Smallfield, Burstow, Horne and Outwood - My Neighbourhood - Surrey Police

Update: 01/09/2010 18:22:09

Community Speed Watch in Smallfield
Since its creation the group have carried out 10 sessions of checks in the village. This amounts to over 10 hours. Over 160 warning letters have been sent out to motorists over the threshold limit. The other good news is that there have been no repeat offenders so far, which means drivers are taking notice of the speed limits more. As I write more volunteers are due to be trained, which should more than double our volunteers and coverage. For more information on the scheme in the first instance you should contact myself or PCSO Alex Maybin

As well as the active community speed watch we have also been enforcing the speed limits in Smallfield and Outwood. Numerous stops have been made and we have used various means to enforce them depending on the circumstances and level of access speed vehicles are recorded at. Fixed Penalty Notices for the higher speeds and/or dangerous driving (three points and £60 fine) and if officers deem it's appropriate drivers are being given the option to participation in the Drive Smart scheme which is basically a hard hitting road side education package. Myself and colleagues will continue to enforce these limits throughout the autumn.

Local Crime
Overall crime on our beat has again been low; this may well be the case but I can assure you we are not complacent. Although in the main part the summer months have been quiet they haven’t been crime free.

Unfortunately Outwood, Smallfield and Horne have been hit by a seemingly random spate of criminal damage. Windscreens and front windows on road facing houses have been shot at by offenders using a catapult to fire ball bearing or stones at the glass.

Those responsible for this mindless damage have yet to be charged with any specific offences of criminal damage but officers have been active and made stops on suspicious persons and vehicles and where grounds exist, searches have been made and on several occasions catapults and ammunition have been found in their possession. When the evidence has been strong enough charges of going equipped to commit criminal damage have been brought.

Motorway stupidity
During the summer holidays some children were captured on motorway CCTV throwing small objects of the M23 motorway bridge in Smallfield. These children were local and some of the culprits have been identified by their distinctive bikes and descriptive details.

It doesn’t need me to reiterate the stupidity and the possible consequences of such acts. Of course items don’t have to be thrown or dropped for this danger to be very real.

New face on the beat
Change in personal on the Burstow Beat. PCSO Nicky Gilbert was successful in her application to become a Police Officer and she has left Eastern division early in the summer and she has rejoined Surrey Police as a Constable on Western Division.

Nicky’s Police Community Support Officer replacement is already in post. PSCO Alex Maybin joined Surrey Police in June 2010. Alex brings with him many skills that will assist him in his role having previously worked as a licensee in bars and night clubs; in hospitality with an events company and in the construction industry. He will soon be a familiar face in and around the villages as was Nicky.

Kind Regards

Paul & Alex

Written by FIN: 2358