Is Bedwell Really a High Crime Area?
Bedwell
There was a meeting outside the Towers the afternoon of Monday 26th April. Residence of The Towers met representatives of Stevenage Homes and the Police. I had no specific issues to bring up, others definitely had.
One leaseholder I recognized from the Leaseholders’ forums made the point that he had repeatedly brought up his issues at the forums but they had never been addressed.
He is not the first to have told me that he no longer attends the forums because he thinks they are a waste of his time.
I will have to contact him to see if he has any more luck raising complaints at a neighbourhood meeting.
I asked a Police Officer why Bedwell is marked a high crime area. I am renewing my contents insurance. I have found that the higher the crime figures the higher the cost of insurance.
The Police Officer thought that crime is no higher in residential areas of Bedwell than in any other part of Stevenage. Bedwell’s reputation comes from the fact that it has the same beat code as:
- Town Centre – shop crime
- The Leisure Park – Public order offence and other alcohol fuel crime
- Stevenage Police Station – Anyone arrested and taken to Stevenage Police Station is likely to be searched. Any charges resulting from such a search such as position of drugs are recorded as having taken place at the Police Station. I.E. in Bedwell.
I asked if there was anything that we could do. The Officer was not hopeful. He did suggest I try to negotiate with an insurance company to lower the rate. I can not see that happening but I will give it a go.
Then I will send an email to Hertfordshire Police asking them if it is possible to get Bedwell residential areas a separate code from the Town Centre, Leisure Park and Police Station.
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