Stepping up security

POLICE are to step up security at a Boughton industrial estate to try to tackle rising crime.

Ollerton and Boughton’s beat officer, Pc Colin Oakley, said there had been an increase in crime on Boughton North Industrial Estate since the start of the year.

The number of burglaries has risen and there are problems with fly tipping and abandoned vehicles.

The problems were revealed at a meeting of the police, businesses, representatives from Newark and Sherwood District Council and the Environment Agency on Friday.

Mr Jamie Walker of Evans Easyspace Ltd, which manages the estate, said there had never had so many problems on the site.

Several business owners said most problems occurred at weekends when the security firm employed to patrol the site reduced its hours.

The managing director of Hall-Fast Industrial Supplies Ltd, Mr Malcolm Hall, said he often found broken bottles and other rubbish outside his unit on Mondays, which he had to clear up.

He said: “Weekends are the problem. There’s no security. Having a police presence at weekends would be good.”

Pc Oakley said: “We realise that this site is vulnerable at weekends. Extending patrols is something we can do.”

He said two community support officers regularly patrolled the area but other Safer Neighbourhood teams could provide more support if needed.

Pc Oakley also encouraged businesses to report any suspicious incidents to the police.

“If we are free, there is no reason why we cannot come up here and challenge people,” he said.

“We are conscious security is an issue with everybody.”

Pc Oakley said he had visited the estate last week to inspect the security of units and handed out posters highlighting areas for improvement.

An environment officer for the Environment Agency, Mrs Diana Bakewell, said she had also driven around the estate, which seemed to have helped to reduce the number of fly tipping incidents.

A Newark and Sherwood District Council, waste management inspector, Mrs Jill Ridge, urged businesses to report incidents to her.

“If we have CCTV footage we can investigate it,” she said.

Suggestions were also made by businesses to increase the number of security cameras on the site and to install more signs saying the site was under surveillance to deter criminals.

Friday’s meeting was organised by the police in response to the growing number of problems on the industrial estate.

Nottinghamshire Police’s business crime advisor, Mr Robin Singleton, said it was the first meeting of its kind to be held on the estate.

He said: “We need to do something about it.

“We are working with businesses and working with other agencies. We are aware some of the businesses are not reporting the crimes.

“It was a good opportunity to say what we are doing about it and to get the word around that the estate is being paid attention.”