Fewer reports of burglary. Inconsiderate driver fined for parking illegally outside school. Cadets in recruitment drive.

I was invited to the official opening ceremony of Harrow Primary School in Gayton Road which is the first independent day school in Harrow with an Islamic ethos.  I had a tour of the school and met with the school's founders, teaching staff and Head teacher.  The facilities are impressive and the pupils and staff must feel very privileged to be working in such a positive environment.

We continue to see a decrease in the number of burglaries reported, however by no means are we complacent.  Just as I am writing, a call came in from a Stanmore resident reporting that he had seen a man jump into his back garden. There were also reports of another man in the same area acting suspiciously.  Colleagues from the Air Support Unit assisted officers on the ground who stopped and detained two men in Ennerdale Avenue matching the descriptions.  They are now on their way to the police station for further questioning.  A good job done by all.

And at court last week, a 24-year-old man received a two-year suspended prison sentence for carrying out a burglary in Wetheral Drive, in Stanmore. The man and an accomplice stole a flat screen TV from a house whilst a 15-year-old boy was at home at the time in his bedroom. The boy heard banging downstairs and just thought a family member had come home. It was only when the banging got louder and he heard someone running up and down the stairs that he became concerned and looked out of the window. He saw two men loading a flat screen TV into the boot of a taxi and immediately called police giving the registration number of the taxi. Acting swiftly on this information the officers located the taxi driver who took them to the address where he dropped the men off and arrested the defendant. A second suspect who ran off is still being pursued by officers.

A motorist was given an £80 fine by Sgt Roni Doyle of Pinner Safer Neighbourhoods Team for parking illegally outside West Lodge School in Pinner.  Several parents had complained to us about this driver's inconsiderate parking and when PCSOs Walker and O'Brien spoke to him he was very abusive and refused to move his car.   Sgt Roni Doyle issued the driver of the black Volkswagen Golf with a fine for abusing members of her staff.  Parking restrictions are in place for reasons especially outside schools and in this case it was clear the driver of this vehicle was putting his convenience before that of the safety of school children.

Harrow's police cadets have been busy taking part in role play activities at Hendon Training School.  Over 30 cadets were involved, enacting out scenes of burglary, criminal damage, drugs and public order offences to offer a realistic environment for trainee police officers which tested their knowledge. One trainee officer's diversity skills were put to the test when one of the young cadets refused to allow him to search her due to religious beliefs.

During the recent Bank Holiday weekend, the cadets were helping out at the May Day event at Heritage Museum in Pinner View.  Harrow Council hosted the family event which was visited by several hundred residents. In addition to assisting with stewarding and collecting entry tickets the cadets seized the opportunity to promote the police cadets scheme to which fourteen new recruits signed up to.  If you would like to find out more about becoming a cadet or cadet leader visit our website at www.met.police.uk

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