Rural Crime and Engagement

Rural crime is an issue for large areas of the country, but it tends to go unreported. It can impact on insurance premiums, food prices, the environment, and can damage local communities.

The Axminster Neighbourhood Team are keen to pursue any offenders involved in rural crime, including recovering stolen goods, proactive late night patrols in hotspot areas, and being a visible presence in the rural community to offer reassurance and crime prevention. The aim is to improve connectivity with the rural communities and provide education to users of our beautiful countryside. This includes attending rural events to gain knowledge about the issues effecting the rural communities and to offer the crime prevention advice.

Update: 26 March 2024 - Update 2024

At the start of 2024 there was a spate of rural burglaries where motocross bikes and agricultural equipment had been targeted by out of force organised crime groups and stolen. The bikes were retrieved in Avon and Somerset and the investigation is ongoing. The Axminster Neighbourhood Team responded to these incidents with visible presence, targeted patrols, and further investigative enquiries. 

Update: 26 March 2024 - Update 2023

Throughout 2023, over £100,000 of equipment stolen from rural communities in the Axminster area have been returned to the victims of crime. This is through the identification of offenders and the appropriate marking of property. The Neighbourhood Team have continued to engage with rural victims to offer reassurance and safety advice. 

Update: 26 March 2024 - Update 2022

In 2022, there was continued patrols and engagement with rural communities. Investigations of rural crime and offenders, lead to a quad bike being recovered and returned to its owners. The Axminster Neighbourhood Team were able to identify hotspots and times to target identified offenders and prevent loss of agricultural equipment. 

Update: 26 March 2024 - Update 2021

In 2021 there has been regular patrols of rural crime hotspots to ensure the prevention and detection of crime. Posters and signs regarding livestock worrying and car thefts were cascaded in rural areas, and the Axminster Neighbourhood Team engaged with several members of the public whilst out on patrol.

Throughout the year there was a concentration on off road biking and thefts of motocross bikes. In March, a traffic operation targeted these offenders and checked the validity of bikes, their routes, and that the bikes were road worthy. In May, a motocross bike that was stolen from a barn workshop was recovered and returned to the owners. The Axminster Neighbourhood Team also liaised with the local community for reassurance throughout this and acted as a visible presence.

Drug supply and possession

Drugs can have a devastating social impact on community life and on those who are dependent on them. It can lead to anti-social behaviour, violence, safeguarding concerns, and other crime. 

Community intelligence is invaluable to the Police, and without it would limit the ability to gain drug warrants and target offenders. Information from the public helps to prevent and detect crime, whilst ensuring the safeguarding and protection of our community. You may think that the information you hold will not be useful but it may be the final missing piece to the puzzle. If you suspect illegal activity in your area please report it via 101 online or by phone. Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. 

Update: 26 March 2024 - Update 2024

At the start of the year, a Section 23 Misuse of Drugs warrant was executed at a rural premises outside of Axminster. A large cannabis cultivation was found, and a male was arrested.

In March, the Axminster Neighbourhood Team have gained and implemented a Section 23 Misuse of Drugs warrant at an address in Axminster. This was gained through intelligence from the local community. A female remains under investigation at this time on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

The Neighbourhood Team continue to conduct proactive marked and unmarked patrols, to detect and disrupt drug supply, ensuring that intelligence is built, and searches are conducted.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) is defined as 'behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person'. There are three main categories of ASB which depends on how many people are affected; personal ASB, nuisance ASB, and environmental ASB. This can include littering, noise, inconsiderate behaviour, nuisance calls, antisocial driving, abandoned vehicles, begging, and street drinking. 

To reduce and target ASB in the community the East Devon Neighbourhood team work with partner agencies such as East Devon Council, local schools, local shops, pubs, and Highways.

The Axminster Neighbourhood Team will be actively patrolling these ‘hotspot’ areas during specific times to target ASB. This will be between 0800 and 0930hrs, between 1500 and 1700hrs and between 0000-0300hrs, when they are available. The current hotspots are the Skate Park on Cloakham Drive, Axminster town centre, and Tesco.  

If you witness any incidents of anti-social behaviour, and it is a police matter, please contact us by calling 101 or completing the 101 contact form. Call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

Update: 26 March 2024 - Update 2023

In 2023, a residential property was identified to be a hotspot for anti-social behaviour in Axminster. This led to the Neighbourhood Team working with the housing provider to gain a closure order on the property. This resulted in the reduction of ASB and the relocation of the tenants.

The Rural Neighbourhood Team were resourced to patrol the Axminster carnival. Prior to the start of the carnival the team responded to a report of a group of youths threatening others with a hammer. A prompt and effective deployment and information from the public led to two males being arrested for public order offences and possession of offensive weapons. A dispersal order was then implemented on the area, which allowed officers to disperse anyone likely or committing ASB. This allowed the public to enjoy the carnival without disturbance from offenders.

Update: 26 March 2024 - Update 2024

In 2024 the Axminster Neighbourhood Team have continued to patrol ‘hotspot’ ASB areas, engaging with the public and offering a visible reassurance to the public. Offenders of ASB have been identified and referrals have been made to the youth intervention team, local agencies, and schools.

Keeping People Safe

Your local Neighbourhood Police Team works continuously to prevent and detect crime, reduce harm and protect vulnerable people.  The team manages a wide area of work, including victims of crime, missing people, reports of vulnerable people and child sexual exploitation and covering issues through to human trafficking and modern slavery. We work closely with our partners in health, education, housing and social care, sharing information and acting together to keep people safe.

Our focus has moved to areas where there is greatest threat and where most harm is caused to individuals and communities and we will be looking for our partner agencies to take the lead on issues such as street parking, low level anti-social behaviour, noise and dog fouling.

We work closely with partner agencies, sharing information and acting together to keep people safe.

If you have any concerns about vulnerable people who live near you, including if you notice strange visitors to the address and any unusual behaviour then please contact the Police by calling 101 or completing the 101 contact form. Call 999 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

Update: 26 March 2024 - Update 2024

The Axminster Neighbourhood Team have continued regular engagement and visibility in the community, attending schools, participating in safeguarding meetings, and local community meetings. In 2023, PCSO Hayley Widger organised for Paul Hannaford, an independent public speaker specialising in drugs and crime, to attend Axe Valley School and give and impactive and engaging talk with students.

Recently, PCSOs have visited various shops and cafes in Axminster, including the Country Market coffee morning to offer a visible presence and talk to the public about their concerns. The Axminster Neighbourhood Team will continue to attend local meetings and are planning on organising a drop in coffee morning in the community.