MARTON has become the latest village in the county to get tough on rural crime by joining a crime prevention initiative.
Villagers are sending out the message that they are not a soft touch for rural crime by becoming a ‘Supported Village’.
Property marking and crime prevention events have been held where villagers have been given crime prevention advice and had their property marked – and ‘Thieves Beware’ signs now stand at entrances to the village.
To mark its new Supported Village status, Chief Inspector Daf Goddard presented Marton Parish Council with a crime prevention toolbox and a community box – both of which provide information and equipment for the council to provide property marking and crime prevention to residents.
Michael Koch, Chair of Marton Parish Council, said: “We are really pleased to be working with the police and the Rural Crime Project to support our residents in the village on crime prevention and helping to protect their property.”
Rural Crime Officer Carol Cotterill said: “The Rural Crime Project provides advice, support and equipment to help people mark their property and take actions to help prevent crime.”
Marton becomes the fifth village in the Rugby district to join the scheme after Binley Woods, Willoughby, Wolvey and Brinklow, with four others in the north of the county also protected.
The Supported Villages programme, part of the Rural Crime Project, aims to help communities with proactive crime prevention action and advice which can then be maintained by the community. It is funded by the Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Seccombe.
Visit the Warwickshire Rural Watch website at www.warwickshireruralwatch.co.uk for more information about tackling rural crime.
