St Mary Cray

Shoplifting offences account for the largest proportion of all crime recorded on the ward. The Nugent Retail Park in SMC is known as a hotpot for shoplifting offences and is a significant crime generator. With a large number of retail outlets, the area is frequented by prolific, priority offenders, known to police to be drug dependent who often offend to fund their addiction. Items stolen include cosmetics, meat, alcohol and certain medium to high value clothing. The area is also known for persons approaching shoppers, asking for money in the street, or when standing at cashpoints. They can be verbally aggressive with members of the public who decline to give them money. These crimes and ASB place additional demand on local policing and discourages members of the public from shopping at the location, which in turn has a negative effect upon trade.

Regular uniformed patrols are carried out along with targeted plain clothes tasking. The police have built strong working relationships with site security and meet regularly for the purposes of information exchange. We will be intelligence lead, targeting our prolific and priority offenders who cause the most harm. The team will work closely with Project Adder, making referrals for those struggling with substance abuse. We will utilise powers under the ASB, Crime and Policing Act to serve ABC’s and Community Protection Notices to curb offending. We will closely monitor outstanding offenders and execute arrest warrants. We will work with local businesses, offering crime prevention advice and support them in making changes to target harden premises.

Star Lane and its environs are known as a hot spot for a number of issues namely drug use/supply and associated ASB. The area is also known for the offences of going equipped, vehicle interference and theft of/from motor vehicles.

The local policing team will address this by increasing patrols in the area and by working in partnership with the council, housing and other agencies to target known offenders. We will support victims and strive to safeguard those considered vulnerable. The team will work closely with Project Adder to make referrals for those struggling with substance abuse. We will use powers under the ASB, Crime and Policing Act to serve ABC’s and Community Protection Notices to curb offending. We will closely monitor outstanding offenders and execute arrest warrants.

"Cuckooing" is defined as the criminal exploitation of vulnerable people, involving the use of their homes as a base for criminal activities, through intimidation, or in exchange for drugs. The impact of persons being cuckooed can be extremely harmful, not just to those directly involved, but to the wider community, through increased drug use/supply and ASB.

The safer neighbourhoods team will tackle this by safeguarding vulnerable people, through target hardening of victims and locations. We will take a collaborative approach, working closely with partners such a Bromley Council, BDAS, ADDER and mental health services. We will utilise powers provided through the Anti-Social, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to seek closure of affected premises and target those involved in the exploitation of vulnerable residents.