THE number of burglaries in Halstead has soared after “draconian cuts” led to the closure of the town’s police station, according to new figures.

The statistics published on the Police UK website showed there had been 53 burglaries in the town in the eight months since it was announced the station on Trinity Street would close.

This compares to 26 burglaries in the eight months before the closure.

The closure was announced in October last year, before officially closing its doors in March.

Retired police officer and former crime prevention officer, Peter Caulfield said he understood financially why the decision was made, but said it didn’t help the public in times of crisis.

He said: “It was only a few weeks ago that my wife and I saw a young woman screaming for help and hammering at the door of the vacant building.

“It appeared that she was being chased and in her panic she didn’t think about phoning the police, she did what anyone might do and ran to the safety of her local police station, only it’s empty and no longer a safe haven. Although we called the police for her, she ran off before help arrived.

“There is no doubt that the draconian cuts to police funding have forced the sale of the county’s police stations, but if anything dire had befallen that girl, who would be the more culpable, the Chief Constable or Central Government for forcing his hand?”

Various moves have been suggested to compensate for the closure of the police station, such as using the library as a drop-in centre for people who want to speak to an officer, but many believe that the closure of the police building has removed a valuable public asset.

While overall crime figures for Halstead mirror the national trend of a reduction in offences, 602 before the closure and 431 after, burglary has increased.

Halstead resident Karl Bruen said: “Lack of visual police and the street lights being shut off overnight are definitely big players in the increase in burglaries.”

Paul Knight added: “It is hardly rocket science, no police and no street lights and burglaries are increasing.”

Chief Inspector Craig Carrington has sought to allay fears about a rise in burglaries after Halstead police station front counter closed to the public on March 2.

He said: “I want to reassure people living in Halstead that keeping them safe remains our absolute priority and the closure of the station will have no effect on my team’s local patrols and ability to respond to calls for help.

“The heritage and mementos linked to the history of this police station will be preserved for the community.

“It’s disappointing that the number of burglaries has risen in recent months but that is not connected to the closure.

“A visible policing presence is not always the most effective way to stop crime, as at best it merely displaces crime to another location or time.”

He said that police use analysis and intelligence to target their resources against criminals in the way which will have the best effect.

He added: “Often this activity is not visible to the general public, which is quite logical when you consider that much of the crime is committed without alerting or being witnessed by the general public.

“With specific reference to the recent spate of burglaries which have affected the district, I am pleased to tell you that we have successfully employed our targeting tactics and disrupted the criminals responsible.”

He added that his community policing team spent 288 hours targeting offenders supported by officers from CID and a group of detectives dedicated to investigating the offences.

He added: “This work has been supported by our partners including Neighbourhood Watch and continues.

“Homeowners can also take simple steps to protect their homes.

“They are urged to ensure doors and windows are fully locked, keep valuables and car keys out of sight, and consider fitting burglar alarms.”

Residents can find out more about crime prevention at essex.police.uk.