Mansfield burglaries plummet amid successful police measure to tackle town's crime

The assessment, carried out by Mansfield’s specialist burglary reduction officer PCSO Megan Tuffley on Wednesday, comes as police announced burglary figures in Mansfield were at their lowest in 20 years.

Since Megan was appointed in August, she has reached out to hundreds of former burglary victims and their neighbours offering to carry out home security assessments or fitting free home locks, lighting and CCTV systems.

Free security was fitted to 71 properties, and a further 37 residents will receive equipment in the coming weeks. The security advice is among other crime busting initiatives which have helped reduce the number of burglaries in the town.

PCSO Tuffley said: “Burglary is a horrible and invasive crime that can make people feel unsafe in their own homes. That’s why we take it so seriously as a force.

“We are at our most effective when we support people to stop offences from happening in the first place.

“Simple home security enhancements like CCTV, outside lighting and improved locks can really make all the difference and cause criminals to look elsewhere."

The burglary reduction scheme is just one of many schemes funded by a £432,000 grant from the government’s Safer Streets Fund.

The money, secured by Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry, is also being used to improve the coverage of CCTV, expand the automatic number plate recognition camera network, and street lighting in the Woodlands and Portland town centre wards.

PCSO Tuffley added “Our job is to keep things that way by making things as hard as possible for local burglars.”

In the six months to October 2021 a total of 96 residential burglary offences were recorded in Mansfield – an annual reduction of 47.5 per cent and the lowest ever number for the same period since comparable figures were first compiled in 2003.

In 2019 a multi-faceted burglary reduction plan was put in place, including a range of enforcement, prevention, intelligence and information sharing measures.

Measures included targeted patrols on in the top 20 most burgled streets, increased detection training for officers, and an increase in officers

Known offenders were hit with measures designed to make their lives difficult, including restrictive criminal behaviour orders that prohibit them from doing certain things – such as carrying common house-breaking tools or standing on a driveway. Breaches are treated as criminal offences and suspects are often recalled immediately to prison.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “I’m delighted residents are getting behind this fantastic scheme. I hope these simple measures will go a long way to easing their anxiety and reducing their fear of it happening again.

“Burglary in Mansfield is at an all-time low and working with our partners, I am determined to keep it that way.”

Coun Marion Bradshaw, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities, Housing and Wellbeing at Mansfield District Council, said: “

“Anything that prevents crime has to be preferable than dealing with the consequences of it.

“It is good news too, that the number of burglaries does appear to have reduced since the police began a burglary reduction plan in this area. Let’s hope that downward trend continues.”

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