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Christmas crime crackdown

Tom Rowley
20/12/2006

GLOSSOP police will be stepping up patrols in town centre crime hotspots over the festive period.

Drinkers who take in too much of the Christmas spirit and commit violence in a pub are likely to be banned from all other pubs which are members of Glossop and Hadfield Pubwatch.

Inspector Stuart Thompson said Pubwatch has expanded greatly over the last 12 months to incorporate most of the local pubs.

"It displays excellent partnership working and good communication between the police and licensees, to deal positively with persons who misbehave on licensed premises," he said.

He added that Operation Zephyr is already targeting violent crime in hotspots such as the taxi rank, licensed premises and takeaways. Officers will be using handheld video cameras to gather evidence as well as making full use of town centre CCTV.

The operation includes funding from High Peak Community Safety Partnership to pay for beer mats, posters and T-shirts for bar staff to publicise Pubwatch banning orders.

Operation Christmas Cracker, which began on 1 December, is targeting shoplifters - aided by the recently launched Shopwatch scheme linking 23 retailers with the police by radio - and car criminals, as well as tightening up parking enforcement.

Insp Thompson said: "In the run-up to Christmas and the New Year, high profile police patrols will be stepped up around the town centre to ensure that we are on hand to act swiftly and positively to anti-social behaviour and diffuse incidents before they get out of hand.

"We are not looking to spoil anyone's fun. In fact, it is quite the opposite, we want to make sure people have a great time and make the most of their night out, but do so in a safe and responsible manner."

This Christmas, Glossop police are also liaising with British Transport Police (BTP) on the Glossop/ Hadfield to Manchester Piccadilly line.

"My local beat officers in Glossop Safer Neighbourhood Team have already linked up with local BTP beat officer, PC Peter Kelly, and we are working closely to target offenders who are using the rail network to enter Glossop and commit crime," Insp Thompson said.