Brian Pittman