Speeding continues to be a concern raised by residents, particularly in 20 and 30 mph limits through the villages.

Speed enforcement officers will be out conducting high visibility checks at these locations to provide a deterrent, deal with offenders as necessary, and make the roads a safer place to use and live near.

There are also Community Speed Watch schemes in place.  Community Speed Watch is an educational scheme to help people reduce speeding traffic though their community. The scheme enables volunteers to work within their community to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and to help control the problem locally.

To find out if there is a Community SpeedWatch Scheme in your area, or request to set one up, either contact your local beat team or email [email protected] 

We now have active Community Speed Watch schemes in several villages on the beat.  The members use equipment to monitor vehicle speeds and report offending vehicles.  The registered keeper of that vehicle will then receive a warning notice from the police.  Repeat offenders will be targeted by police officers.
Our road safety team continue to target problem areas by using mobile van and motorbike cameras.
If you believe a road in your area has a speeding problem, please let us know.

The area has an impressive number of Farm Watch and Horse Watch members.  Beat officers continue to maintain regular contact with members, sharing information and giving crime prevention advice.

We would urge any farms, stables etc. that are not members of these schemes to contact us to discuss further and obtain details of how to join.

Please take note of the following crime prevention advice;

*Do not leave valuables in insecure outbuildings, particularly overnight.  Fit outbuildings with sturdy doors and locks where possible.

*Do not leave tools outside; they could be used to break in to your property.

*Make sure garage doors are kept locked and secure.  Consider ground locks for the doors, and ground anchors to secure bikes etc.

*Keep records of serial numbers, photograph your valuables, and mark your property using a property marking kit.

*If you have horse tack, get it marked with your postcode with a leather punching kit.  We will be running periodic tack-marking events so keep a look out on our events section.

*If possible, install security lighting, cameras or alarm systems.

*If you have gates, keep them shut whenever possible and ideally keep them locked, particularly overnight.

*Register off-road vehicles with the DVLA for free.  See www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration.  Think about fitting trackers to high value vehicles.

*Cut back vegetation that might shield a burglar from view, and remove items that a burglar could use to climb over walls and fences, eg. piles of pallets, recycling bins etc.

*Trailers and horse boxes could be stolen and used to transport other items, so keep them locked away or use a hitch-lock.

*Alert police if you see people who seem out of place or behaving suspiciously, such as vans loitering by your yard or vehicles idling outside of properties after dark.  Keep notes of vehicle registrations if you can, but don’t put yourself at risk to take them.

Officers continue with regular patrols, visiting farms and stables, checking crime alerts are being received and warning signs are visible and in good condition.

Although the Pensford and Chew Valley beat is a safe place to live and has relatively low crime levels, there have been sporadic incidents of burglaries, at some dwelling houses, sheds, and garages across the area.  The team are conducting regular patrols both to provide public reassurance and identify and deter offenders.

We would like to remind residents to keep their properties secure and report any suspicious activity, noting registration numbers of suspicious vehicles where relevant and safe to do so.  If you think there is a crime in progress please use 999.

Below is some crime prevention advice;

*Do not leave valuables in insecure outbuildings, particularly overnight.  Fit outbuildings with sturdy doors and locks where possible.

*Do not leave tools outside; they could be used to break in to your property.

*Make sure garage doors are kept locked and secure.  Consider ground locks for the doors, and ground anchors to secure bikes etc.

*Keep records of serial numbers, photograph your valuables, and mark your property using a property marking kit.

*If you have horse tack, get it marked with your postcode with a leather punching kit.  We will be running periodic tack-marking events so keep a look out on our events section.

*If possible, install security lighting, cameras or alarm systems.

*If you have gates, keep them shut whenever possible and ideally keep them locked, particularly overnight.

*Register off-road vehicles with the DVLA for free.  See www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration.  Think about fitting trackers to high value vehicles.

*Cut back vegetation that might shield a burglar from view, and remove items that a burglar could use to climb over walls and fences, eg. piles of pallets, recycling bins etc.

*Trailers and horse boxes could be stolen and used to transport other items, so keep them locked away or use a hitch-lock.

*Alert police if you see people who seem out of place or behaving suspiciously, such as vans loitering by your yard or vehicles idling outside of properties after dark.  Keep notes of vehicle registrations if you can, but don’t put yourself at risk to take them.

We are seeing fewer burglaries in the area over the past few months.
Regular police patrols continue to act as a deterrent to, and identify offenders.
Please keep on top of your security around the home and report any suspicious activity.

We are seeing an increase in reports of poaching and illegal hunting in the area.  We are working closely with our Rural Affairs Unit to target this and provide support and advice for landowners affected by this activity.

If you would like a crime prevention visit, please get in touch with us.

Please report any suspicious activity you think may be related to these offences.  If you suspect an offence is in progress, use 999.