Following a meeting with the Thurrock’s police chiefs, Andrew Jefferies said all crime has been reduced over the last 12 months by 3.2 per cent, hate crime is down by 2.2 per cent and antisocial behaviour is down by an “incredible 30 per cent”.
Mr Jefferies revealed a cannabis production operation containing 100 plants had been closed down in Tilbury. Additionally, since 2018 antisocial behaviour has been reduced by 63 per cent in Thurrock.
Operation Caesar launched to rid the borough of nuisance bikes has seen a 55 per cent decrease in the number of calls to police he said.
Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Mr Jefferies said: “Often it’s the public perception of the amount of crime that’s going on and sometimes quite different to what is actually happening. However, I am aware that anyone who has been a victim of crime these figures are of no comfort because they’ve been they’ve been the victim of a crime.
“Something everyone should welcome is Operation stronghold which was a policy initiated by Essex Police to increase the visibility of police in the borough of Thurrock.”
Mr Jefferies added: “In Corringham, Ockendon, Grays and Lakeside there was an additional 100 hours of police officer time which I think probably contributed to the reduction in some of these.
“To reassure people and to give them some feeling of safety when out shopping this Christmas period there’s additional patrols going to be in and around the Lakeside area.”
Bikers had been using the borough’s green spaces and illegally accessing private land to ride their bikes, turning formerly peaceful areas into racetracks and subjecting local residents to the drone of excessive engine noise.
Operation Caesar was launched in 2021 and last year Thurrock police formed a quad bike team to level the playing field in the fight against nuisance bikers.
The successful team went on to issue 35 section 59 orders in 2022, more than double than 2021.
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