Newton Abbot area CCTV has record breaking year

It has been a record breaking year for the area’s CCTV service, with 573 arrests made as a direct result of the network and nearly £60K of stolen goods recovered for local businesses, marking the highest number of arrests in a financial year since the service launched. 

The team has also provided over 120 evidence packages for use at court, and provided help and advice to members of the public in CCTV related matters throughout the year.

Issues including assault, anti-social behaviour, burglary, breach of bail conditions, criminal damage, conspiracy to defraud, deception, driving while disqualified, drunk in charge of a vehicle, drugs offences, missing persons, robbery and theft have all been tackled using CCTV in 2009/10, helping make local towns and villages even safer.

Monitoring nearly 50 locations across the district from its base in Newton Abbot, the CCTV service covers areas including Bovey Tracey, Chudleigh, Dawlish and Newton Abbot.

The fully trained operators include a full time Police liaison, and the office itself is monitored by CCTV linked directly to the Police to help reassure everyone that the highest standards are maintained in the office at all times.

Despite its outstanding performance, which often outshines much larger operations in nearby cities and towns, the partnership is relatively small, with only 48 cameras and part time monitoring. This helps keep costs down while still producing impressive results.

Cllr Marie Jenkins, Teignbridge Executive Spokesperson for Communities and Regulation said:

"We are fortunate to live in an extremely safe, low crime area, and our CCTV partnership is a vital way of helping keep crime down while reassuring local people that our streets are among the safest in the country.

"The system is carefully managed by the council and police to ensure that the highest standards are maintained, protecting people's privacy and keeping data secure while responding quickly and robustly to any criminal activity.  Our highly trained operators run a very tight ship, and have developed excellent links with the police and local businesses, making the service all the more efficient.

"It's reassuring to know that our CCTV team are achieving such excellent results in tackling all forms of crime, often nipping issues in the bud and helping local shops keep their losses to a minimum by ensuring the quick return of stolen goods.  From low level anti-social behaviour to the most serious of crimes, our team is here to help keep everyone safe and is doing a fantastic job achieving that."

Tom Hirst, Head of Security at Austins, and Chairman of the NABS Group said:

"I think that once again it has been a very positive year due to the skills provided by each of the members of the partnership. These figures only provide a small insight into the work carried out by the team: the prevention and the deterrent of all aspects of crime and anti-social behaviour is immeasurable.

"It must also be remembered that many vulnerable people and missing children have been found quickly by the use of NABS members and the CCTV team, saving many hours of Police time which can then be used elsewhere."

Throughout the year there have been a number of standout examples of the partnership working, including:

June 2009:

The CCTV team spotted three men near the Alliance & Leicester ATM in Courtenay Street, Newton Abbot, acting in a suspiciously.  The men fitted descriptions of suspects circulated for ATM Card Cloning offences in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.

The CCTV Opertator alerted a local security officer, and he observed the men putting a device on to the ATM machine.  He informed the control room, which then relayed the information to local Police while continuing to monitor the suspects' movements.

The team were able to direct the Police straight to the three men, who were arrested. CCTV footage was reviewed and along with the Police they back-tracked the suspects movements, finding their car in a nearby car park. Subsequent searches found more card-cloning equipment in the vehicle, which was also seized.

December 2009:

Two men were spotted acting suspiciously near the Swan Inn in Newton Abbot, and CCTV operators observed a transaction involving cash and a small package.  The Police were alerted and while cameras continued to track one of the suspects towards Highweek Street. The second man was seen entering the Swan Inn, so the operator continued to monitor the area until Police arrived.

Descriptions of both men were passed to officers on the ground. The first man was stopped near Highweek Street, and was found to be in possession of two wraps of cocaine.  The second suspect was found inside the pub and he was brought outside and searched.  A number of wraps of cocaine were found in the man's possession along with over £800 in cash.  He was arrested on suspicion of Possession With Intent To Supply. After a detailed search at the Police station, more drugs were found hidden on his person to the value of approximately £1000. 

Both men were charged for drugs offences and released on bail. 

January 2010:

The team was alerted via the NABS Radio System by security officers at Tesco in Kingsteignton about a man acting suspiciously in store.

Security officers from the NABS Group headed to Kingsteignton to assist security staff.  They spotted the man being picked up by a car with two other men in it, which then left at speed towards Newton Abbot.

Details of the vehicle were passed via NABS Radio system to the CCTV operator, who then located the vehicle in Queen Street heading towards Penn Inn.

Two Security Guards located the vehicle in Sainsbury's car park where they monitored two men with a large holdall and a trolley full of spirits. They informed CCTV and Police were requested to attend.

Police attended very quickly and the three men were arrested at the scene, with approximately £1000 worth of stolen alcohol recovered.

Also in January, an alert member of staff at WH Smith informed the CCTV team & NABS that a man and woman were passing forged £20 notes for low value items.

Both suspects were followed by Security staff and tracked by CCTV until the Police arrived.  Both were arrested, charged and bailed pending enquiries.

A number of town centre stores, some of whom are not members of NABS, had been targeted.  More than £340 of forged £20 notes were recovered by the Police.