Whilst for some, the world feels at a standstill, our Rotherham officers
have shown no signs of slowing down. The team have undertaken a
month-long operation to tackle what’s known as ‘Serious Acquisitive
Crime’ across the district, focusing on offences such as burglary,
robbery and theft, which we know are a concern for our communities.
It’s been a busy operation; the team has made a total of 17 arrests and
conducted more than 50 stop and searches for offences such as robbery
and burglary. The activity is already yielding positive results, with
three men being recently charged with serious offences. Jason Shields,
24, of no fixed abode has appeared before court charged with two counts
of burglary and the theft of an ambulance worker’s bag. Daniel Allott,
29 of High Hazel Crescent has also been remanded in to custody after
being charged with two counts of robbery and possession of a bladed
article. Finally, the last 24 hours has seen Raymond Caprani, 49, of
Elliott Court charged and remanded following a reported robbery in
February.
Detective Inspector Scott Szymczak said: “These are uncertain times for
our communities but I want to reassure them that we are here and our
work does not stop. We consistently hear that people want us to
prioritise crimes such as these and we understand the profound impact
they can have on victims.
“Some suspects we arrest can be accused of a string of alleged offences
and it’s vital we work to disrupt their activities. Officers have been
out in the community conducting proactive patrols and if they see
someone they think may have been, or is likely to be involved in,
committing crime, they have been using stop and search powers available
to them. This is a vital tool, not for just seizing drugs and weapons,
but also in recovering stolen property and disrupting those who are out
to harm our communities.”
DI Szymczak added: “We will be continuing over the coming weeks with
these patrols, targeting our key locations, removing offenders from our
streets and seeking to return any stolen belongings to their rightful
owners.
“In the meantime, if you have any information about burglary or theft in
your area, or those involved in criminal activity, please report this to
us either online, or by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency. You can also
report criminal activity anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555
111.
“I hope our work so far offers a level of reassurance to the residents
of Rotherham that despite the current situation, we are continuing in
our work to tackle serious crime in the district.”