Three Rivers Secures Another Closure

Three Rivers District Council in partnership with Hertfordshire Police and Thrive Homes have secured a Closure Order at Barn Lea, Mill End Rickmansworth.

Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership gathered evidence in support of the Order, which was granted by the Magistrates last week, preventing anyone other than the tenant and their support services from entering for a period of three months. Anyone breaching the order can be arrested. This was following persistent and continuous anti-social and disorderly behaviour at the premises.

Cllr Roger Seabourne, Lead Member for Community Safety, said “Three Rivers District Council is committed to taking action against ASB, crime and disorder including cuckooing by working in partnership with the community, the Police and Housing Providers. These closure orders demonstrate the determination of our Community Safety Partnership to protect our communities”.

Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership will continue to take action against those suspected of being involved in drug dealing, crime and cuckooing. Cuckooing (sometimes linked to County Lines) is the term used to describe the activities of individuals and gangs who travel to towns and take over vulnerable people’s homes to deal drugs. In the majority of Closure cases in Three Rivers the cuckooing has taken place by known individuals to the tenant. As of the 2010s, cuckooing is becoming an increasingly common problem in the South of England and in many cases, with cuckooing comes an increase in anti-social behaviour:

• continuous visitors to a property
• drug paraphernalia and littering
• noise nuisance into the early hours of the morning
• disorderly behaviour.

Leader of The Council, Sara Bedford said: “We thank the local community in supporting us, we also thank the Hertfordshire Police and Thrive Homes partnership. We want people to continue to report their concerns about their neighbours, friends or relatives who may have become victimised in this way. It is vital that the public continue to work with us so that we can take action to safeguard the person, investigate those people who have taken over their home and continue to build up intelligence.”

Please report Anti-social behaviour on the non-emergency Police number 101 – in an emergency 999 or Three Rivers District Council on enquiries@threerivers.gov.uk

Alternatively, you can contact the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org . No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced, and you will never need to go to court.