Prison for Four Persistent Local Offenders
But police warn that criminals are being displaced from neighbouring areas
Left: Police have stepped up local patrols for Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali. Right: Max Holt jailed again after returning to Chiswick despite ban. Picture: Met Police
Police in Chiswick are celebrating after four persistent local offenders have been jailed but are warning that there has been a surge in local crime as thieves and burglars are being displaced from nearby.
The local team has reported a significant increase in thefts in the area, with officers dealing with a range of shoplifting and burglary offences over the past month, many of which they say have been committed by offenders travelling into the area.
Sergeant Gareth O'Donnell of the Chiswick Neighbourhood Team said police are witnessing "crime displacement", with criminals coming from areas including Hammersmith and Ealing to target businesses and residents in Chiswick.
A series of operations targeting shoplifting on Chiswick High Road has led to multiple arrests involving thousands of pounds worth of stolen goods. One offender was sentenced to 30 weeks in prison for theft offences committed across Chiswick and Hammersmith, while a number of other suspects are awaiting court appearances and sentencing.
Among those arrested was prolific shoplifter Max Holt, who returned to Chiswick despite being subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning him from entering the area. Officers arrested Holt for shoplifting and breaching the order. He received a three-month custodial sentence and was also recalled to prison for a previous offence.
Holt, 50, of no fixed abode, was previously jailed in May after being convicted of 16 shoplifting offences and one count of common assault. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison and made subject to a seven-year Criminal Behaviour Order. The order prohibits him from entering Chiswick except when travelling through on public transport without getting off, along with a number of conditions relating to his conduct in retail premises.
Police have also continued to make progress in a series of burglary investigations. A suspect who was originally arrested and charged with 10 burglaries has since been linked to a further eight offences across Chiswick and Brentford. He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear in court next April.
In a separate case, a man arrested in connection with eight linked burglaries, including five committed in a single night around Chiswick High Road, has pleaded guilty to five offences and is awaiting sentencing while in prison.
Officers have also secured a conviction following a theft at a local restaurant. A man entered a staff-only area and stole a member of staff's bag before using stolen bank cards at a nearby shop. Police used facial recognition technology to identify the suspect, leading to the arrest and charging of James King, 40, of no fixed abode. He was sentenced to a total of six months in prison.
The policing team has also stepped up patrols during the Halloween, Diwali and Bonfire Night period. Officers from neighbourhood teams across Hounslow have been working extended shifts to tackle any increase in antisocial behaviour and crime associated with seasonal celebrations.
Sergeant O'Donnell said the neighbourhood team remains focused on targeting prolific offenders and reducing the impact of acquisitive crime on local businesses and residents.
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