Police column: New operation to tackle burglary across the city

This team of experienced detectives is already working to target known burglars, identifying trends and patterns in order to focus their proactive work and direct patrols and conducting high quality investigations to secure charges and ensure successful convictions at court. The team is also working with the force’s offender management team to manage offenders released from prison on licence within the community.

I’m pleased to report this work is already yielding some positive results. Within the first two weeks of operation, the team arrested and processed four offenders for burglary, identified a linked series of burglaries in Woodlands and Balby committed by the same offender and identified forensic opportunities at scenes which resulted in a positive forensic hit for a burglar.

Last week, a 45-year-old Doncaster man was charged with 12 offences: four burglaries, four attempted burglaries, one aggravated burglary, assault, possessing an offensive weapon and refusing to provide a drugs test. He has been remanded until his next court appearance.

Last month, a 17-year-old boy from Doncaster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in court charged with 11 offences, including three counts of burglary and one count of attempted burglary. He was remanded in custody until his next appearance.

These are great results, which illustrate the positive impact the new team is already having.

But we won’t be resting on our laurels and understand there is much more work to be done in this area in the coming months.

On another positive note, last week also saw the official launch of an innovative new multi-agency hub in Armthorpe. The Acorn Hub will see officers from Doncaster East Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) sharing a base with Armthorpe Parish Council and officers from City of Doncaster Council’s Safer Communities Team.

Located on the former Acorn Pub site on Hatfield Lane, next to the Co-op, the building has been fully refurbished to provide a bespoke and secure space for the officers using it. Armthorpe Parish Council has taken out a 10-year lease on the building.

The hub will have a real impact on the way the team is able to police the Armthorpe, Edenthorpe and Kirk Sandall areas.

Officers will no longer need to travel back and forth to their base at Thorne Police Station throughout their shift, enabling them to spend more time in their communities.

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