Bradley Stoke councillor calls public meeting to discuss surge in burglaries

Bradley Stoke burglaries Dec 2015 to Nov 2016.

A local councillor has organised a public meeting to discuss the rising burglary rate in Bradley Stoke after the latest published figures showed the number of monthly incidents running at four times the two-year average.

Data published on the official police.uk website shows there were 16 burglaries recorded in Bradley Stoke during November 2016*, the highest in any month over the last six years (which is as far back as online data goes). In the 12-month period ending one year previously (December 2014 to November 2015), there was an average of 3.0 burglaries per month, a figure which has risen to 4.8 in the year to November 2016.

The latest surge easily exceeds the most recent peak of nine burglaries recorded in April 2016, which local police described at the time as a “spate”.

Enquiries by the Journal have revealed that a significant proportion of the recent Bradley Stoke burglaries (22 since the last week of June 2016) have involved the theft of ‘high value gold’. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Asian households account for a disproportionately high number of the properties targeted in such cases.

Cllr Tom Aditya, who also sits on the Avon & Somerset Police Advisory Board, raised his concerns about the increasing number of burglaries at last Wednesday’s Bradley Stoke Town Council meeting, and mentioned that one recent incident had seen burglars threaten a householder with “screwdrivers and daggers”.

The public meeting, which takes place at Holy Trinity Church, Broad Croft, Bradley Stoke BS32 0BD this Tuesday (24th January) at 7pm, will be attended by Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Dom Graham, who is leading the Avon & Somerset Police force’s response to the issue of high value gold burglary.

In a post on his personal Facebook page, Cllr Aditya writes:

“Our neighbourhoods are severely affected by aggravated burglaries, which are increasing day by day. Unfortunately, the police have not been able to fully restrain the menace or to bring all culprits under the law … Due to urgency of the issue, a public meeting has been convened at short notice at Holy Trinity Church Hall on Tuesday 24th January at 7pm, with Detective Chief Inspector Dom Graham who heads the anti-burglary action force of Avon & Somerset Police.”

“This is a community meeting to interact with the top police official in charge of the operation and to think together ways for more robust action that can bring a better outcome and raise awareness amongst the people. I invite all residents to the meeting on Tuesday evening.”

Parking at the church hall is limited, so people living nearby are asked to walk to the venue.

Related link: Bradley Stoke crime statistics (police.uk)

Note: Data on the police.uk website is published with a delay of around two months.


Update (24th January)

In relation to Cllr Aditya’s claim about neighbourhoods being “severely affected by aggravated burglaries”, we have obtained the following statistics from Avon & Somerset Police (all relating to the period between the last week of June 2016 and 17th January 2017, i.e. approx 6.5 months):

  • In Bradley Stoke there have been 38 domestic burglaries, with no aggravated burglaries
  • In South Gloucestershire there have been 388 domestic burglaries and four aggravated burglaries
  • Forcewide there have been 2,341 domestic burglaries and 54 aggravated burglaries
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12 comments

  1. With the state of the economy and current lack of decent help from the government to tackle homelessness, food and basic amenities, While the rich are still benefiting massively. I can only see this trend becoming a bigger problem.

    You can’t stop a problem if you don’t understand the issues. Hiding or placing other blocks in place will only add to the already rising tension.

  2. The term aggravation just means ‘the state of becoming worse or more serious’. When the number of burglaries is increasing, it is an aggravated situation. Rather than be fussy with terminologies, victims are looking for positive results and better outcome.

    My message to the community is that you have the right to use reasonable force to protect your life, family and your property. Call 999, the police will reach you soon, but don’t allow burglars to go scot free. More CCTV cameras and memo cams have to be installed wherever appropriate.

    The fear of burglaries is not only the fear of being robbed but also the fear of a sudden and unexpected clutch out of the darkness. Crimes are more effectually prevented by the certainty and severity of the punishment. For a punishment to be just it should consist such gradations of intensity sufficed to deter from committing crimes.

    It is the duty of the state to protect the life and property of its citizens and to ensure peace.Update the laws to give protection to victims and vulnerable communities. Let burglars be caught and punished according to law.

    http://www.tomaditya.wix.com/tom-aditya

  3. Public meeting held to discuss a recent surge in burglaries in Bradley Stoke and neighbouring areas.

    With over 200 people attending, it was ‘standing room only’ at tonight’s public meeting about the recent surge in burglaries in Bradley Stoke and neighbouring areas. We will have a report in our February magazine. If you were at the meeting, we would welcome your thoughts on the topics discussed.

  4. Thanks for your explanation of the English law. Yesterday, you queried me about the use of the terminology and I have already given the reason for using that word. Aggravated burglaries had happened and fearless burglars are targeting and attacking any property at their pleasure. That is a serious concern for me and many members of the wider community. I don’t wish to see that kind of incidents again. That’s what the huge turnout of tonight’s meeting also proclaimed loudly. If you have any positive suggestions to catch burglars and punish them, please share it. Thank you.

    http://www.tomaditya.wix.com/tom-aditya

  5. I would like to thank everyone who organised this meeting. I attended the meeting and it was informative. Personally I have done everything to deter the burglars but I think as a community we need to do more. The police have a finite number of resources and they are stretched. The suggestion by Police Inspector is a long term and storing the high value items in the safety deposit box will not stop our houses being burgled. We need a visible presence on our streets to deter the burglars this could be done by some volunteers walking our streets with high visibility jackets and noticing any suspicious activity. Bradley Stoke has few access roads if we can identify those positions and set up CCtv Cameras at least the Police will be able to trace the movements of the burglars.

  6. For some the problem is open access across woodland or sports fields. One area of Bradley Stoke was originally built after consultation with the Crime Prevention Officer. Flats and houses facing into a courtyard, whilst others face out.

    All well and good but it still needs people to be aware and keep an eye out. Get to know your neighbour. Take a good look at that person going in the same door, getting out of the parked car. Get to learn their name. Be more friendly and community orientated, not shutting that front door and ignoring everyone.

    It might make a difference to security, and you will get to know your neighbour and have a chat, make friends

  7. I listened to Councillor Tom speaking about this on the radio. It strikes me that Tom is a very sensible and experienced local representative. I’m glad we have people like Tom representing us. At least he clearly cares for the area! Perhaps Councillor Tom should stand to be our next MP, at least he spends his time in Bradley Stoke – not Yorkshire!

  8. I agree with Jim about cold calling, particularly where we have had a spate of people offering driveway tarmacing services, I do worry about the elderly in Bradley Stoke with pushy cold callers.

    I also agree with Paul, I have always found Tom Aditya to be a fine public servant and local representative. I’d support the suggestion that he should be our next MP, I think he would do a better job than the incumbent, albeit taking into account the many personal distractions Mr Lopresti seems to have had since he was elected for which he has my sympathy.

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