Town centre crime summit to be held in Melton

Police made a number of arrests following multiple break-ins to businesses over the Christmas and new year period, with one suspect charged with 10 of the burglaries.

Melton Borough Council is now set to host a meeting at the end of this month between shop owners, Melton’s police commander Inspector Darren Richardson, members of the Safer Melton Partnership (SMP) and Melton BID, with invites also going to Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner, Rupert Matthews and local MP Edward Argar.

Borough council leader, Councillor Pip Allnatt, said: “The focus of this meeting is to listen to the businesses, provide them with updates on the incidents and what action has been taken to date.

"We will also offer advice and reassurance and explore target hardening options to reduce vulnerability.

"We have also given out several CCTV units and video doorbells to businesses as part of the Safer Streets 5 fund and we will be taking a number of these units to the meeting to issue to those businesses that would benefit from such devices.”

The major upgrade in CCTV in the town centre has also been credited with helping police identify suspects, with more cameras and higher definition footage now available.

Councillor Allnatt commented: “Our policing colleagues have noted that they have seen a significant improvement in the quality of service, that the provider has been highly responsive and easy to contact, promptly adjusting the cameras as needed and are proactive in reaching out if they observe any suspicious activity.

"This level of attentiveness has greatly enhanced the service being provided to the residents and visitors of Melton, and additionally, having the ability to review CCTV footage live at the station is described as invaluable, enabling police to take swift action in identifying suspects and addressing incidents in progress.”

Councillor Allnatt reiterated the borough council’s commitment to helping make the town a safer and more secure place for traders to operate in a response to a letter from Melton MP Mr Argar voicing concern about the upsurge in break-ins and asking what the authority was doing to stop it happening.

He praised the work of Safer Melton Partnership chair, Councillor Sarah Cox, and cabinet colleague, Councillor Sharon Butcher, who visited all the businesses which recently suffered break-ins.

In his letter to the MP, the leader wrote: “We care about our communities and our local independent businesses, and we want to help them to thrive and to be resilient to the unacceptable crimes we have seen over the Christmas period.”

The council leader also reveals in his letter that he is writing to Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, to raise local concerns about lenient sentences handed out to those recently convicted of break-ins in the town centre.

The police and council urge all town centre traders to register on the DISC app, which is funded by the Safer Melton Partnership as a tool to report incidents of anti-social behaviour and shop theft.