Police take action to protect vulnerable Newton Abbot man

Police have obtained a partial closure order on a property following community concerns about a vulnerable resident in Newton Abbot.

Officers took action to prevent exploitation and the partial closure order was granted on 15 June at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court to cover an address in Bradley Court.

The order lasts for three months and the conditions state that no one other than the named tenant, police officers and other authorised professional visitors can enter or remain at the address.

Teignbridge Sector Inspector Ryan Northmore said: “We apply for closure orders for a number of reasons and will take action to prevent crime such as drug dealing and anti-social behaviour. In this case we worked closely with our partners, including the local authority, to obtain this order and prevent the victim from coming to harm. The resident had been a victim of cuckooing, which is a practice where criminals take over a person’s home and use the property for their personal gain. 

“The partial closure order will help us to protect this vulnerable person and allow us to remove anyone from the property who may be seeking to take advantage of the victim. Anyone who should not be at the address can expect to face consequences.

“We take these offences very seriously and will always do what we can to protect vulnerable people. We will continue to engage with the victim and make sure necessary safeguarding and wellbeing support is in place for them.

“This is a great display of collective team work to deal with high-risk offenders, safeguard a vulnerable person and respond to issues affecting local residents. We would like to thank the local community for their support in this case.”

The three month order can be extended and failure to comply with the order is an offence under section 86 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Punishment is up to 51 weeks imprisonment, or a fine or both.

Closure orders are made possible through the support of residents and partner agencies who raise their concerns to police and police encourage the public to report something that doesn’t look quite right. Maybe you have seen an increase in the number of people entering a property near you, especially at unusual times? Or noticed an increase in unfamiliar vehicles outside an address in your neighbourhood? These are all signs of possible cuckooing.

Please report any information to Devon & Cornwall Police and this will allow us to help protect other vulnerable people in our towns and villages. For more information about cuckooing and exploitation, visit our website Cuckooing | Devon & Cornwall Police

If you would like to raise a concern with the police, please report via the website or call 101. If a crime is in progress or life is at risk please call 999. Information can also be passed 100% anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111.

If you wish to speak to someone face to face the Newton Abbot Police Enquiry Office is located at Baker’s Hill (postcode TQ12 1LA) and is open Monday to Saturday 10am until 3pm. The office is closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.  

If you have been affected by crime, please visit Home - Victim Care Devon & Cornwall to access support services and information on your rights and how to navigate the criminal justice system. You can also call Victim Support on 0808 1689 111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900.

Local event and incident updates are available on the Newton Abbot Police Facebook page.