Grant Shapps meets with residents of Brookmans Park to discuss recent burglaries and crime in the area.
Following reports of a number of burglaries and crimes in the Brookmans Park area, Grant met with residents alongside Local Councillor Stephen Boulton and prospective Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards at the Twelve Apostles Church to discuss the community's concerns and the general safety of the village.
Grant commented that he “appreciate[s] the profound effect that crimes like these can have on those impacted, particularly the worry and anxiety they cause. I’m glad to have had the opportunity to hear residents’ views and discuss what can be done going forwards to improve the situation”.
Prior to the meeting, Grant spoke with Welwyn Hatfield’s new Chief Inspector Pete Frost where he emphasised tackling burglaries in Brookmans Park as a priority and pressed for firm action on the issue.
The discussions at the Twelve Apostles Church made clear the importance of reporting local crimes to the police to enable them to monitor the situation and respond most effectively. Information on how to report a crime can be found here: https://www.herts.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/
As well as reporting incidents to the police, Grant said that he would be grateful if residents could send him an email about any incidents to [email protected] so that he is aware of the scale of the issue and can keep pushing for action to resolve it from the appropriate bodies.
It also became clear at the meeting that residents with doorbell cameras and other home security systems have been troubled by weak internet connectivity in parts of the area. Surveying residents who attended the meeting revealed this primarily affects those living near the Great North Road, including Mymms Drive, Moffats Lane and Calder Avenue.
In response to this concern, Grant has written to the CEO of Openreach to request that the strong connectivity experienced elsewhere in the village is extended to those roads. This will also have benefits for residents far beyond increased security.
If you are in immediate danger, feel like a situation could get heated or violent very soon, or you need support right away, 999 should always be called in the first instance.
