Want your questions on crime answered? Your Rasen Mail gets you the answers

Rasen Mail teams up with Lincolnshire Police to answer your questions
Get your police queries answeredGet your police queries answered
Get your police queries answered

Crime in our area has been a major issue for residents recently so now this newspaper in partnership with the police will aim to answer questions.

Your Market Rasen Mail has teamed up with Lincolnshire Police’s Insp Simon Outen. If you have a query, concern or idea on how to improve policing in the Market Rasen and Caistor area this is your chance to put it to one of the force’s senior officers.

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Simply email your question to the Rasen Mail and we will put it to Insp Outen. He will then answer your query directly and as fully as legally possible in a special forthcoming feature during April.

All you need to do is email your query to [email protected] and we will get an answer for you.

Insp Outen is keen to hear about people’s experiences of local crime and policing following a public meeting, held at De Aston School on Thursday, March 20, where emotions ran high.

Market Rasen residents raised a number of concerns following a perceived increase in crime in the town.

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A spate of thefts, assaults and drug related crime prompted Steve Boryszczuk to organise the meeting with police, which it is hoped will develop into a monthly community forum.

He said: “Everyone knows who these offenders are, the police know who these offenders are, but it is still going on.

“The other day an old lady came out of Cooplands, shook my hand and said, ‘I’m so glad you are organising these meetings. I’m afraid to go to the ATM at the bank to get money out while certain people are around.’”

Town mayor Steve Bunney added: “It seemed between November and February there was an incident involving the same people every weekend.”

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One resident, who asked not to be named through fear of retribution, said: “I think the reason people are talking about it is because it is so blatant.

“It’s (drugs) being done out of car windows in car parks or from fixed addresses.”

A mother who attended the meeting said her child was now driven to and from school because of who was on the streets.

But Insp Outen reassured residents that as well as being statistically one of the safest places to live in the country, police were working behind the scenes to crack down on the issues raised.

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He said: “Some of the concerns raised we are taking action against.

“We cannot always update you because of the constraints of legislation and the court process.

“If we told all the honest, law abiding people how we operate we are also telling all the non law abiding people how we operate.”

Insp Outen said that action against offenders was taken, but it took time, and they needed evidence that they could present to the CPS that proved the person’s guilt beyond all reasonable doubt.

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He also said that the courts decide on sentences and whether to allow offenders back onto the streets, adding, “we do get some good sentences, but we get as frustrated as you do.”

He also said West Lindsey got its fair share of police resources and these were split between the east and west of the district based on crime, 32 per cent of the crime is on the Market Rasen side of the district as are 32 per cent of the officers.

Pam Reaney added: “There hands are tied, the law is very different to how it used to be.”

Mike Bray, who chaired the meeting added: “I have worked in Salford, I’ve worked in Skegness, I think these concerns are absolutely valid but for a little market town, which is what we are, I do not think we are unique.”

Insp Outen urged all residents to call 999 if they see a crime happening and if you have intelligence report it to the Market Rasen Police Station front desk or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.