Axminster Rural

Antisocial driving and vehicle offences (including road crime)

The Axminster Neighbourhood Team and Devon and Cornwall Police are working to reduce the number of casualties and road traffic collisions in our area, through proactive work and positive action.

Vehicle crime includes theft from motor vehicles, vehicles being driven without insurance and/or a valid driving licence, vehicle theft, unroadworthy vehicles, and drink and drug driving. Antisocial driving such as speeding, revving, loud music and large car meets also meets these criteria. This also includes the use of unrestricted e-bikes and e-scooters being used on public highways.

We have conducted high visibility patrols along the main routes in to and out of Axminster, providing reassurance to motorists and other road users.

Members of the public have expressed concerns about speeding and anti social driving in the CLOAKHAM DRIVE area of AXMINSTER. The AXMINSTER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM has worked with members of the public to identify the vehicles involved, they appear to mainly be motorbikes and scooters.

The registered keepers and insured parties have been identified and will be spoken with in due course to inform them of their behaviour and the affect it is having on residents in the area. If the anti social driving continues, Section 59 notices will be issued and there is the potential that vehicles can be seized.

A speed op is planned for later this year involving members of the Devon and Cornwall Road Safety Team and CREWKERNE ROAD and LYME ROAD will be included as part of this operation

Further traffic ops will be planned throughout the year.

Town centre and youth ASB

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) is defined as 'behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person'. There are three main categories of ASB which depends on how many people are affected: personal ASB, nuisance ASB, and environmental ASB. This can include littering, noise, inconsiderate behaviour, nuisance calls, antisocial driving, abandoned vehicles, begging, and street drinking.

To reduce and target ASB in the community the East Devon Neighbourhood team work with partner agencies such as East Devon District Council, local schools, local shops, pubs, and Devon Highways.

Axminster has a ‘HOTSPOT’ which officers regularly patrol on foot and in marked police vehicles. This ‘HOTSPOT’ covers the town centre including the Minster Green, the rear of TESCO and CASTLE STREET. This ‘HOTSPOT’ has been developed using the data from recorded crimes and ASB incidents and enables officers to target their patrols accordingly.

ASB patrols have continued throughout MAY, particularly in hot spot areas around the MINSTER GREEN, TESCO and WEST STREET.

On FRIDAY MAY 22ND, the AXMINSTER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM worked with DEVON AND CORNWALL POLICE CADETS to complete an OP SCEPTRE test purchase operation. OP SCEPTRE is a national initiative aimed at tackling knife crime and serious violence. This latest OP SCEPTRE ran from 18th - 24th MAY and focussed on the sale of knives and bladed items within retail premises.

Seven stores were visited across AXMINSTER and the rest of rural east Devon. Two of our police cadets visited each business and attempted to buy a knife or bladed article. They were accompanied in store by an office in plain clothes.

Out of the seven stores visited, only one store failed to apply the proper age verification checks.

Further reports of ASB cycling have been received and we will continue to proactively police those who cycle dangerously on the roads in and around Axminster.

Cross border crime (including rural crime)

Rural crime is an issue for large areas of the country, but it tends to go unreported. It can impact on insurance premiums, food prices, the environment, and can damage local communities. Due to the very nature of where AXMINSTER, and the surrounding parishes, is positioned in the county, close to the border with Somerset and Dorset, there is an ongoing threat of criminals from out of force committing offences within the locality.

The Axminster team, with assistance from the wider east Devon Neighbourhood Team, will continue to target offenders who travel in from out of force and disrupt their activities. The team also works closely with their counterparts in Avon and Somerset and Dorset to share information and target known offenders.

As part of our commitment to engaging with rural communities the team has visited every parish within its patch and carried out village walk abouts as well as police surgeries at village halls. The aim is to improve connectivity with the rural communities and provide education to users of our beautiful countryside. This includes attending rural events to gain knowledge about the issues effecting the rural communities and to offer the crime prevention advice.

Rural engagement took place at HAWKCHURCH and DALWOOD in MAY with officers visiting each location, conducting foot patrol and spending time speaking to residents and parish councillors.

The team has held a meeting with our counterparts in Avon and Somerset to discuss ongoing concerns about known individuals committing offences across the two counties. Following on from the meeting both teams have committed to working closely to target and disrupt those who operate across our respective borders.

Further rural engagement to take place throughout the year.