Update on policing in Rushcliffe from Inspector Tim Cuthbert - June 2025

Current priorities in your area

Through analysis of crime, consultation with partners, the PCC crime survey and feedback from our community, we have identified the following policing priorities:

• Antisocial behaviour in parks and green spaces

• Shop theft

• Vehicle theft

Actions on our priorities

ASB in parks – We will seek to prioritise officer visibility in these areas over the summer months due to an increase in events and footfall.

Shop theft – We continue to tackle this problem by targeting the small number of persistent shoplifters responsible for the vast majority of offending. Criminal Behaviour Orders, which ban individuals from specific areas, are a very valuable tool alongside custodial sentences and we work with our partners to ensure these are put in place when appropriate.

Vehicle theft – Although there is no major spike in incidents we know there is a trend linked to a small number of offenders. While supporting investigations, neighbourhood officers will assist through target hardening and crime prevention advice, as well as patrols and stop searching when appropriate.

Did you hear about this?

A burglar who targeted elderly and vulnerable victims was jailed after a police investigation linked him to a series of break-ins.

Craig Mercer burgled three homes in the south of Nottingham and Rushcliffe areas – all by smashing his way into key safes.

He then ransacked each property and stole cash and other valuables including jewellery, bank cards and electronic items.

Detectives and uniformed officers carried out extensive investigations into the series of incidents and caught Mercer red-handed when they raided his home and found stolen property inside.

He pleaded guilty to burglaries at Musters Road, Ruddington, on 21 December 2024, Blake Road, West Bridgford, on 29 January 2025 and Scarf Walk, Wilford, on 17 February 2025.

Thirty-five-year-old Mercer, of Marshall Drive, Ruddington, also admitted swiping electrical items after smashing the window of a car while the vehicle’s owner was at a Christmas party on 17 December 2024.

At Nottingham Crown Court Mercer was jailed for a total of six-and-a-half years.

An effective problem-solving policing approach has contributed to a sustained reduction in antisocial behaviour (ASB) in East Leake - with reports falling by more than 80 percent. 

Neighbourhood officers have placed problem-solving at the heart of their continued efforts to tackle this issue and minimise the risk of harm to retailers and members of the public.   

The creation and effective implementation of a coordinated problem management plan, which involves police working closely with partners, has been an instrumental factor behind the significant reduction in ASB-related calls for service in East Leake. 

Prior to the plan being implemented, police received a total of 36 ASB calls (October-December 2024). 

However, only seven reports were received over the next three months, since the plan was put in place, and there have just six reports of ASB in the last three months (April-June 2025). 

Neighbourhood officers have played a key role in cracking down on youth ASB to create a safer environment for residents in East Leake. 

Officers have been listening to residents’ concerns and are putting measures in place to ensure the surrounding area sees a reduction in criminal activity.

How to contact us

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Call 999 if:

• a serious offence is in progress or has just been committed

• someone is in immediate danger or harm

• property is in danger of being damaged

• a serious disruption to the public is likely

If you wish to anonymously report crime or suspicious behaviour, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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