Rothbury feels "under siege" after summer crime wave

Rothbury has seen break-ins at both its Co-op and Post Office, as well as a further burglary at the popular Cragside National Trust site.

Thieves also allegedly took a digger from a construction site, before reportedly abandoning the vehicle and making off with a van to escape the area.

Cllr Steven Bridgett, who represents the Rothbury ward on Northumberland County Council, said it was like the village was “under siege”, with issues around motorcycle disorder and poaching also ongoing.

He said: “In 2010, the Coquet Valley had a sergeant and five police constables based here. Now we have none. We have heard for 13 years about the damage funding cuts have done to the police and the service it delivers and I agree, it has.

“However, there is nothing to stop Northumbria Police from reprioritising exisiting resources. In the last few months, the local Co-op has been broken into, the Post Office has been broken into twice, the Cragside estate and Wallington Hall have been broken into.

“Are there any suspects? Have there been any arrests? I already know the answer to those questions.

“If rural policing really is a priority for the bosses of Northumbria Police, we cannot continue to be left exposed in the way we are. It seems like we are under siege.”

Cllr Bridgett made it clear that he was not criticising the local neighbourhood policing team or Northumbria’s rural policing team. He described the officers covering the Rothbury area as “excellent” but believed they were “overstretched” and required more resources.

Responding to Coun Bridgett’s concerns, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, called on the Government to provide the force with more officers.

She said: “As the only force in the country to successfully use Safer Streets funding specifically to fight crime in our rural communities – it’s clear the policing of rural Northumberland is very much a priority for us. I know the Chief Constable is personally looking at the matters raised and as Cllr Bridgett points out himself – officers are doing their best with limited resources.

“The best way to improve response and bring down crime is to recruit more police officers. Government still owes Northumbria Police 427 officers to get us back to pre-2010 levels and give our force the boost I know residents want to see.”

Responding to Ms McGuinness’ concerns, a spokeswoman for the Home Office said: “We are giving the police the resources they need to tackle crime, and through our police recruitment campaign we have more police officers in England and Wales than ever before and Northumbria Police has recruited 705 additional uplift officers.

“The Government has confirmed a total police funding settlement of up to £17.2bn in 2023/24, an increase of up to £313.8m when compared to 2022/23. This includes up to £355.1m for Northumbria Police, an increase of up to £12.3m.”

It was also pointed out that, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, overall crime is down 52% since the launch of the Safer Streets Fund in January 2020. Furthermore, the Home Office say there are now more officers in England and Wales than ever before – but it was acknowledged that not all forces will return to 2010 officer levels.

Northumbria Police has provided updates on several of the incidents outlined by Cllr Bridgett.

A spokeswoman the force said: “At 10pm on Saturday, we received a report of a burglary at an address at Cragside Country Park, Cragside, Northumberland. It was reported that entry gates and the locks and windows of a food kiosk had been damaged in the incident.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information should use the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or call 101 quoting NP-20230902-1204.

“Shortly after 7.50pm on August 20, police received a report of suspicious behaviour near to an address on Knocklaw Cottage West in Rothbury. It was reported that offenders had gained access to a yard on the property and taken a quantity of scrap metal and a digger before leaving the area.

“A short time later, police were alerted to a report of theft on Addyheugh Lane where a transit van had been stolen from outside of the address. Officers attended the scene and found the stolen digger abandoned in a nearby field, as well as the stolen van abandoned in the Long Framlington area.

“A 22-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle in connection with the investigation. He has since been released on police bail. Enquiries are ongoing, with officers treating the reports of theft as linked.

“At 7am on Wednesday, June 14, we received a report of burglary at an address in Wallington, Morpeth. It was reported that offenders broke into the building and caused a significant amount of damage before leaving the scene.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information should use the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or call 101, quoting NP-20230614-0158.”

On the two break-ins at the post office, police said: “At around 5.50am on June 11, police received a report of burglary at a premises on Back Croft in Rothbury. It was reported that an offender had forced entry to the store at some point overnight, causing damage to the windows. They have then left the area without taking anything.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police using the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or by calling 101 quoting reference number: 073176W/23.

“Shortly before 8.55am on July 30, police received a report of damage to the windows that was believed to have happened overnight at a premises on Back Croft in Rothbury. Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police quoting reference number NP-20230730-0316.”

And in relation to a break-in and a separate theft at the Co-op, a spokesman added: “Shortly after 6am on June 8, police received a report of burglary at a premises on High Street in Rothbury. It was reported that an offender had forced entry to the store at some point overnight, causing damage to the windows. They have then taken a quantity of cash before leaving the area.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police using the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or by calling 101 quoting reference number: 071706E/23.

“Shortly after 7.30am on June 11, police received a report of theft at a premises on High Street in Rothbury having taken place the previous evening. It was reported that, at around 9.10pm, two offenders had taken two cases of alcohol from the store and left the area.

“Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police using the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or by calling 101 quoting reference number: 073173D/23.”