POLICE bosses have finally taken action to prevent crime in a town after The Argus raised residents’ concerns.

Peacehaven has suffered from a plague of antisocial behaviour over the past year, leaving people fearful of leaving their homes.

There was a 17 per cent rise in overall crime, including a 57 per cent climb in antisocial behaviour since the closure of the town’s police station in September last year.

Residents have told The Argus they rarely see officers on duty.

From January to June last year there were 478 crimes reported in total, with 145 of the incidents regarding antisocial behaviour.

In the same period this year, 559 crimes were reported, with 227 acts of antisocial behaviour.

The Argus has reported on numerous incidents of antisocial behaviour over the past few months and we have put pressure on force bosses to take action.

Sussex Police has now announced the launch of Operation Blitz, which will mean officers are deployed in the town on Friday and Saturday nights from 6pm to midnight.

Two PCSOs will be supported by uniformed constables during the patrols and they will have a dedicated phone line so people suffering from antisocial behaviour can contact the team directly.

Operation Blitz will begin on the weekend of September 29.

Sussex Police said the decision to launch Operation Blitz in Peacehaven was down to “significant concerns from residents, business partners and councillors”.

The operation has already been put in place in Wealden and in the Lewes district in the past.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle, MP for Brighton Kemptown, is one of those who has raised concerns about the state of policing in Peacehaven.

He met Katy Bourne, the force’s police and crime commissioner, to discuss the problems and he has also strongly supported The Argus’s call for action.

In July we reported that Sussex Police have 492 officers and 67 PCSOs based in the East Sussex division as well as 90 special constables, compared with last year when the division had 530 officers and 55 PCSOs.

On the launch of the scheme, Inspector Simon Burroughs said: “In order to identify areas of significant concern Lewes Neighbourhood Policing Team will be looking at gathered intelligence, call logs and crime trends in order to establish where the need for the patrols are.

“Due to the large geographical area covered it is anticipated that two specific areas will be nominated each weekend.

“Messages informing residents of the nominated areas and updates as to the previous week’s patrols will be circulated via community messaging.

“Residents will also be able to find information via Sussex Police’s dedicated Facebook and Twitter accounts.”

The launch of Operation Blitz has been welcomed by Peacehaven Town Council and residents.

A spokesman for the council said: “We are very pleased to be supported by the police.

“The town council is continuing to work closely to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in Peacehaven.”

Douglas Stevens, 77, moved to Peacehaven a year ago, when all the trouble started.

He said: “I have not seen a single police officer in the time I’ve lived here, so I think this can only be a positive thing.

“The people committing these crimes would not do it if there was a police presence.

“This will be an improvement for the town and hopefully make a change.

“I get The Argus and have read some of the stories about Peacehaven – I say well done to the paper, I think the stories definitely helped this happen.”

THE PEACE IS PUT BACK IN PEACEHAVEN

THE people of Peacehaven have lauded our efforts to get a police presence back in town.

Since June, The Argus has reported on numerous crimes in the area – and we went further, questioning why nothing was being done about it despite people saying they were genuinely scared to leave their homes.

After the announcement of Operation Blitz, they now feel slightly more at ease.

Resident Margaret Neary, 65, said: “Crime has definitely got worse since the police station was taken away, but this will definitely make a difference.

“Just having a police presence helps deter people from committing crimes.

“I have read some of The Argus’s stories about Peacehaven and think it has made the police listen.

“I don’t think this operation would be happening if it wasn’t for them.

“It is almost like the peace has been put back in Peacehaven.”

The town’s crime surge began with a malicious attack on 63-year-old Derek Bishop in June.

A gang of youths swore at him, mocked his height and punched him in Ambleside Avenue as he walked home from a night out with his wife, Alison.

The attack fractured his jaw and the youths walked off laughing.

Mrs Bishop told the paper she thought her husband was dead.

Later that month, burglars ransacked The Martlets shop in South Coast Road, smashing the windows and stealing jewellery.

In July, we reported how terrified residents were feeling after the crimes.

“I don’t feel as if I can go out on my own when it gets dark,” were the words of Elizabeth Gibbons, who is 83.

Olive Goodwin, also 83, said at the time: “Sometimes when I’m out, I see teenagers drinking and mucking about in the streets.

“It makes me feel unsafe even walking about the streets now.”

Theresa Bartram, who has a 16-year-old daughter, is another resident delighted after The Argus told her the good news.

Her mental health suffered as a result of the crime spike, which she said inflicted crippling fear and anxiety.

She said: “I pay for my daughter to get a taxi to and from friends’ houses at night.

“She can’t go out after 8pm because it just isn’t safe.”

Ms Bartram is concerned the troublemakers committing crimes will continue to do so – but on other weeknights rather than Friday and Saturday evenings when Operation Blitz will be in action.

She did, however, approve of the concept.

She said: “It is a brilliant idea and will definitely make a difference.

“Thank you to The Argus for highlighting the problems so beautifully and putting it in the public domain.”

June and July were hot months for crime in Peacehaven, with 118 reports across the east and west areas in June and a further 102 reports the following month.

However, the plague did not stop there.

Last month we reported on three arson attacks in the space of a week on the same house and days later three young men were spotted throwing stones at cars in South Coast Road.

We then spoke to Lloyd Russell-Moyle, MP for Brighton Kemptown, who has strived for a police presence on the streets of Peacehaven for months.

He insisted more needed to be done to restore order to his constituency.

Yesterday he said: “This is really positive and I think it is testament to what you have done in The Argus.”

Mr Russell-Moyle drew comparisons to Whitehawk, saying the situation there in the early 2000s correlated with the Peacehaven of today.

He thinks the next step is to look at the way Police community Support Officers (PCSOs) are deployed in the county.

“PCSOs had just been established back then,” he said.

“They had one PCSO who knew everyone in the area.

“That’s what is needed in Peacehaven.”