By the time this column goes to print, Cambridge Police staff will have moved into our new base on Victoria Street. So exciting!
Early on Monday, I attended the blessing of the new building with Tainui representatives and Police staff present. It was my first chance to see inside the new building and it was great to see everything having taken shape. The building has a really nice flow. I know the community will enjoy having such a modern and centrally located local Police base.
This week I bring you more good catch stories. Both happened last Friday. A lower-level retail theft was solved where the people involved were found to have arrived in two separate vehicles. Good CCTV coverage including on the shop exterior ensured we had the registrations of both cars quickly to hand, with clear images of the alleged offender and his associates.
One vehicle was stopped within a few minutes and the second a short time later. As a result of the first traffic stop, driving offences were uncovered which saw the alleged offender’s associates’ car impounded in addition. The stolen property was returned.
Later that afternoon, staff became aware of a vehicle, the occupants of which were responsible for two high value local shop theft incidents over two days, in addition to several other incidents elsewhere in Waikato. While on patrol, a unit sighted the sought vehicle crossing the high level bridge. They turned and located it nearby in Leamington, where it was subsequently stopped. As a result, a large amount of stolen property was recovered along with weapons, drugs and gang paraphernalia.
With offenders coming into Cambridge from across Waikato, it is always important that shop thefts are reported to 111 immediately, giving the maximum information possible around description of offenders and vehicles. Knowing a direction of travel for the vehicle if it has left the retail carpark, enables us to rapidly and effectively direct our area patrols. Be sure to contact the police first, before going to contact other retailers. If we can stop them after the first theft, we save other businesses from loss and send a message that Cambridge is not an easy target.
I will be working with our chamber of commerce to host a retail crime prevention event in the near future. If you have any queries around retail loss prevention, do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].
I look forward to writing my next column from within our purpose built station. Until then, have a good week.
