Police meet with residents following Potters Bar burglaries

Police meet with residents following Potters Bar burglaries

The Potters Bar and Shenley Neighbourhood Policing Team have hosted a successful community event for residents following a burglary spate.

A community engagement event was held in Sunnybank Road on Saturday afternoon (3 October), following a recent spate of burglaries in the street.

The event was attended by PCSOs Cheryll Lavell, Graham Tippett and Chris Ramdeen.

The afternoon aimed to provide residents with crime prevention advice relating to both home and vehicle security, whilst also offering reassurance that burglaries in the area remain a policing priority. Residents were informed that patrols had been increased, including both marked and unmarked police vehicles, with several residents commenting that they had already noticed the increased police presence.

The event was extremely well attended and subsequently extended to ensure everyone had the opportunity to receive advice and support.

During the event, officers distributed the following:

Residents were also signed up to Herts Connected, the constabulary’s messaging platform, to stay up-to-date with local news and crime alerts.

Additional reassurance activity took place during the event, with Sergeant Noel Buckley and PC Jack Laycock conducting plain-clothed patrols on foot and in an unmarked vehicle within the area.

PCSO Cheryll Lavell said: “We understand the impact that burglary can have on people and the concern it can cause within a community. We want residents to know that we are taking these incidents seriously and are continuing to carry out patrols in the area, alongside ongoing enquiries.

“Events like this give us the opportunity to speak directly with local people, offer practical crime prevention advice and answer any concerns they may have. We would encourage residents to remain vigilant, ensure their homes and vehicles are secure, and report any suspicious activity to us straight away.

“We were pleased with the event’s turnout and there was a real sense of community spirit. We took the time to speak to children too, letting them sit in the police and learn about some of the equipment carried by officers. One parent commented that the children had just been watching a police programme on television, making the experience particularly memorable and helping to build positive relationships between young people and the police.

“Overall, the engagement was extremely successful, providing reassurance to residents, delivering practical crime prevention advice, and demonstrating our continued commitment to tackling burglary and keeping the community safe.”

You can also report information online at herts.police.uk/report, speak to an operator in our Force Communications Room via our online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact or call the non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference.

Alternatively, you can stay 100% anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.

In an emergency, always call 999.

Join the ‘Herts Connected’ community messaging service to keep up to date with what’s happening in your local area. Select ‘police’ when you sign up at hertsconnected.co.uk.

You can also use the Herts Connected platform to let us know what you think we should be prioritising in your area. Your feedback will help towards shaping our local policing priorities, initiatives and campaigns. Visit bit.ly/hertspolice-psf and tell us your thoughts.