Crime suspects handed maps telling them where they can go in Southend (From Echo)
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Crime suspects handed maps telling them where they can go in Southend
8:00am Saturday 1st October 2011 in News By Laura Smith
MAPS are being handed out to people on bail making it crystal clear where they can and cannot go in Southend.
Police are particularly focusing on those suspected of shoplifting and brawling.
So far four people have been given the maps as part of their bail conditions.
Earlier this month a prolific 16-year-old shoplifter was told to keep out of the High Street.
The youngster had admitted stealing clothes from H&M.
Sgt Bill Potter, of the town’s beat section, said: “When the recidivists come in day in day out they say the only way they stay out of the town is if we give them these bail conditions.
“They actually say give me that map, they then tell their mates they can’t go into town and steal for them.
“I’m sure some people do disregard it, but it’s been quite successful.
“Solicitors were up in arms about it because people were banned from seeing them in their offices, but they’ve got used to the fact that’s what we do.”
The police now provide one of two sets of pocket guides depending on the suspects circumstances.
The larger one covers the area from Queensway down to the seafront and a large section of the Milton ward.
The smaller, more specific, map covers the High Street and Chichester Road areas.
Sgt Potter explained: “Sometimes people live in the area and have to use the job centre, pharmacies, or drug treatment clinics, so we’ve got the smaller map for them.”
Dawn Jeakings, chairman of Southend Town Centre Partnership, is backing the police’s approach.
She said: “What they are doing is a new thing and it does seem to be working.
“Keeping shoplifters away until their cases are sorted out has got to be a good, positive thing.”
Comments(12)
Mary Lou
says...
12:24pm Sat 1 Oct 11
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Well that ought to do the trick then, shame to cut short such a promising criminal career.
billericay boy
says...
3:07pm Sat 1 Oct 11
SUFC1906
says...
3:55pm Sat 1 Oct 11
1nails
says...
4:39pm Sat 1 Oct 11
Who on earth thought this up.? One our top paid brains no doubt.
Francis Grubb
says...
6:02pm Sat 1 Oct 11
Can't quite understand why anyone in their right mind would think this a bad idea.
Frank
gunner1
says...
6:15pm Sat 1 Oct 11
un ... believable
Mary Lou
says...
6:15pm Sat 1 Oct 11
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Because career criminals get literally hundreds of warnings, verbal & written cautions, court apperances and after many, many years they may receive a substantive punsihment.
.
My point is they don't care two hoots about a map or whether they get caught.
stropmag
says...
7:36pm Sat 1 Oct 11
Time
says...
12:08pm Sun 2 Oct 11
Or when they are sentenced this is one of the sentence conditions thus meaning when they breach it a couple of times they end up getting sent to prison, thus removing some crime from the town!
Its not hard people its a good idea aswell! It means Police don't have to wait for said person to commit a crime, simply being spotted in the no go area breaches it and they get picked up. WELL DONE POLICE!
Mary Lou
says...
2:51pm Sun 2 Oct 11
Time wrote:Impeccable logic Time...
Errr has anyone thought that if said shoplifter is caught and arrested, whilst waiting for a court date, said person as part of their bail conditions is given the map stopping them commiting more crime, thus when they breach it they get arrested for breach of bail and locked up. Or when they are sentenced this is one of the sentence conditions thus meaning when they breach it a couple of times they end up getting sent to prison, thus removing some crime from the town! Its not hard people its a good idea aswell! It means Police don't have to wait for said person to commit a crime, simply being spotted in the no go area breaches it and they get picked up. WELL DONE POLICE!
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However the flaw is the police spotting said miscreant. Where will these hordes of Dixon's come from. It is a rarity to see a "real" copper pacing the beat these days.
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Also you need to a very serious to get sent to prison these days. Anything else is a slap on the wrist.
el caballero de la noche
says...
8:23pm Sun 2 Oct 11
And the remainder were given a packet of Rizzla's
Brunning999 says...
10:38am Sat 1 Oct 11
These are criminals that chose to break the law by stealing off people that have worked hard for what they have got.
England dear England where are thee why oh why do we suffer with lawlessness encouraged and paid for by thee.