Money seized back from criminals is being used to drive down burglary in Selly Oak, in areas that have a high student population.
A £5000 award by the Police and Crime Commissioner from Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) funding is being used to provide gating to side entries that give access to back gardens of houses in Bournbrook, which have been identified as vulnerable to burglary.
Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “This project will provide protection to people and prevent them from becoming victims of crime. Taking back stolen money from criminals to invest in improving community safety is exactly what POCA funding is all about. I am delighted to support this project which will allow the good work of reducing burglary in this area to continue.
“The universities and colleges in Birmingham are an important part of our local economy and it is essential that we do everything we can to maintain the good reputation of Birmingham as a safe place to live, work and socialise.
Temporary Police Sergeant Simon Williams from Selly Oak Neighbourhood Policing Team : “Funding for security measures in this area used to be provided by Birmingham City Council and it significantly reduced the number of burglaries. The injection of money from the POCA fund will enable this work to continue by enabling local police to purchase 10 gates that will replace those that are missing or damaged beyond repair.”
“Each side entry gives access to up to ten houses. The gates make it extremely difficult for potential burglars to enter the area undetected and this will continue to drive down crime and protect people in the community of Bournbrook for years to come.”
Area Caretaker Barry Toon said: “The Selly Oak Area Caretaker Society has been fitting and repairing the security gates in the local area for more than 10 years, and over this time in conjunction with the Police, Council and University it has been an important part of the measures that have reduced the burglary issue in Bournbrook.
“This new injection of funding will enable us to continue and expand the program of repair and renewal, and thus keep the Bournbrook area a safe place to live, work and study in. As a local Charity, we very much appreciate the confidence the Police Commissioner and the Police have shown in the work we do, and we look forward to continuing this valuable partnership work of keeping local people safe.”
Pictured: David Jamieson visiting the Selly Oak Gating project with TPS Simon Williams and Area Caretaker Barry Toon
