A FROXFIELD man who lost tools on the same night seven other similar thefts took place says he believes before long someone will shoot at thieves.

Pete Baker of Barnett Side Lane said: “If this current police strategy continues and, in turn, the criminals become more brazen, I can’t help but think it will only be a matter of time before a shotgun is fired by a scared home, or land, owner in defence of their property.

“My yard at Frxofield was broken into on Saturday, January 25. Damage was done and about £1,500 worth of forestry equipment and power tools stolen.

“During my call to the police, I was told no officers would attend.

“Almost immediately after the call I received a default email to say the case wouldn’t be investigated and was now closed.

“I later learned it was one of eight break-ins in Froxfield and Privett that night, and the reported thefts had all been ignored by police.”

And he believes police were to worried to tackle the thieves after he claimed he saw his kit being sold on Facebook’s Market Place.

He said: “To make matters worse still, I found one of my tools being advertised on Facebook.

“The seller was also selling other landscaping and agricultural equipment. I wonder if this was taken from the other local burgled addresses?

“I immediately reported my kit being for sale on Facebook to the police and provided the serial numbers, photos and the original sales receipt of the stolen items.

“When I suggested I would pose as a buyer and an officer could accompany me, I was told my items would more than likely lead them to a traveller site.

“I was told police ‘can’t send officers into an unknown environment with unknown persons’.”

And as a result, he now believes ‘rural’ police covering the Butser area, that includes Petersfield and Froxfield, as well as Clanfield, Buriton and other villages, aren’t doing their job as well and as successfully as ‘city’ police in Portsmouth.

He said: “Some friends of ours from Portsmouth unfortunately had their car stolen.

“Within a day the car was found abandoned and recovered by the police.

“The car was missing some items including two expensive baby car seats.

“Our friends spotted the car seats being sold on Facebook Marketplace.

“They informed the investigating officer who accompanied them to the address of the seller, recovered the seats and arrested the seller for handling stolen goods.”

And he says that although losing his equipment and tools has hurt his business, it’s the bigger ‘lack of policing’ picture that worries him.

He said: “The complete lack of policing has annoyed me.

“In the bigger picture, what message does this send the criminals?

“You might just as well say to them ‘carry on regardless, you won’t be caught because the police choose not to investigate rural burglaries’.

“I understand funding has forced a reduction in officer numbers, but surely this shouldn’t lead to selective policing?

“The police seem to have adequate financial provision for speed traps on country roads and for officers to sit in cars up the road from our local pub – but not to investigate crimes.”

He added he had logged his comments with Hampshire police complaints department, but was told in response the way officers dealt with the theft was deemed “acceptable.”

? Since the 2010 Conservative- driven austerity cuts began, Hampshire Police has lost 1,000 front-line officers.

In October it was announced Hampshire Police would get 156 new officers from the governments pledge to recruit 20,000 nationally.

POLICE RESPONSE:

IN ANSWER to claims made by Pete Baker regarding the theft of items from his yard in Froxfield, police said the crime wouldn’t be investigated further – despite admitting there were seven more similar crimes the same night.

In a statement, Hampshire Police said: “All calls that come into our control room are risk assessed before a deployment decision is made.

“Factors include if a crime is on-going or whether there is an immediate threat to life.

“A risk assessment of the circumstances of this incident was conducted at the time of the call.

“And on the basis of information provided to us, a decision was made not to deploy police.

“The decision on whether a crime will be investigated further is not based on the type of crime or the value of the crime.

“The decision was made that this investigation would be filed due to there being no lines of enquiry available for us to follow up.

“Rural crime is a district priority for that area and the local neighbourhood teams are constantly reviewing trends and patrolling the area.

“As part of any investigation strategy, we will review similar crimes and link where evidentially appropriate.

“We can confirm we had seven burglaries reported to us in that area, but it was not evident they were linked to this investigation.

“The investigation was therefore closed pending any further information that may come to light.”

The force employs 5,000 people, having reduced its workforce by 23 per cent since 2010 when the Conservative austerity cuts began.

On the Hampshire Constabulary website, it says that while being efficient and operating at a lower cost, there is a point at which further efficiency cannot be achieved without compromising the effectiveness of local services.

“For us this point will be reached by 2021 unless a fair national funding formula is received,” says Hampshire Chief Con-stable Olivia Pinkney.

THE POST SAYS: What do you think? Are the police right in their approach? Email your thoughts to us at [email protected]