Crime figures fall as detection rate rises

9:48am Friday 2nd May 2008

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CORSHAM police sergeant Steve McGrath has issued a stark warning to criminals to stay out of his town or be arrested.

Sgt McGrath, 38, has been in the town for only two months but already crime figures have dropped significantly.

He said: "Our team has a message for anybody who wants to commit a crime. We will not tolerate it and we will find you if you decide to break the law."

He told Corsham Town Council that crime in the town and surrounding villages has dropped by five per cent and the crime detection rate has risen by 20 per cent in the last year.

Sgt McGrath who was an adviser on the movie Hot Fuzz, has also found time to help solve other problems which he thought might be leading to anti social behaviour.

He said one of his officers was working with Corsham School and Wiltshire County Council to solve a bus problem.

He said: "We have reduced problems of noise, litter and disorderly conduct by students waiting for transport.

"PCSO Shaun Redmond investigated the causes and found the children were waiting for a later bus that would save them 70p a trip. Working with the school and the bus company, the school is renegotiating the contract to bring fares in line to prevent the problem and encourage students to take the earlier bus. "

Sgt McGrath, who has been in the Wiltshire force for 17 years, chose to come to Corsham after being given a choice by his superiors.

He was asked for his help on the film Hot Fuzz when he was working in Malmesbury. The movie tells the story of a top London police officer who is assigned to a sleepy west country village.

Edgar Wright, the director of the police comedy approached rural police across the country to gather information for the film, including Wiltshire.

Sgt McGrath is keeping quiet on what parts of the film he has helped with but did say that two of his jokes were used in the film.

He said: "The film shows true scenes of different police officers from Wiltshire and the jokes we play on each other.

"I really enjoy the film. It reflects some of the pranks that have been played in the past."

But fighting crime is no joking matter for Sgt McGrath, who is married with a young son.

He said: "We are looking to lower crime even further in the next year by providing more police officers patrolling crime hotspots and promoting CCTV surveillance. Sgt McGrath said that these measures as well as others should deter criminals.

A neighbourhood policing meeting will be held today between 11am and noon at the town hall.