Tamworth Blog

Operation Nemesis

This morning, Tuesday December 1, Staffordshire Police arrested 13 people on suspicion of supplying heroin and cocaine, after series of dawn raids across the town.

The raids come after months of detailed investigation and planning by the forces Serious and Organised Crime Department and Trent Valley Division and involved around 200 Police Officers who targeted addresses across Tamworth in what is described as the biggest Police operation in Tamworth’s history.

Whilst the early morning raids were focussed on enforcing the law and taking drug dealers off the streets of Tamworth, Staffordshire Police and a number of partners are working together to provide support and services to those who have been effected by drugs in Tamworth.

The raids took place just before dawn across multiple addresses in Tamworth, including Stonydelph, Bolehall, Amington, Leyfields, The Leys and Glascote as well as the town centre itself.

Police Entering the Property in Bolehill

Accompanying the Police to the scene of one of the raids on Bolehill we were invited to see the operation in action.

The raid took place at 6.40am in Bridgewater Street, with Police making their way through and searching the property.  Whilst the person they weren’t on the scene, Police found drug paraphernalia and the search of the property was still on going.  To aid the search Officers used sniffer dogs as well as a traditional search.

However, the Police received information on where their chief suspect was and an arrest was made just around the corner from the property raided during the early morning operation.

As part of the operation, each location Police Officers raided saw a flag bearing contact details and operation details erected, allowing neighbours to understand what was happening and of course, hopefully seeing more people come forward with more information.

Property Raided in Bolehill

Speaking to Tamworth Blog, Assistant Chief Constable, Mick Harrison said:

“This morning has gone pretty well, we have carried out a series of warrants across Tamworth today and it appears to have been a successful morning, targeting drug dealers who have been bringing misery to Tamworth residents.”

When asked about why Staffordshire Police chose to focus on the drug problem in Tamworth, Assistant Chief Constable Harrison continued:

“We have surveyed a lot of the community and they say the dealing of drugs is one of those problems. It’s part of our service to react to these problems.

“We have been working on this for some while collecting intelligence, turning that into evidence and this is the final stage, carrying out 17 raids across Tamworth and the Midlands.”

One of the men arrested in this mornings raids

The raids are the first stage of the operation in Tamworth, the next stage is engaging communities and working with partners to assist those who have been effected by the drugs in Tamworth.  Assistant Chief Constable Harrison continued:

“Enforcement is the first stage, we want to galvanise communities to show we are responding to their concerns, but we also working with other partners including Tamworth Borough Council and Health Partners who assist with the treatment. So those who are effected by drug addiction can get into programmes and get treatment to get off drugs.

“It’s not just about enforcement but also the treatment of those on drugs.”

The raids though aren’t the only events to happen today, the Police will be visiting Schools to talk to school children about the evils of drugs.  Assistant Chief Constable Harrison continued;

“Our officers and PCSO’s will also be going into schools talking to young people about the evils of drugs.  It is a joined up package to tackle all aspects of drugs and drug dealing.”

The raids which were on the same scale of those made in Stoke-on-Trent earlier in the year under the Operation Nemesis, one which Staffordshire.  Assistance Chief Constable Harrison said:

“If people feel they can take the place of those who have been taken out, they best watch out, as we’ll be after them too.”

In total, the early morning raids have seen 13 arrests made across the town including:

• three men aged 19, 24 and 34 in the town centre area
• two men aged 27 and 28 in Bolehall
• a 28 year-old woman and 25 year-old man in Stonydelph
• a 33 year-old woman and 36 year-old man in Riverside area
• a 23 year-old man in Belgrave
• a 27 year-old man in Coton
• a 21 year-old man in Leyfields
• a 31 year-old man in Glascote.

All those arrested have been taken to Burton-upon-Trent Police Station to await a hearing later this week.

Following the raids, their has been a Neighbourhood newsletter distributed to more than 3,000 Tamworth homes telling residents  about today’s arrests and appealing for any more information about drug use in their neighbourhoods.

Throughout today both there are numerous partner events taking place, including a door to door campaign and a huge presence by the Tamworth Borough Council Street Scene team and wardens throughout the town.

Staffordshire Primary Care Trust and South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare Foundation Trust will also be boosting capacity to assist those whose lives are being blighted by drugs.    Both are working in partnership with the Police to identify where resources would be best targetted in assiting those who are suffering from drug misuse.

Stuart Poynor, Chief Executive of the South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust, said:

“We fully endorse the actions taken to tackle drugs misuse which we know destroys families and damages communities.

“The NHS in South Staffordshire is working in partnership with police to target resources where we will make the most difference because we want to ensure that people receive support to successfully complete treatment and re-establish their lives.

“Our priority is the health and well being of the people of South Staffordshire.”

Sue Parkes, Head of Substance Misuse Services for South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, added:

“We provide the direct clinical care for those suffering from drug misuse so we know from first hand experience, the misery drugs bring to individuals and families.

“Our clinical staff, including doctors and nurses, assess and treat individuals according to their needs.

“The treatment is based on rehabilitation and recovery and with clear action plans involving patients and their families, which are regularly monitored by clinicians.”

Police are still appealing for anyone who suspects activities linked to drug dealing in their neighbourhoods to contact them either on 0300 123 44 55 or call Crimestoppers for free and anonymously on 0800 555 111.

For more information on drug support and treatment services in Tamworth, drug users and their concerned relatives can call:

A concerned Amington resident has expressed his concern via the FixMyStreet website at speeding drivers making their way to the Anker Valley Football pitches on a match day.

View Tamworth Road in a larger map

The concerned resident has highlighted the volume of traffic and speed at which the drivers are taking the Old Tamworth road, with many ‘flying’ over the bridge and ignoring the sign posts to the pitches. The resident has claimed to have been nearly knocked over several times.

Their post on FixMyStreet says:

On match days the volume of traffic going down Old Tamworth Road is horrendous and can be unsafe due to the speed the vehicles go at.They fly over the bridge to get to Anker Valley football pitches.There is a sign at the bridge directing them to go down Brindley Road to access the pitches but they do not.Some of them are even using mobile phones.I have nearly been knocked over a few times due to this.Their is also no footpath on oneside of the road so some residents exit the homes straight onto the road with oncoming traffic.

The Walkabout Group

A recent Walkabout in Amington and Bolehill has been branded a success by Tamworth Borough Council.

Residents from in the Bolehill and Amington areas joined local Housing Officers, Caretakers, local councillors, Police and other key agencies to give suggestions on how their estates can be improved.

The walkabout saw the group walk about the area highlighting issues that needed addresses, whilst members of the agencies involved logged these suggestions.  At the end of the walk, residents were then involved in developing an action plan on how best to address the issues identified, improving their estates.

Because of the event, the improvements made include:

• Residents whose gardens were overgrowing were sent letters advising them to maintain their gardens after the walkabout highlighted that many gardens in the area were overgrown.
• Overgrown bushes have been cutback around the estate after it was highlighted that many of them were over grown.
• Letters have been sent out to residents concerning the issues of fly tipping and rubbish in the area.  During the walkabout, a lot of the rubbish was was removed.
• Graffiti around the area has now been removed with the ‘tags’ being used to identify the perpetrators.

All three walk abouts have been completed this year along with their action plans.  Plans for next year are being made and if you think your area benefit from one of these walkabouts, you are encouraged to contact the Estate Management Team on 01827 709 491 or mail them at estatemanagementteam@tamworth.gov.uk.

Tamworth Police are appealing for the driver of a car involved in a collision to come forward.

The incident which happened in Leedham Avenue at around 10.30am on Tuesday October 27.

View Collision with Pedestrian in a larger map

The female driver did stop at the scene but didn’t leave any details.

Police are now urging the woman to contact PC Karen Green at Tamworth Police Station on 0300 123 44 55.

Marmion House, Tamworth Borough Council

A Tamworth woman has been successfully prosecuted by Tamworth Borough Council, Wolverhampton City Council and the Department for Work and Pensions after illegally claiming over £24,000 in benefits.

Amington woman, Patricia Powell, 46 was given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, an 18 month supervision order and was instructed to attend an educational and training course at college as well as having to pay back the £24,847.61 she had wrongfully claimed in benefits and £100 expenses when she was attended a hearing at Tamworth Magistrates Court.

The total overpayment Patricia Powell had received was comprised of £11375.58 Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit for Tamworth Borough Council, £4202.01 Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit for Wolverhampton City Council and £9270.02 Income Support.

Cllr Robert Pritchard, portfolio holder for Corporate Governance said:

“£20k is a huge amount of money stolen from the Taxpayer.

“We are taking a strong stance when it comes to benefit fraud as it is a serious crime which affects all of the Taxpayers in Tamworth. The money wrongfully claimed by benefit cheats could be spent elsewhere such as improving our town or helping those who really need it. While everyone is facing potential financial difficulties at the moment, providing false information to claim benefits you are not entitled to is only going to cost you more in the long run.”

Ambulance - Photo: PoliceBlue999

On Tuesday November 3, Emergency crews were called to a collision between two cars on Amber Close, outside the Amington Industrial Estate.

Two Ambulances and a Rapid Response vehicle were sent from the West Midlands Ambulance Service, with one person being transferred to Good Hope Hospital.

There are no more details on this incident at this time.

The Fire Raging on the flood plain

A spate of fires in the past week are believed to have been started by youngsters.

It is believed that youngsters triggered some 31 fires across the town, spreading our fire service to the brink as they set light to conifers, motorcycles, grass, rubbish skips and vans.

The fires have been spread across the town, with reported incidents in the town centre, Amington, Belgrave, Glascote, and Stonydelph.  The craze has been ongoing with some 43 fires dealt with during September, of those 26 were arson.

Brian Roy, Tamworth Fire Stations risk reduction officer told the Tamworth Herald:

“These youngsters are endangering their own lives and could be seriously injured,

“Fires can spread so quickly and cause a lot of damage and of course there is the chance that someone could be seriously injured.

“Apart from that, these fires take us away from more serious incidents. We were called to a road accident this week – we should not be dealing with grass fires when there has been an accident in which someone could have been seriously injured.”

Police are still investigating the fires and members of the public are being urged to come forward with any information about the fires, either by calling the Police or contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

New Police Chief Inspector Emma Griffth’s said:

“Our investigations into these latest incidents are ongoing and we are on their trail, we are adopting a zero tolerance approach and we WILL prosecute.”

Tamworth Police Station - Photo: Paulette Francessca Sedgwick

Tamworth Police are appealing for help in tracing two teenagers who tried to steal two bikes a man was pushing in Amington in the early evening on Thursday September 17.

The incident which happened as the victim was pushing bikes along St Georges Way in Amington at 4pm in the afternoon of Thursday September 17, saw the man assaulted as two attackers, both aged around 18, go out of a red Ford Ka.  The man was punched before the attackers tried to make off with the bikes.

The man managed to fend the attackers off who fled empty handed and got back in the car which was last seen heading towards Sheepcote Lane.

The offenders were both white and around 18 years of age, slim and both had shoulder length dark hair. One wore ripped jeans and one wore a black hooded top and black tracksuit bottoms.

Police are urging anyone who was in the area and may have seen anything suspicious, to contact Sgt Kiley Round at Tamworth CID, telephone 0300 123 44 55 or, call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 quoting crime reference XA/75998/09.

Police Tape - Photo: Andrew Rickman

The four thieves behind the £1.8million raid on a Natwest cash handling facility in Tamworth back in October 2006, have had their sentences extended by an additional 3 years after failing to pay £256,000 each at the Proceeds of  Crime Act hearing.

Police are still hunting for the missing £1.8million of used bank notes which they believe could potentially be hidden in Spain or France.  The four burglars, Terrance McGurk and Dean Lindon, both 29, and Kenneth Bourne and Karl Powell, both 26, all from Coventry, were given the additional 3 years sentence after failure to pay back a seventh of the missing money each, but they have been unable to do so.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Bladen who led the original investigation told the Sunday Mercury that the missing money still eats at him:

“In my 25 years as a detective, this case demonstrated a degree of planning, preparation and execution over a long period of time, the likes of which I have never seen before.

“It was an extremely unusual crime – the audacity of it. It was slick, meticulous and very well planned.

“They were there only a matter of a few minutes and it all went very quickly indeed.”

Tamworth Borough Councils Community Development Team have received national recognition for it’s assistance in bringing new community facilities to the Amington area.

The project was selected as a national finalist from some 150 entries by the Homes and Communities Academy and was selected for it’s investment in the young people of Amington by providing new facilities.

The Creative Communities Project involved a series of workshops with the youngsters of Amington discussing the plans and design of the new facilities to replace those in the area.  The project also consulted with some 180 young people, parents and other residents in the area.  Gaining input from all parties, it is hoped that the projects will be a success.

The first part of the project is now complete with the opening of new ball park that has been installed, updating the old facilities.  The second part of the project, the Maple meeting area is due to be completed late July.  Designs have been carefully considered to compliment the surrounding environment.

Tony Goodwin, Deputy Chief Executive of Tamworth Borough Council said;

“An enormous amount of hard work has been put into the project by listening to resident’s ideas, involving and consulting creatively with young people and through involving independent support

“We would like to give special thanks the community volunteers that helped us with this project.

“These new facilities for both children and the older youth demonstrate the Tamworth Borough Council’s continued commitment to improve its open spaces in response to local peoples concerns and the need to provide quality facilities for the large number of young people in the area”.

It is hoped that these new facilities will not only lead to a reduction in Anti Social behaviour in the area, but also encourage youngsters in the area to lead a more active life.