Crime Spree In Godalming Sparks Council Police Review

Council chiefs have ordered an urgent review of police services after a recent spate of serious crimes in the Godalming area.

Cllr.Robert Knowles, the Leader of Waverley Borough Council is placing police reaction times and operation procedures under the spotlight following an increase in serious crimes..

A special council committee aimed at examining Surrey Police's work is to be set up to look into the situation.The Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee has been tasked with undertaking an in-depth review of policing in the Borough and reporting back its findings.

Last month work on laying the foundations for Waverley's new leisure centre in Godalming was subjected to what is suspected to be malicious vandalism. Around £5,000 of damage was caused when machinery was sabotaged by having soil pushed into radiators and fuel pipes and armoured cabling supplying electricity to the site was cut.

Haslemere has been a particular target for thieves and burglars in recent weeks. On 12 June a specialist antiques and jeweller shop in the town was raided with £30,000 worth of items taken. Less than a fortnight later it was targeted again, although the would-be thieves fled empty-handed despite smashing the door.

The town's educational museum also had a rare and valuable rhinoceros head stolen by burglars in May. The theft mirrors others that have occurred across Europe where the horns have been used to make alternative medicines.

Cllr Knowles said: "Much of the recent crime has taken place at night and we are concerned about the response times Surrey Police can provide to areas of Waverley, particularly our more remote and rural communities. We know people are rightly concerned about the crimes that have taken place recently and it is Waverley's job to take these fears to the police and seek to have them addressed.

"We have tasked our Community Overview and Scrutiny Committee with finding out what is really happening with policing in our Borough. Our intention is to highlight to the police where we believe more could be done and, where possible, supporting them as much as we can.

"Surrey Police is attempting to balance its budget, but this cannot be done by abandoning areas of Waverley and sending a signal to criminals that towns and villages in the borough are easy pickings."