Suspicious circumstances - males knocking on doors

Dear Resident,

The Neighbourhood Team is aware of posts on local Facebook groups regarding a number of suspicious males who have reportedly been knocking on doors offering items for sale or seeking work, claiming to have recently been released from prison.

Some residents have described the individuals as being forceful in their approach, verbally abusive, and appearing to be under the influence of something. It is believed these males called at a number of properties across several streets and caused concern within the community.

However, despite the number of social media comments regarding these incidents, the police received only one report, but no criminal offences were disclosed.

We would like to remind residents that while social media can be an effective way of alerting neighbours to potential concerns, it does not replace reporting matters directly to the police. We can only investigate incidents and deploy resources based on information that is reported to us.

It can therefore be frustrating to later see comments questioning whether the police attended or took action, when incidents have not been formally reported. We regularly encourage residents to report concerns directly to us, but if reports are not received, our ability to respond is significantly limited.

We understand that some people may assume that if one person has already reported an incident, there is no need for them to do so. This is not the case. Multiple reports help us build a clearer picture of what has occurred, assess the level of risk, and determine the appropriate response.

On the day in question, the Neighbourhood Team were on rest days. However, had officers been on duty and made aware of the concerns, enquiries would have been carried out and attempts made to locate the individuals and establish what they were doing in the area. Had more residents formally reported these incidents, the matter would have been escalated and could have resulted in additional patrols being deployed to search for the individuals concerned.

We would like to thank the resident who took the time to report the incident to the police. We would also encourage anyone who witnesses similar behaviour in the future to report it directly to us via 101, online, or 999 in an emergency.

Your reports help us identify issues, allocate resources appropriately, and keep our communities safe.

If any resident has CCTV footage of these males, which shows their faces could you reply to this message, and I will send a link to upload it to.

Regards