benson & crowmarsh Crime Intelligence

Reducing knife-enabled crime and drug-related activity remains a key priority for our Neighbourhood Team, and we continue to take a proactive and intelligence-led approach to tackling these issues across Wallingford, Benson and the surrounding areas.
Officers are using stop and search powers lawfully, proportionately, and based on reasonable grounds to detect and disrupt those involved in drug use, supply, and weapon carrying. Since 1 April, this activity has resulted in a 50% positive outcome rate, demonstrating that our intelligence-led patrols are targeting the right individuals at the right time.
This proactive work has led to drugs being seized and removed from the streets, helping to reduce harm and prevent further offending within our communities. Over the past month, the team has also made eight arrests for a range of offences including drugs, violence, and possession of weapons, reflecting a robust and targeted response to those causing the most harm.
We have also achieved positive outcomes in investigations involving weapons importation offences, underlining our commitment to tackling serious criminality and preventing dangerous items from entering our communities.
Our approach to enforcement remains firm: where the legal grounds exist, we will take action to remove weapons and drugs from the streets and protect the public. Alongside this, targeted patrols and ongoing operational activity continue to disrupt criminal behaviour and gather intelligence.
Recent stop checks at McDonald’s locations across the area have also identified a number of offences and generated valuable intelligence relating to cross-border offenders travelling into our towns, strengthening our understanding of offending patterns and supporting further enforcement activity.
We are also continuing our preventative work with local secondary schools, youth services, and partner agencies to raise awareness around child criminal exploitation, drug misuse, and County Lines activity. Education and early intervention remain vital in preventing young people from becoming involved in crime.
In response to community concerns, we are maintaining a strong focus on drug-related activity, combining visible policing with enforcement and partnership work. This includes ongoing collaboration with housing providers, the courts, and the Community Safety Partnership, with previous activity resulting in closure orders at addresses linked to drug use and associated ASB.
Further operational activity, including planned warrants and enforcement action targeting drug supply across local towns and villages, remains a priority in the coming months.
We continue to rely on information from the public to support this work. If you have concerns about drug use, dealing, cuckooing, exploitation, or knife-enabled crime, please report it via 101, our online reporting tools, or anonymously through CrimeStoppers. Every piece of information helps us act.
You can stay informed about our work by signing up to free Thames Valley Alerts:
https://thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/

Tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) continues to be a priority for our Neighbourhood team in Wallingford, and the last month has shown significant positive results.
We have achieved a 38% reduction in reported ASB incidents across the Wallingford area, highlighting the success of proactive policing, early intervention, and strong partnership working.
We are particularly encouraged that there have been no repeat ASB victims and no repeat offenders, demonstrating that issues are being effectively resolved at the first point of contact. The team has also issued a number of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs), which have proven effective in addressing behaviour early and preventing escalation.
Our activity is supported by the use of data analysis and local intelligence, enabling us to identify hotspots, trends, and individuals involved, and to direct patrols to the right locations at the right times, ensuring we have the greatest possible impact.
Officers will continue to maintain a visible and proactive presence in the community, working closely with partners and residents to sustain this progress and ensure Wallingford remains a safe and welcoming place to live, work, and visit.
We remain grateful to the community for their continued support and for reporting concerns, which allows us to respond quickly and effectively.

Tackling retail crime remains a key priority for the Neighbourhood Team, and we continue to work closely with the dedicated Retail Crime Team and local businesses to reduce offending and support those affected.
A particular focus over the past month has been on reducing repeat shoplifting, and we have seen positive progress through closer collaboration with retailers. By working directly with business owners, sharing intelligence, and making better use of tools such as the DISC and Auror Apps, we are improving how quickly offenders are identified and linked to multiple incidents. This has enabled us to build stronger evidence files, target prolific offenders more effectively, and support swifter enforcement action.
Alongside this, we are placing significant emphasis on early intervention with known and prolific offenders, particularly those recently released from court back into the community. Officers are proactively engaging with individuals at the earliest opportunity, setting clear expectations around behaviour, and working with partner agencies to disrupt reoffending. This coordinated approach ensures that those most likely to cause harm are closely monitored and supported to divert away from further criminality wherever possible.
Operation Purchase continues to play a central role in our activity, combining high-visibility patrols in hotspot locations with practical target-hardening measures to deter offending. We are also working with retailers to strengthen loss prevention, improve evidence gathering, and identify emerging trends—ensuring a joined-up and effective response.
We remain committed to taking robust action against offenders and supporting victims, recognising the significant personal and financial impact retail crime has on local businesses. Our work is supported by strong partnerships with the Community Safety Partnership, Trading Standards, and Licensing teams.
Recent joint work has continued to address wider criminality linked to retail environments, including the illegal sale of tobacco, vapes, alcohol, and energy drinks to underage individuals, helping to protect young people and support responsible businesses.
We would encourage all retailers to engage with us, report incidents, and make full use of available platforms so we can continue to build a clear picture of offending and take effective action.

While we have not seen a significant rise in heritage-related incidents recently, the Neighbourhood Team remains fully committed to protecting the historic sites, buildings, and landmarks that are such an important part of Wallingford and the surrounding villages.
Heritage crime—including graffiti, criminal damage, and the theft of historically significant items—can cause lasting harm to the character and integrity of these locations, and we take these matters very seriously.
We continue to work with local schools and the local authority following reports of graffiti, and we will respond swiftly and appropriately to any future incidents involving heritage structures. Protecting the area’s history is a shared responsibility, and we remain focused on early identification of those responsible and preventing further damage.
We recognise how important local heritage is to residents, visitors, and the wider community. We will therefore continue to work closely with local councils, heritage organisations, and partner agencies to preserve these buildings and spaces for future generations.
The team also continues to collaborate with the Rural Crime Taskforce, who, alongside the Neighbourhood Team, have made several arrests in connection with the theft of historical items from religious establishments across the region. This joint work reinforces our collective commitment to safeguarding heritage sites and ensuring those who target them are dealt with robustly.