Police in South Holland have seen an “unprecedented increase” in calls in the past few days which is partly due to a particular travelling community passing through the region, Spalding’s top cop has said.
Inspector Gareth Boxall said that members of the public have had to “endure anti-social behaviour and intimidation” from member of the community who stopped in Gedny and Sutton Bridge.
On both occasions the police were able to move on the collection of caravans after several incidents were reported.
Lincolnshire Police said the caravans initially set up camp on private ground at Victory Hall in Gedney on Tuesday, June 26.
Following a rise in crime and anti-social behaviour police issued a dispersal order the group complied with, but they only moved on to Sutton Bridge next to the bridge itself.
Inspector Boxall said: “On Thursday evening we successfully directed those present at Victory Hall, Gedney to move; they had parked a number of vehicles and caravans on the car park there and were trespassing.
“Trespassing itself is not a criminal offence but under these circumstances we were able to enforce a direction to leave.
“Unfortunately that legislation does not allow us to specify where those being moved should go and therefore when the group set up on land near to the bridge at Sutton Bridge, we had to start again. On Saturday afternoon, with the support of Lincolnshire County Council, a similar direction to leave was given and the site was vacated a short time later.
“This was a very busy few days in South Holland; over the last few days we saw an unprecedented increase in calls from the public needing our assistance.
“That’s about an extra 30 per cent of incidents which our officers are now sorting through to prioritise and investigate, on top of a normal days’ work.
“I’m really grateful to the public for being supportive and understanding of how difficult a situation this was to resolve.
“Our officers can only work within the law and the powers available to them but I understand that this can be frustrating for those having to endure anti-social behaviour and intimidation.”
