WHITEHILL and Bordon’s neighbourhood policing team has identified burglary and anti-social behaviour as its two main policing priorities.

The town was hit by a wave of burglaries of public buildings over the Christmas period. The year 2015 ended with a tally of 27 burglaries in the town during December, added to 17 that had occurred in November.

In January this year there were 11 burglaries, including of people’s homes - in Budds Lane, Camp Road, at Tesco, in Manica Close, Wisteria Drive, Mill Chase Road, Branson Road, Mill Lane, Windsor Road, Lindford Road, and Royal Drive.

Last month, for which figures have not yet been released, on Saturday, February 20, at 6.40pm a robber armed with “what appeared to be a black handgun”, according to police, stole money and stock from the One Stop in Rydal Close.

The buildings broken into over the festive and new-year period included Mill Chase Leisure Centre, the Army Cadet base at Wolfe House, Whitehill Village Hall, the Forest Community Centre, St Mark’s Church and Headley Village Hall.

The team - Sgt Stuart Tripp, Pc Nick Whitehouse and Pcsos Ellis Parish, Nicola Howieson, Nathan Scott and Wade Hicks (who is funded by East Hampshire District Council) - “continue to work hard to locate the offenders for these crimes”, according to the Home Office website www.police.uk.

The town neighbourhood policing team have also identified anti-social behaviour as a priority.

“Residents who border the Deadwater Valley report anti-social behaviour, littering and general nuisance,” said the Bordon police, who promise that patrols will continue during March.

In response to reports of anti-social behaviour in the town centre, Pcsos Ms Parish and Mr Hicks “patrol the area”, the neighbourhood policing team added.

The Deadwater Valley, and Alexandra Park, were targeted by vandals and arsonists in April last year.

Over Easter, several fires were believed to have been started by arsonists, killing reptiles, and noticeboards and bins were vandalised.

The Bordon neighbourhood policing team is now based at the Eco-station, in Camp Road, following the closure of Whitehill Police Station, but there is no front counter here for the public to visit. People wanting to contact the team should call the Hampshire police number 101 or visit the front counter at Alton Police Station in Orchard Lane.

As part of the force’s Estate Change Strategy, to generate funds by selling off property, Whitehill Police Station was put up for sale in 2013. Last year planning permission was granted for the demolition of the station - which began this month - and 10 homes are proposed to be built in its place.

Crime in Whitehill and Bordon

* Anti-social behaviour: accounts for most of the total crimes recorded in the Bordon and Whitehill area (extending to Lindford in the east but not Headley, to the A325-A3 sliproad in the south but not Greatham; to but not including Sleaford in the north, and to but not including Oakhanger in the west). Out of 94 crimes recorded in the town in January, 43 were anti-social behaviour; of 91 crimes in December 2015, 25 were anti-social behaviour; of 77 recorded in November, 28 were anti-social behaviour. In January 2015, the total crimes recorded were 48, 24 of which were anti-social behaviour. Over the year January 2015 to January 2016, July had the most incidents of anti-social behaviour at 53.

* Total crime: With the exception of October, total crime was higher in each of the last six months of the year than in the first six months, with total recorded crimes being: December 2015, 91; November, 77; October, 60; September, 75; August, 80; July, 98; June, 76; May, 73; April, 69; March, 63; February, 68 and January, 48. There were almost double the number of crimes recorded in January 2016 than there were in January 2015. No figures yet available for February 2016.

* Burglaries: the final two months of 2015, and January this year, have seen a spike in burglaries recorded, as follows: December, 27 burglaries; November, 17; October, seven; September, three; August, none; July, two; June, three; May, five; April, six; March, one; February, five and January, none. In January this year there were 11.

* Criminal damage and arson: in January this year there were 11 recorded incidents compared to nine in January 2015. There were 13 in December; eight in November; nine in August; eight in July and 10 in June.

* Violent (such as assault and GBH) and sexual crimes: in January this year, there were no violent or sexual crimes recorded, compared to 10 in January 2015, although eight were recorded in December; 11 in November; 12 in October; 10 in September; 21 in August; 16 in July; 10 in June; 21 in May; 18 in April; 11 in March, and 14 in February. No robberies were recorded in January this year or the whole of 2015.