Police have been working to make Reepham a safer place. A special operation last month drew resources from a number of local Safer Neighbourhood Teams to tackle business-related crimes in the area, including burglaries at industrial premises and scrap metal thefts.

Police have been working to make Reepham a safer place.

A special operation last month drew resources from a number of local Safer Neighbourhood Teams to tackle business-related crimes in the area, including burglaries at industrial premises and scrap metal thefts.

The campaign saw more high visibility patrols and crime prevention work with local businesses. Police activity focused on potentially vulnerable areas.

As a result of the work to target offenders and disrupt their behaviour, only four such offences were recorded in the Reepham neighbourhood during January compared to 25 similar offences during the same period last year.

Sgt Dan Oakenfold of the Reepham Safer Neighbourhood Team, who planned the operation, said: 'It was very much a team effort and it was extremely satisfying that everybody's hard work was rewarded with the statistics showing that crime is being driven down in the Reepham neighbourhood.'

A number of local businesses are now benefiting from being members of Business Watch, a partnership between commerce, police and other crime fighting agencies. The partnership boosts crime prevention measures and allows information to be shared to help businesses beat crime. The team is keen to hear from any other businesses in the area interested to join.

For more information or to contact the Reepham Safer Neighbourhood Team call 0845 456 4567 or visit www.safernorfolk.co.uk.