Local News

Sussex Alerts - Increased patrols to keep Sussex town centres safe this winter

Monday 1st December 2025

Sussex Police - Sussex Alerts

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Increased patrols to keep Sussex town centres safe this winter

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Sussex Police and partners are stepping up activity throughout December and January as part of the national Safer Streets Winter of Action initiative.

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Building on the success of the Safer Streets Summer programme, this winter campaign targets town centre criminality, shop theft, street crime, and anti-social behaviour.

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It also addresses issues in the night-time economy, with a particular focus on tackling violence against women, alcohol-related disorder, and spiking.

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Local communities will see more police patrols, officers collaborating closely with shops, venues, and local organisations, and swift action to address the concerns that matter most to residents.

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This winter, hotspot policing patrols continue and will focus on busy shopping days, festive events, and areas where vulnerable people may need support.

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These dedicated patrols include those by Night Safety Marshals in Brighton, Eastbourne, Worthing and Crawley, who engage with vulnerable people and intervene to safeguard people.

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Working closely with the Office of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, councils, retailers, Night Safety Marshals, Business Crime Reduction Partnerships, health services and community groups, officers will focus on early intervention, visible enforcement and problem-solving approaches tailored to each town centre.

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There will also be diversionary activities for young people to help drive down crime and make areas safer.

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The initiative forms part of a national effort supported by hotspot policing funding and long-term plans to strengthen neighbourhood policing.

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The approach has already brought tangible successes this year, with over 6,800 additional hours of patrols between April and June leading to 75 arrests and engagement with 12,885 members of the public.

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Hotspot policing generally has been proven to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour across Sussex over the previous two years.

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Chief Superintendent Katy Woolford said: “Sussex Police is committed to keeping town centres safe all year round. Winter brings its own challenges, including increased footfall in shopping areas and a busier nightlife scene.

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Officers and partners across Sussex will be working hard to find and prosecute those who continue to commit crimes and impact the communities who live and work in Sussex, as well as working to prevent crime from occurring in the first place.

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You’ll also see officers patrolling the streets, talking to those in the community throughout December and January, working with partners to reduce crime, protect vulnerable people and support our communities. Please take the time to stop and speak to them and learn about what we’re doing in your local area and how we can all work together to keep Sussex safe.”

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Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “Cutting crime in our town centres and high streets remains a priority for me and we’re already seeing positive results from the increased policing activity over the summer.

“Across the winter months, Sussex Police will continue dedicated, high visibility policing in the night-time economy so that our residents and visitors can enjoy everything safely - from late-night Christmas shopping to festive parties and other seasonal activities; the public’s safety in our towns and villages remains my priority.”

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Your reports help us to take action. If you see or have been a victim of ASB, you can report it here: https://www.sussex.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb-v3/report-antisocial-behaviour/

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In an emergency always call 999.

Arrests

The weekend saw over 10 arrests made across the Wealden district for various offences.

Including those of; theft of motor vehicles in Mayfield, criminal damage offences in Heathfield, and an arrest for drink driving in Hailsham.

Other offences saw individuals arrested for burglary, theft from person, and assault offences.

Court Result

A 74-year-old man who sexually assaulted a girl at a gathering has been jailed.

Peter Streeter was investigated for the offence after the 11-year-old victim, who was known to him, bravely spoke up.

Upon sentencing him to 84 months' imprisonment, the Judge recognised the far-reaching effects that this offending has had on the victim.

Read the full story https://orlo.uk/Hw0fg

Supporting our local shops & businesses!

As part of Safer Business Week, our officers have been out and about in Hailsham and Forest Row, speaking with local businesses, offering support, and helping to keep our town centres safe.

Crime against businesses can take many forms - from shoplifting to theft and burglary. This week is an opportunity not only for increased visibility and reassurance, but also to highlight the practical steps businesses can take to protect themselves.

Alongside our patrols and visits, we’re also raising awareness of the crime-prevention schemes available to support local businesses, including:

🔸 Business Improvement District (BID)
🔸 Police and Security (PaS)
🔸 Pubwatch
🔸 Shopwatch

These initiatives have been proven to help reduce crime and strengthen communication between businesses, security teams, and police.

We’re grateful to the many business owners who took the time to speak with us this week. Together, we can keep our high streets welcoming and safe for everyone.

If you're a local business and want to learn more about any of these schemes, please feel free to get in touch.

Stone Cross Community Updates 

PCSO Thompson had a very productive afternoon in Stone Cross last week, speaking with local residents and businesses about issues in the area, including anti-social behaviour and driving.

We also discussed crime prevention - especially how to keep homes, vehicles, and outbuildings secure as the nights get longer, and the importance of reporting concerns to Police.

It was great to end the visit by showing some of the local children the police car, lights, uniform, and equipment after school! 

Keep up to date with events in your area here https://orlo.uk/VKHZw

Knife Crime Awareness

On Monday 17th November, officers will be holding a street event in Hailsham aimed at raising awareness on knife crime.

This event aims to educate, inform, and support our community by:

- Highlighting the real-life impact of knife crime

- Providing advice and information on how to stay safe

- Offering a chance to speak directly with local officers

- Sharing resources for young people, parents, and schools

Everyone is welcome to come along and have a chat with us!

17th November

14:00 - 16:00

Quintins Centre, Hailsham

We hope to see you there.

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Savers and those reaching retirement age are being warned to protect their pensions and look out for criminals trying to catch people out of their life savings, with Action Fraud revealing a total annual loss of £17,567,249. This equates to roughly £48,129 lost to this type of fraud per day in 2024.

Data reveals there were 519 reports of pension fraud in total and £17,567,249 lost in 2024, with an average loss of £33,848 per person.

Action Fraud, with support from the Pension Scams Action Group (PSAG), launched a pension fraud awareness campaign, warning people to take extra measures to protect their pension scheme accounts and to be cautious of investment opportunity offers from criminals that could be targeting them.

How can you protect yourself against Pension fraud?

Secure your online pension account: the account you use to manage your pension should have a different password to all of your other accounts. Use three random words to create a strong and memorable password, and enable 2-step verification (2SV).

Ignore unsolicited calls about your pension: cold calling about pensions is illegal and likely a sign of a scam. If you’re thinking about changing your pension arrangements, you should get financial guidance or advice beforehand.

Investment opportunities: don’t be rushed into making an investment. Remember, legitimate organisations will never pressure you into investing on the spot.

You should treat investment opportunities with extreme caution if there’s:

• Pressure to invest (for example: time-limited offers).
• Downplayed risk of losing your money.
• Promised returns that sound too good to be true.

Remember to Stop! Think Fraud and find more information on how to protect yourself from fraud here: Stop! Think Fraud - How to stay safe from scams

What can you do if you have been a victim of pension fraud?

Report pension scams: if you’re worried about a potential pension scam or you think you may have been contacted by a criminal, report it to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

If you have made a payment: inform your bank or pension provider as soon as possible, they can help you prevent any further losses. Monitor your bank and pension statements regularly for any unusual activity.

What Really Happens?

We often hear the myth that Operation Crackdown just means “a warning letter and nothing else” – but that’s not the case. Here’s the truth:

Every report is reviewed and logged. Repeated reports about the same driver or vehicle can lead to police visits, penalty notices, or even prosecution when evidence supports it.

PCSOs have Section 59 powers. If a vehicle is used anti-socially, a PCSO can issue a formal warning. If the same driver or vehicle is reported again within 12 months, the vehicle can be seized.

Your reports matter.

They help us identify hotspots, dangerous drivers, and tackle behaviour before it escalates.

So, if you see careless or anti-social driving, please keep reporting it – your information makes a difference!

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