A ‘horrified’ councillor has raised concerns about the plight of rural communities after ‘masked men’ made alleged ‘threats’ and police seized stolen tools.
Cllr Seb James has written to the police and crime commissioner, John Campion, about his concerns following an incident involving men in balaclavas at a property in Crowle this week.
Cllr James, a Conservative county councillor for Bowbrook, wrote: “Most recently, yesterday, four balaclava-clad men reportedly targeted a property in broad daylight. The incident understandably caused significant concern among residents. On the same day, a vehicle was also targeted in Sale Green.
“Whilst I appreciate that you are unable to comment on active investigations, these incidents have understandably heightened anxiety across our rural communities.”
Cllr James added: “I was truly horrified when residents contacted me about this attack. To know that a resident was the victim in broad daylight raises serious concerns.
“I understand the police attended swiftly, however the lasting consequences are concerning. Residents should not feel intimidated in their homes and I am worried that our rural areas are being left behind.
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“When I meet with police, there is an emphasis on areas such as Bromsgrove, Redditch or Droitwich, but often our villages go unnoticed.
“I regularly walk around my villages, delivering updates or talking to residents and I rarely see visible policing. It would be my hope that we could see more visible policing, such as patrol cars, showing residents that the police are in rural communities.”
Officers responded to a report of a suspected attempted theft from a vehicle in Crowle, at around 2.45pm on Wednesday, July 22.
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A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: “It was reported that several unknown men arrived at a property in a car and threatened people who were carrying out work there before leaving the area.
“An unmarked police vehicle was patrolling nearby when the incident was reported, enabling officers to quickly assist in locating the suspect vehicle. This led to the arrest of two people.
“A vehicle recovered following the incident contained a number of items believed to be stolen. Officers are carrying out enquiries to identify and return them to their rightful owners.”
Inspector Lisa Hornberger, the local SNT Inspector, said: “When reports are received, officers act quickly and will use appropriate tactics to identify, locate and apprehend those suspected of being involved.
“We maintain regular patrols across our rural towns and villages, including both marked and unmarked vehicles, and residents may not always see officers in uniform. In this case, an unmarked patrol vehicle was already in the area and was able to assist in the swift response.
“We have also recently welcomed an additional Safer Neighbourhood Officer to this part of Worcestershire, further strengthening our local presence.
“Alongside responding to incidents, officers continue to carry out thorough burglary investigations, and we have seen a number of offenders brought to justice in recent months.”
