Each role matters in beating burglary

We are shining a light on the varied and vital roles that our people undertake in tackling burglary.

This is part of our campaign, beating burglary together, which aims to enlist the support of our county and highlights the work we are doing to address this invasive crime.

Today we are showcasing our force lead for burglary DCI Jo Fortune, James Bateman from Integrated Offender Management, Sian Nethercott from Victim Lincs and Stuart Wilson from the Digital Forensics Unit.

Last week, we highlighted the work of DC Andy Bates in CID, Intelligence Analyst Alastair Pamment, Tara Lucas from Crime Scene Investigations and Sally Picker, a Crime Reduction Tactical Advisor. You can read their profiles here.

This is part of our effort to celebrate who our people are, and their work to support victims, reduce burglary and bring offenders to justice.

Detective Chief Inspector Jo Fortune, our strategic lead for home burglary

Reducing the number of home burglaries is one of the top priorities for Lincolnshire Police and Jo understands the devastation that can be caused by such a crime, both emotionally and financially.

Jo’s aims are to increase positive outcomes for home burglaries through improved standards of investigation, reduce dwelling burglaries through crime prevention and a problem-solving approach and to provide a quality and supportive service for victims. Jo sets the plan for how we achieve this and draws upon many people and teams across Lincolnshire Police, utilising their specialist knowledge in their field of work, in order to lessen the impact of home burglaries.

Working closely with the Crime and Intelligence Analyst, Ali Pamment, Jo looks to understand crime patterns, trends in offending and seasonal hotspots in order to identify the best opportunities to understand who the burglars are, how we can reduce opportunity for them to commit crime and how we can make our communities feel safer. Jo also attends national meetings to understand emerging issues and identify any good innovative approaches that are proven to assist in the fight against burglary.

In conjunction with Communications Officer, Jemma Peacock, Jo has devised our Beating Burglary Together Campaign to ensure communities are aware of reported burglaries in their area and are provided up to date and relevant crime prevention guidance so that they can feel more secure in their home and be vigilant of suspicious activity in their street.

Should someone be unfortunate in becoming a victim of burglary in their own home, Jo wants to make sure that they are supported from the moment they make the initial report. This means providing advice and support from our call takers, our Crime Reduction Tactical Advisors, our Crime Scene Investigators, our investigators and through Victim Lincs. Jo’s objective is to make sure that each victims knows we will do our utmost to identify who has committed the crime and prosecute them to make Lincolnshire the safest place to live, work and visit.

Stuart Wilson from DFU

This is Stuart Wilson, a technical manager in our Digital Forensics Unit (DFU). This is a team of staff with specialist skills who retrieve data and analyse information from digital devices like mobile phones and computers.

Stuart supports burglary investigations from start to finish, from receiving devices that have been seized at scene, to producing detailed forensic reports, to speaking at court as an expert witness.

As an example, Stuart will look at the location data held on a mobile phone which can be used as evidence to place a suspect at the scene of a crime. The team can also look at pictures, downloads and browser history in order to uncover evidence that might help build information in a case of burglary.

No stone is left unturned. Where a device is passcode encrypted, specialist methods are used to facilitate data extraction. Stuart believes that if you have committed a burglary, you should be held to account, and the team within DFU will work meticulously and methodically towards building information to support such investigations.

In addition to burglary, Stuart assists with a range of investigations from murder, to sexual exploitation, to large scale fraud, where a digital device might hold vital information. Stuart’s work, along with the team, contributes hugely towards securing successful convictions, and keeping the county safe.

PC James Bateman from IOM

This is PC James Bateman. His role in Integrated Offender Management (IOM) is about getting to the root cause of the problem, stopping offences before they happen and preventing future victims.

IOM consists of Police Officers, Support Officers, Probation Officers, Drugs Recovery Workers and a host of other agencies working alongside them.

The team focus on those who pose a risk to the community. They develop alternative pathways away from criminal behaviour; they put plans in place that address the reasons these people commit crime.

Burglary affects not only the victim but feelings of safety within the neighbourhood, so it’s a priority area for IOM. Working with the offender, PC Bateman establishes what their ‘pathways’ are. Are they a drug user? Do they have accommodation? Are there any mental health issues? Do they have benefits in place to be able to afford food? For example, if he learns a former burglar is using heroin again, he knows this could be a precursor to offending. By getting this person onto a methadone script and engaging with ‘We Are With You’ – a local charity providing free, confidential support to people experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health – he mitigates the risk.

This work is not about excusing the choices of an offender, but recognising why they offend and putting in place solutions and support.

Alongside the preventative work, PC Bateman and the IOM team will not hesitate to use enforcement. On a day-to-day basis they wear plain clothes and use unmarked police vehicles, enabling an intelligence picture to be built. If grounds exist, they use powers like stop and search to disrupt offending.

Engagement with those identified for the programme may begin with a meeting in prison. Upon release, the team are waiting for them. They will make appointments for them with other agencies, arrange accommodation referrals, provide a food parcel and a mobile phone is organised to they can be contacted. The excuses they have to return to crime are eliminated.

Through his work on the team, PC Bateman has built knowledge of offenders across his patch of Lincoln and West Lindsey. He knows most of the active criminals and they know him. If we have CCTV of a burglary suspect, PC Bateman will use this experience and knowledge to identify them.

PC Bateman is making a difference to the lives of those on the programme and contributing towards the detection and prevention of burglary. He will admit that some days are incredibly frustrating but the connections he and the team make, and the rapport they build with partners and offenders, make this rewarding and worthwhile work that helps make Lincolnshire the safest place to live, work and visit.

Sian Nethercott from Victim Lincs

This is Sian Nethercott from Victim Lincs. Victim Lincs is an ‘in house’ service put in place by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire (PCC) and is part of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC). The team consists of, a Victim Lincs Team Leader, six Contact and Case Management Officers and one Sexual Violence Co-ordinator. Victim Lincs is essentially the ‘gateway’ to specialist support services in Lincolnshire. Victim Lincs are independent from the police; therefore, can provide information, advice, and support to victims of crime who do not wish to report the crime to the police, as well as those who have.

Victim Lincs receives on average 1,350 referrals per month from the police and through self-referral relating to all types of crime. When a referral is made to Victim Lincs, each case is triaged prior to contact being made with the victim. The team are trained to listen to their concerns, complete a comprehensive needs assessment, provide practical and stay safe advice, and make onward referrals to the most appropriate support service(s), depending on their individual needs. The needs assessment will address the victim’s wellbeing, feelings of isolation and reintegration, their ability to cope, perceptions of safety, their experience of the Criminal Justice System (where applicable) and ascertain how well informed they feel about the support services that are available to them.

Victim Lincs will endeavour to speak with victims of burglary within 48 hours, and where necessary make an onward referral to Victim Support; an independent charity offering free, confidential support to people affected by crime and traumatic incidents.

Every year a significant number of households across England and Wales are affected by burglary. It can be a very frightening experience, and even if nothing is stolen most people feel anxious and less secure in their home afterwards.

Victim Support can provide personal support, with a dedicated Independent Victim Advocate (IVA), giving the victim the chance to talk about how this has made them feel and re-gain confidence and emotional wellbeing. Practical support, helping the victim feel safer by discussing and aiding with home security such as window and door alarms, and advice regarding compensation and court procedures. Burglary affects the whole family so support is offered to everyone affected and the dedicated IVA can help parents and carers support children coping with the impact of burglary also.

Victim Lincs can also provide personal alarms and purse bells for adults and children which can be attached to keys or bags to enhance feelings of personal safety. The team can also make a referral to the Crime Prevention team within Lincolnshire Police to arrange a home visit to discuss security measures. Sometimes it isn’t about gadgets or spending money on home security, a reassurance visit, or compassionate conversation can make all the difference to helping victims overcome the effects of the burglary and move forward. Victim Lincs are aware victims’ needs change over time; support is not time limited; any victim can get in touch when they are ready to receive support to help them cope and recover.