Big drop burglary, vehicle crime and ASB in Eastwood South after Safer Streets funding

Safer Streets interventions in the target area have included new CCTV and automatic number plate recognition cameras, car park security upgrades and free home security devices for burglary victims.

The measures have provided a boost to Nottinghamshire Police and Broxtowe Council’s on going work in the area and led to a 66 per cent reduction in burglary, a 45 per cent drop in vehicle crime and a 27 per cent fall in anti-social behaviour (ASB).

This was in the 12 months from October 2022 when the project started, compared to the previous three-year average.

Eastwood’s Safer Streets project was delivered by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Nottinghamshire, in partnership with Nottinghamshire Police and Broxtowe Council, with funding from the Home Office.

PCC Caroline Henry (Con) said: “These reductions are absolutely brilliant and show that our targeted work is paying off.

“The additional investment Safer Streets has brought to Eastwood has been a real boost to the work that Nottinghamshire Police and Broxtowe Council are already doing to make public spaces safer.”

The key interventions in Eastwood that have helped make a difference include new CCTV cameras, including fixed and mobile cameras, and also cameras specifically for Scargill Walk flats to prevent ASB and improve the safety of residents.

Scargill Walk flats also benefitted from a new door entry system to stop unwanted visitors in the communal stairways, as well as replacing the old metal grilles on the windows for new and more appealing double-glazed windows.

Public car parks in Victoria Street and Alexandra Street received security upgrades including CCTV which helped them pass a Park Mark accreditation, recognising them as safe places for people to leave their vehicles.

Two electric bicycles were also purchased for the local neighbourhood policing team, which officers said had been ‘invaluable’ in tackling drug dealing after being used to make seven arrests and make 11 stop searches.

Local burglary victims were offered free home security devices, such as video doorbells, CCTV and motion sensor lighting to prevent any further victimisation and help residents feel safer in their homes.

A number of Safer Streets-funded clean-up days were also help to make neighbourhoods tidier and restore a sense of pride and safety in the area.

Oliver Hawryluk, a resident of Princes Street, who has lived in Eastwood for more than 40 years, praised the clean-up day, calling it ‘incredibly important’ for the local area.

Streets where the biggest impact was recorded were Scargill Walk, where ASB fell from an average of 16 incidents a year to just two occurrences in the intervention period, Nottingham Road where incidents decreased from 26 incidents to 16, and Princes Street hwere incidents decreased from an average of 10 to just one.

Coun Helen Faccio (Lab), portfolio holder for community safety, said: “It’s incredibly important people that people feel safe where they live and the Safer Streets projects have resulted in some very positive crime reduction figures for Eastwood.

"I would like to thank the local police officers, and our partners, for their work in delivering the projects.”