Crime in Ottery rises by one in April

Incidents involving school children have been described as ‘alarming’ by the town council after making up more than a quarter of Ottery’s monthly crime figures.

PCSO Maria Clapp told members on Monday 23 crimes were recorded last month, an increase of one from April 2016.

She said: “Sadly six of the incidents which are more than a quarter sadly involve school children.

“It’s on the way home from school really. They are getting antisocial behaviour letters.

“It’s just a certain group, so we are trying to do extra patrols on the Land of Canaan and Sainsbury. They intimidate people you see.”

Councillor Paul Carter said: “That is quite alarming.”

Police also recorded two incidents involving a dog biting and have ordered the owner to put a muzzle on their pet.

PCSO Clapp said: “The dog should now always be wearing a muzzle when out and about in public. Also we have managed to find two good Samaritans, who will now walk the dog at either end of the day, as the owner is struggling at the moment. They are both aware that the dog should be wearing a muzzle.”

Officers were called to seven assaults last month including one incident where a member of the pubic ‘was not happy’ when told she had to pay for rubbish she had taken to the recycling centre.

The total also included the theft of a bicycle, criminal damage to a car and burglary after thieves entered and stole property from a temporary building site.

PSCO Clapp also said two thefts took place from cars including a bike from an Ottery fireman who was on call.

She said: “It was quite sad really, it was from a fireman who was out on call, he had just got back from holiday and the bike was stolen from his vehicle, I think it was on a roof rack while he was out on call, can you believe it.”

In a separate incident she said items were on view in the vehicle.