Worried residents in a quiet Nottinghamshire village have spoken of their fears after a motorbike was stolen. Following the theft of his £12,000 motorbike in St Wilfrid's Square, Calverton, Triston Williams claimed the area "may not be so safe after all."
And others have agreed, with shoppers and residents highlighting the lack of security measures in-and-around the area. Triston, 26, was only a few metres away, on a phone call with a friend, when his Ducati Panigale 1199 S, was taken on October 26.
The square itself is a pleasant community area with cafes, a Sainsbury's and Main Street Car Park nearby, but some feel the space could benefit from an upgrade in CCTV and other security measures. The car park and shopping precinct are not owned by Gedling Borough Council, who have stated that any upgrades to the site would need to be made by the site's owners.
While speaking of his grief at the loss of his bike - which is yet to be found - Triston said "not enough is being done" to protect bikers. He added: "I really want to stress the fact that there aren’t any cameras in this popular but quiet shopping/parking area in Calverton, which serves the community and surrounding areas.
"Bikers in the area and across the UK feel not enough is being done to protect them, or deter thieves from stealing their bikes in the first place. That goes for pushbikes, too.
"When thieves are brazen enough to steal a relatively rare 200hp Ducati Superbike, sporting a rare matte black factory paint job, with a 1 of 1 vinyl wrap—in broad daylight, given that I’m only several steps away from the bike on the other side of the shops on top of that, makes a safe and quiet area like Calverton seem not so safe or quiet after all.
"If they’ll take a powerful Ducati and get away with it, they’ll take anything and everything they can; cars, vans, scooters other motorcycles and sportbikes. The potential reward can’t outweigh the risk with these situations."
Triston felt "a wave of depression" following the incident.
Julie McGuirk, 57, said: "It doesn't feel as safe as it used to. There could be more things in place to prevent crime from taking place.
"What concerns me is the thefts. I've heard of more and more things being nicked recently - it's scary and there seems to be a little more fear.
"There isn't really a lot of CCTV cameras which probably makes it easier and makes people feel a bit brave."
Gareth Watts, 53, said: "It's always nice and quiet round here, I don't have too many complaints. You hear about the odd theft which is a bit worrying - it definitely seems to happen more than it used to.
"It's obviously concerning when you hear about people's property being stolen and you'd hope that it's found. People will feel more brazen when there are a lack of security measures.
"I haven't encountered any problems myself but I'm pretty careful when I'm travelling in my car. I make sure it's safe, but I don't feel threatened or worried when I'm out and about."
Gedling Borough Council has set up CCTV in Mansfield Lane, which monitors large parts of the shopping precinct in St Wilfrid's Square.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke MBE, said: “I’m very sorry to hear about this incident and would urge anyone who witnessed the theft, or has any information, to contact the police.
"A priority for the council is to reduce anti-social behaviour, crime and the fear of crime. We have CCTV on Mansfield Lane, Calverton, which monitors large parts of the shopping precinct and the outdoor area at St Wilfred’s Square, as well as additional CCTV nearby on Flatts Lane.
"The cameras are monitored by CCTV operators and our Neighbourhood Wardens patrol the village to help deal with anti-social behaviour.
"The car park and shopping precinct are not owned by the council and upgrades to the sites would need to be made by the site owners. I’ve called on our officers to arrange a meeting with the owners to discuss what work can be carried out and how we can help improve this site.”
Nottinghamshire Police had increased its police presence in Calverton. Inspector Mark Stanley, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We have increased our policing presence in Calverton and we regularly conduct patrols in the area to tackle and reduce crime as well as engaging with our communities and addressing their concerns.
“Our priority is protecting people and property and we are totally determined to keep doing everything we can to keep our local communities safe.
“We are also constantly linking in with partners, including Gedling Borough Council, to problem solve issues in hot-spot areas and take positive action to tackle concerns. That close partnership work is ongoing and I’d like to reassure people that we will continue to do everything we can to tackle issues in our neighbourhoods based on the priorities people have told us they want us to focus on.”
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