Crime spike prompts 'almost constant' police presence in Sunderland neighbourhood

Officers from Northumbria Police have made four arrests in the area linked to vehicle thefts in Hetton, as well as a series of garage burglaries.

Details of the clampdown were provided to members of Sunderland City Council’s Coalfield Area Committee, which met on Wednesday, July 15.

According to the report: “The Neighbourhood Team have spent a lot of time in East Rainton in the last few months and in particular premises in School Road.

“We have had almost a constant presence in the area.

“This has included utilising our Operations department (traffic, dogs and Firearms) tasked to the area due to several issues of crime and disorder.

“I can assure you that this is one of the area priorities and we are working with partners to solve the problems whilst keeping the rest of the community safe.”

Despite the problems in East Rainton, the report, which the committee was told had been written by Inspector Nick Gjorven, added there had been a ‘notable decrease’ in antisocial behaviour in the Coalfield area.

But it concedes this was likely due to the coronavirus lockdown, with a rise in the number of group gatherings, especially in Hetton Lyons Park and Houghtonside.

It also echoed concerns Insp Gjorven raised with the area committee in 2019 that thieves may try to steal boilers from vacant properties and warned checks on scrap vans had been ramped up.

Other key items in the report included:

:: A fall in the number of house burglaries

:: Lead thefts have ‘all but disappeared’, although this may be due to more people staying at home during the day due to lockdown

:: The number of ‘unauthorised encampments’ in Hetton Lyons Park and Houghton may have been higher this year (2020) due to the cancellation of Appleby Fair, due to the COVID-19 pandemic

:: Violent crime has risen slightly, particularly ‘assaults in the home’

:: Officers hope a ‘significant sentence’ could be handed down after a man was arrested and charged in connection with a string of burglaries and thefts from vehicles

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