Anti-social behaviour has decreased in Melksham over the past year, while shoplifting and violent and sexual offences have increased, police have reported.
At the full town council meeting on 20th October, Sergeant Gemma Rutter said that anti-social behaviour reports had fallen by 65 over the year.
She said, “Compared to other surrounding towns, specifically Trowbridge – I can say that because I work there as well – there is not nearly anywhere near the antisocial behaviour here that we’ve had elsewhere, in numbers and by nature.”
There are certain pockets within the town the police are looking into. One area of anti-social behaviour that Sgt Rutter said the team is dealing with ‘quite quickly’ involves customers leaving a pub in the town centre late at night and causing disruption.
She said, “Customers coming out of The Grapes late at night and causing issues around that area. Our licensing team are working with us and the community down there.”
This year, the police have received 30 more reports of violent and sexual offences. Sgt Rutter said, “Just a caveat to that, harassment offences are also included in that. When we say violence, that is not always physical violence.”
Shoplifting has also increased in Melksham by 6%. “That is the sort of offence that will go up in the winter months when money is even tighter, it’s colder, and people don’t want to spend money on food but would rather spend it elsewhere,” explained Sgt Rutter.
She added that “figures are where they should be” for Melksham and encouraged residents to report crimes.
“If it’s not reported, I don’t know where to direct my team,” she added.
