New police patrols in Kenilworth having '˜big effect'

And following the first month of patrols, arrests and several warnings have already been made.

At the community forum on Monday February 29, residents voiced their worries to the Kenilworth Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) about burglaries around Leyes Lane and the Knights Meadow estate, shoplifting in the town centre, speeding motorists in Clinton Lane and inconsiderate parking in Burton Green.

The SNT pledged to increase patrols in these areas to help prevent these types of offences, starting on Monday February 29.

In the first month, patrols in the town centre saw four people and their vehicle stopped and searched on suspicion of shoplifting, one person arrested for going equipped for theft and shoplifting, one person arrested on suspicion of theft and for historic thefts in Kenilworth.

The SNT also conducted nine patrols around Leyes Lane and the Knights Meadow estate, which has seen a 75 per cent reduction in reported burglaries since Christmas.

Kenilworth SNT beat manager PC Caine Pickering described the patrols as “massively successful.”

He added: “I have no doubt whatsoever that the patrols are having a big effect. I wouldn’t commit to doing them if I thought it was a waste of time. We’re conducting more than we need to because I think they’re valuable.

“Prevention is better than cure so it’s important we have a visible deterrent in the town, but we are conducting both overt and covert operations.”

The patrols also caught out motorists who parked inconsiderately around Priors Field Primary School, and 13 patrols in Burton Green saw six motorists warned about inconsiderate parking in Cromwell Lane and Hodgetts Lane.

Anyone with any questions should attend the SNT’s market surgeries held each Thursday in Abbey End from 10.30am to noon.