The summer might not be what we’ve hoped for up until now, but the Hastings’ Police’s annual ‘Operation Sunshine’ has been in full swing for the last two weeks.
The operation takes place during July and August every year and aims to keep Hastings town centre as free as possible of crime and anti-social behaviour during the daytime so that shoppers and tourists can enjoy the area.
Supported by the Safer Hastings Partnership, Hastings Business Crime Reduction Partnership, and Love Hastings, the increased patrols make a real difference, and in just the first two weeks have seen police officers speak to 800 people and 165 visits were made to retail businesses and 21 to licensed premises.
Crime reports were attended by officers whilst on duty in the area, and arrests were made for shoplifting, domestic assault, and criminal damage. Several of the arrests were made easier due to officers being connected to shops in the town centre via the ShopWatch radio network.
Officers also found a vulnerable six-year-old missing person, carried out a drugs seizure, and regularly enforced the public space protection order – which means people must stop drinking alcohol in public if requested by an authorised officer.
Patrols extended to the Old Town, and in the course of their duties, officers gathered useful intelligence on several known individuals, which will assist in future investigations.
Town Centre Manger, John Bownas, said: “This concerted effort by our local police team makes a huge difference to the town, and businesses really value the increased presence at this busy time of year. We received almost 120 crime incident reports last month, and are on track to see the same number for July, but without this heightened police presence it’s certain the figure would be higher.
“We encourage shops to report as many incidents to us as possible so we can identify the most prolific offenders to ensure the police are targeting resources at the individuals causing the most concern.”