Rye Police launch Christmas crack-down

Operation Tinsel and Operation Cracker will see police offering advice to home-owners to reduce the chance of being burgled and tackling shoplifters.

Rye is often a target for shoplifters as it is the only town in the Hastings and Rother area not to be fully covered with CCTV cameras.

Local officers in Rother will be patrolling the area to offer crime prevention advice and free security marking as part of Operation Cracker.

Sergeant Sarah Porter, from Rother’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “At this time of year people head to the shops to stock up on presents for loved ones but it is a sad fact that an increase in people buying gifts is often accompanied by an increase in thefts, in the street as well as from vehicles and homes.

“We are doing a lot in Rother to combat this including extra patrols in shopping areas - under the name Operation Tinsel - and organising events to raise awareness of crime prevention during the festive period.

“If you’re out and about shopping in Rother this December please pop by any of the locations to meet local officers, get crime prevention advice, free property marking (bring along any items you’d like security marked), free UV pens and registration to our email updates. Also look out for the #OpTinsel hash tag on Twitter.”

Officers will be at Rye Library, in the High Street, today (Friday) between 12pm and 2pm and will also be at Rye Market on Thursday 20 December between 10am and 1pm.

Sarah Porter said: “Please do come along to meet local officers and get some advice and please feel free to contact your officer if you can’t get to an event.

Plans to base Rother response offers at Hastings have now been scrapped Sussex Police have confirmed.

The Observer learned that the Force were considering moving emergency response officers out of Battle Police Station, where they log on before covering the Rye area, in with colleagues at Hastings.

Last week a police spokesman said: “We understand it was being considered but is not being pursued.”