Essex police: Operation Nemesis

September 17, 2012, 2:24 pm

Police in Colchester will be following known criminals this week in a bid to reduce the number of break-in across the district.

Under Operation Nemesis, the Essex Police burglary initiative, officers will be using, amongst other tactics, overt policing to disrupt criminal behaviour.

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The area has seen an increase in burglaries in the last few months and as such is one of the top four areas in the county being targeted under Operation Nemesis, alongside Epping and Brentwood, Harlow and Southend.

The high-visibility tactics, codenamed Operation Brightshadow, which started on Monday, September 17, employ specially trained officers to follow known criminals to disrupt their behaviour and prevent offending.

The district will be using support from officers from police headquarters to give them a dedicated resource to following the key subjects day and night.

Chief Insp Paul Wells, Colchester district commander said: “The impact of being a victim of burglary is massive. Victims have to live with the knowledge that someone has been inside their home, been through their personal belongings and stolen things from them.

“We have noticed a rise in the number of offences in the district and as such we are employing special tactics to assisting in bringing these numbers down and preventing people from committing these crimes.

“Officers will be highly visible, using recording equipment, making it generally difficult for a small number of people to have the opportunity to commit offences.”

Police will also be continuing to focus on arresting a number of wanted people, specifically key for the district are Ben Barnham, 19, and David Dunigan, 25, both known burglars.