Residents plan nighttime patrols to deter criminals after spate of thefts in Sheffield suburb

Neighbours in the village of Woodhouse are hoping to patrol the streets during the night to deter would-be criminals.

Crime-hit residents have been reporting incidents to police but claim that often no action is taken leaving one man, Ben Deighton, to call on the community to take a “pro-active” approach in the fight against the thieves.

Ben, 33, was a victim of crime himself when, at around 1:30pm on December 6, he had over £10,000 worth of tools stolen from his van while it was parked on Revill Lane, Woodhouse.

He also witnessed thieves attempting to break into a neighbours car – something he says spurred him on to set up the streetwatch scheme.

Ben, a self-employed electrician, said: “When my vehicle was broken into it took over 24 hours for police to respond which is pointless.

"If we can document what is happening and these thieves that are operating in the area know there is a team traveling around – we’re not going to be vigilantes but they’ll know we’re there and it’s hopefully going to stop them.”

It is hoped volunteers could work on a rota-based system, operating on the streets of Woodhouse throughout the night to act as a crime deterrent and alert system to notify police when offences are being committed.

Police Sergeant Katie Rowland-Wilson, from the Sheffield South East Neighbourhood Team said: "We are in contact with the residents group behind these plans to establish clearer details about the scheme they are proposing, our priority is to ensure the safety of the public.

"I’d encourage those involved, who may not have spoken to me or my officers, to seek advice before taking part in any community patrol scheme.

"We are always looking for ways to get the public working with us, and I would support a new Neighbourhood Watch scheme in the area and the clear protocols that apply to that.

"I’d also like to remind the public that we are continuing to face Covid-19 restrictions, and these should also be considered as part of any planning of community activity.

"I absolutely understand the frustration felt by local people, especially following incidents in which high value items have been stolen from vehicles.

"My officers are already carrying out patrols in key areas and we also have extensive plans currently being rolled out to tackle anti-social behaviour and burglary.

"Over the last few weeks we have installed new MoCams in the Woodhouse area, which are providing additional CCTV coverage in locations we know attract anti-social behaviour and crime.

"We also have significant, targeted enforcement activity planned in the coming weeks, which aims to tackle known offenders and deter criminal activity.

"I would ask that local people continue to report incidents to us, as this helps us build a picture of where demand is and it means we can tailor our response accordingly.

"I’d also like to encourage people to contact me or my team directly if they have any concerns, we’re here to support local people.

"There are also ways people can see what the team are doing, share information and get involved, including our social media pages and SYP Alerts.”

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