DRUNKS, thieves and those behaving anti-socially will be targeted as part of a special police operation in Warrington town centre over the festive season.
The campaign, Operation Red Mountain Two – which follows a similar campaign in the summer – aims to deter potential thieves and reassure shoppers.
High-visibility patrols will be carried out in the town centre, and uniformed and plain clothed police officers and Police 
Community Support Officers are being deployed in the town centre.
They will deal with incidents, and offer support and crime reduction advice to shoppers and businesses.
Sergeant Neil Drum said: “We are committed to reducing retail crime and anti-social behaviour within Warrington town centre. The main shopping areas are busier at this time of year and we want to make sure that everyone who comes into Warrington town centre has a safe and enjoyable experience.”
He said police take retail crime seriously and hope the operation will reassure local businesses and shoppers that behaviour that having a negative impact on the town centre will not be tolerated.
Police will be targeting those who engage in alcohol related anti-social behaviour in the town centre – seizing alcohol where necessary and issuing Section 27 notices where appropriate.
Recently a mobile custody unit was set up in the town for three days, when anyone arrested was taken to the custody suite and dealt with.
Inspector Richard Reeves said: “Having the mobile custody suite in the town centre not only helps to speed up the process of dealing with people who are arrested in the town centre – it also acts as a deterrent.”
Operation Red Mountain One took place in Warrington town centre in August and September. More than 100 arrests were made for a variety of offences ranging from shoplifting to being drunk and disorderly. A further 25 individuals were dealt with by way of restorative justice or being issued with a Penalty Notice.
Shoppers are being urged to report any incidents to police. Anyone with any information is urged to call Cheshire Police on 0845 458 0000, or information can be passed anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.
Pictured…the police custody bus
Police target town centre drunks
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
3 Comments
You know, looking at the “custody bus” and the amount it must cost, then there are the cops themselves and the cars (have to be brand new and if a traffic car; very fast) and the equipment they have to use these days and of course the staff back at HQ….. why do these drunken idiots only ever get a minimal sentence and then get fined £50.00 or soomething? They should be fined proportionately to what it costs to arrest, detain, try and convict them. If the fines are thousands of pounds, it may actually act as a deterrent…. but then again, shutting some of the dive bars in the town centre would probably also help a lot more!
I hope it is successfull.
Could a similar service be offered to areas outside of the Town Center too as this would also help deter potential thieves, vandals, drunks and anit-socials and reassure residents and other business owners 🙂
Not knocking what they are doing in the town centre by the way but I just think it should cover a wider area especially at this time of the year when thieves are often out and about targetting homes etc .
it would be simpler to place the custody bus outside the town hall and get the villians as they try to get into the council chambers.