The thefts occurred in several pubs, bars and nightclubs over the weekend of 30 January to 1 February 2015.
The offenders targeted mobile phones, purses and expensive coats.
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Every so often, the police service auctions off property that has been seized as a result of criminal investigations, or that has been recovered from burglaries where no owner has come forward to claim the property back.
The proceeds of the auction are used to support local voluntary and charitable projects.
Recent recipients of the Fund include Swaledale Seedlings Playgroup, Art Therapy Yorkshire, Riding for the Disabled in York, Ryedale Community Transport and Richmond Tri-Kudo Triathlon Club.
North Yorkshire Police has now declared the latest round of applications open, and is urging local groups to come forward with their bids by 10 April.
The applications will be judged by Chief Constable Dave Jones, and Julia Mulligan, the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire.
Speaking about the fund, Chief Constable Dave Jones said:
“Through the Police Property Fund we are turning the negative results of crime into a big positive for the community, and that is very satisfying. We’re very interested in initiatives that could have a positive impact on local safety, but we also want to hear from groups that are creating opportunities for young people, or that help to bring communities together.”
Julia Mulligan, the Police and Crime Commissioner, said:
“Local communities are often best placed to know what support they need, and I want to empower those people to make positive changes where they live or work. This fund gives residents an easy way to apply for money which can ultimately make a community feel much safer.”
Groups who want to apply for funding must meet certain criteria, and should apply on the North Yorkshire Police application form. This is available at: http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/ppfa
The “Supporting Victims North Yorkshire” service provides help to victims in a number of different ways, to help them to cope and recover from the impact of crime. Experienced Supporting Victims Victim Care Co-Ordinators offer advice and guidance for victims of crime via a dedicated telephone service.
Supporting Victims can also refer victims to additional specialist services, aimed specifically at victims of sexual or domestic abuse, those who have suffered as a result of serious crime, people who have been persistently targeted and those feel vulnerable or intimidated as a result of criminal activity.
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Entrance to be gated
The change has been on the cards for several years following problems with anti social behaviour.
Originally the intention had been to make the park capable of being locked at nightfall. However the present Council wants to keep the two other entrances open.
The park has had increased usage since new play equipment was installed last year. Litter has however become a growing problem.
The sub station entrance has on occasions been used as an “escape route” by criminals.
The decision to install a locked gate was taken at a private meeting held last week which heard that “Crime and ASB statistics produced by Safer York Partnership covering a period from November 2012 to October 2013 for the 68 properties adjacent to the park, show that there were 8 reported incidents of crime and 8 reported incidents of ASB.
For the period November 2013 to November 2014, there were 5 reported incidents of crime and 4 reported incidents of ASB (Annex 3: Crime & ASB Statistics).
This may be considered to be a high number of incidents for 68 properties”
Residents with properties adjacent to the gate will be given a key.
Further consultation is promised in May.
Meanwhile a similar plan to gate the alleyway linking Wilton Rise and St Pauls Square has been withdrawn. Residents had objected on the grounds that the plan would have had an impact on waste collection arrangements.
There had been 14 incidents of crime in the area in recent years.
On 21st March starting at 10 a.m. there will be a property marking event.
Members of York City Centre Safer Neighbourhood Team will be in attendance.
These will be held at both, Your Bike Shed on Micklegate and City of York Library Museum Street.
This enables people to bring along one item such as a cycle, mobile phone, tablets etc. to create their own Immobilise account and further enable them to register anything of value within the family home that has a serial number, totally free of charge.
This helps with any property that is stolen, lost pr recovered and enables property to be returned to their rightful owners. Just bring along one item to create your own account.
Over 34 million items have been registered so far.
The warning comes after a number of thefts and attempted thefts involving the vehicles in North Yorkshire.
· An attempted theft of a Land Rover was reported in Gargrave, overnight 26 / 27 February. The vehicle was found down the street, having been stopped by an immobiliser.
· A twin cab green Land Rover, registration number YC62 WTG, was stolen from Ickornshaw, near Cowling, in the early hours of 23 February. Anyone with information on its whereabouts should call 101 and ask for PC James Dykes, quoting reference number 12150029982.
· There have also been attempted thefts just over the border in other police force areas.
Police are appealing to owners to be vigilant around keeping these types of vehicles as safe and secure as possible, and are also asking members of the public to report any suspicious activity involving Land Rovers.
PC Clare Mayes, of Thirsk and Easingwold Police, said: “I am urging Land Rover owners to be on their guard, and ensure they have adequate security measures in place – and of course this advice applies to any make of vehicle.
“Land Rovers should always be locked and alarmed. Park in a locked garage or other locked secure area, or in a well-lit open space or where there is passive lighting. Don’t leave keys in the ignition or near the front door at home.
“Consider also fitting a transponder-based security marking system and tracker device, and etching all windows with your vehicle identification number. In addition, if your Land Rover is over ten years old, fit an alarm and either fit an immobiliser or use a steering wheel lock.”
Officers are investigating ten burglaries in the Tang Hall, Osbaldwick and Heworth areas of the city, all of which have occurred in the last week. In nine out of the ten incidents, entry was gained through insecure doors, windows or garages.
Details of local crime locations at street level in West York can be found by clicking here
Stolen property includes laptops, games consoles, smartphones and tablets, bottles of whiskey and bicycles. The offences all took place between 12 February and the early hours of this morning (19 February).
Extensive enquiries are ongoing into the burglaries.
Detectives are urging residents in the Tang Hall, Osbaldwick and Heworth areas to take extra precautions to protect their property. Crime prevention information is also being distributed via social media and display screens in student accommodation:
DC Rebecca Hughes, of York Police, said: “While York is a very safe city, there have recently been a number of burglaries targeting insecure homes and garages in the Tang Hall, Osbaldwick and Heworth areas. Please help us keep you safe by taking basic crime prevention measures to secure your property.”
DC Hughes urged residents to:
In addition, if you see anyone acting suspiciously, contact the police on 101. If a crime is in progress, always dial 999.
If you have any information about any of the burglaries, please call 101, select option 2 and ask for York CID. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will not go to court.
In addition a PCSO is in attendance at the Foxwood Community Centre each month to provide “drop in” advice. The next sessions are on Wednesday 4th March and Wednesday 11th March (10:00am – 12:00 noon on both days)
The Police Commissioner Julia Mulligan has announced a 2% increase in the element of Council Tax which funds Policing in North Yorkshire and York.
The announcement comes only a few days after it was revealed that the levels of, some types of, crime were continuing to increase in the City.
Anyone looking to find a working link to the Commissioners web site (from the police site) will be disappointed Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire Anyone trying to follow a link to the Safer York partnership http://www.saferyork.org.uk/ will find similar frustrations. Even worse, a link to the equivalent site in Selby directs residents to a mortgage company.
And that is part of the emerging problem with local policing. Communications with the public are haphazard in some areas.
Until 3 years ago we all knew how our allocated local “bobby” was”. There were dedicated Police officers and PCSOs for each ward.
There was a local web site which, as well as containing details of the local officers, also set out surgery dates and contact channels as well as crime prevention information.
This has largely disappeared.
While the web site still includes a – user friendly – map showing the distribution of crime reports it currently fails most other tests.
Some wards seem to have suffered particularly badly from the decision to centralise some police officers into an “anti social behaviour” hub located in the York Councils’ West Offices. There has been no report on the effectiveness of this unit although the York council is budgeting to throw a further £300,000 into it next year.
In fairness there has been some progress on some aspects of “social media”.
The twitter feeds for various parts of the force are appreciated by many residents. The daily news updates are also a positive approach
But little performance information is routinely published across the whole county – and what is available is broad brush. It is particularly difficult to find information on detection rates – one of the key tests for any police force.
Even the supposed independent police and crime panel receives little useful information and has a profile which can most kindly be described as subterranean
As a minimum these changes need to be made:
Those at the top of the local Police force need to get a grip on these issues quickly.
Nick Love the LibDem MP candidate for York Central says,
“I will be seeking a meeting with the Police to see how we can best address areas where crime has increased in York and to explore the possibility of a more senior officer being permanently based in the City such as the Deputy Chief Constable.”
At around 7.50pm, three men wearing balaclavas and brandishing hammers and knives, broke into a house in the village and threatened the householders.
The offenders searched their home before leaving with jewellery, an amount of cash and the keys to their white, Mercedes E-Class convertible.
The suspects then left the scene in the Mercedes which was later found abandoned on Haggs Lane near the village of Colton.
Police are appealing to anyone who was in the village of Askham Richard on Monday night between 6.30pm and 8.30pm and saw any suspicious people, vehicles or activity, including the white Mercedes leaving the village, to contact them.
They are also appealing to anyone who was in the area of Askham Richard, Bilborough, the A64 and Colton, who saw a white Mercedes convertible, the occupants of the vehicle or saw anyone parking the vehicle or abandoning it and getting into another, to contact them.
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