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September 2010
Temporary closure of Shanklin Police Station front office
Police on the Isle of Wight are advising members of the public not to visit the front office of Shanklin police station during the next month. The front office will be closed to members of the public from 5pm on Thursday, September 2 until at least Friday, September 30, 2010.
For more information, click on this link.
August 2010
Police presence guides safe scooter extravaganza
A global cavalcade of scooter enthusiasts was kept safe and steady by police on the Isle of Wight. Officers and staff from the Ryde Safer Neighbourhoods team and Roads Policing Unit escorted thousands of scooter riders on their annual mass ride out from Ryde to Sandown during the August Bank Holiday weekend. PC Nick Massey used police tape to signal the start of the world famous procession in front of thousands of spectators during a photo shoot for the Isle of Wight Gazette newspaper. Read more in the Isle of Wight Gazette on Friday, September 10, 2010.
August 2010
Country Watch launches on the Isle of Wight
Police on the Isle of Wight have started a campaign to reinforce better links with rural communities to prevent and detect crime. For more information, click on this link.
Summer 2010
Your local Safer Neighbourhoods teams in the Isle of Wight Beacon
Read more about your local dedicated Safer Neighbourhoods teams in the July editions of the Isle of Wight Beacon community magazine: Click here to download and read the Beacons online.
(Note: Hampshire Constabulary is not responsible for the content of external websites)
May 2010
Summer anti-social behaviour campaign
Anti-social behaviour on the Isle of Wight will not be tolerated by the police. We are carrying out targeted patrols and supporting responsible community events to combat anti-social behaviour this summer. Following a similar campaign last summer, there were 677 fewer reports of anti-social behaviour on the island between July and September 2009, compared to the same three months in 2008. People of all ages can become involved in anti-social behaviour and the police are dedicated to working together with local residents to ensure they feel safe in their communities. If anti-social behaviour is affecting your quality of life, or making you fear for your safety or the safety of others contact your local police station or call 101 or 0845 045 45 45.
The Isle of Wight Community Safety Partnership is committed to making people feel safer in all neighbourhoods across the Island by tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour. The members of the partnership, including the Police, Isle of Wight Council, Fire Service, NHS Isle of Wight, Probation Trust, the Wessex Youth Offending Team, Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Isle of Wight, and the Rural Community Council, have made a pledge to set standards you can expect us all to meet.
We will:
• Ensure all reports are dealt with by the most appropriate agency.
• Contact you as soon as possible and work with you to resolve your problems.
• Ensure suitable action and support is offered.
• Keep victims regularly updated and informed of progress.
• Support all victims and witnesses until the case is closed and afterwards if appropriate.
• Continue to work with the community to solve problems and deal with your concerns.
• Take swift and appropriate action to tackle people committing anti-social behaviour.
• Take robust action against people who breach their Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs).
For more information, please go online to www.saferwight.org.uk
'Not on our Island' campaign
Surveys this year show the 'Not on our Island' campaign is changing people's opinions of the police on the Isle of Wight for the better:
Watch the first campaign video on the force's YouTube channel
Look out for the campaign posters and images around the Isle of Wight:
Images courtesy of Hampshire Constabulary Corporate Communications Unit, Reprographics department and the Isle of Wight County Press.
May 2010
Travelling career criminals jailed for daylight robbery at Cowes jewellers
by Duncan Smith
CCTV image courtesy of Isle of Wight Council
An investigation by the police force on the Isle of Wight resulted in two men being jailed for nine years each today (Friday, May 21, 2010) at Portsmouth Crown Court for an armed robbery at a jewellery shop in Cowes in July 2009.
Oliver John Paul Mazirel, aged 22, formerly of Ivydore Avenue, Worthing, West Sussex was sentenced for robbery and possessing an imitation firearm and Gary Lee George Ridgewell-Smith, aged 23, previously of Palmer Road, Angmering, West Sussex for robbery. They also admitted taking vehicles without consent.
Both men changed their pleas to guilty after repeated denials of any wrongdoing ahead of a trial, which had been scheduled for earlier this month. Detectives from Isle of Wight CID led an extensive investigation to track and arrest the suspects swiftly whilst gathering and analysing detailed forensic evidence that linked them to the crime.
Persistent and painstaking inquiries involved more than 40 police officers and staff from Hampshire Constabulary’s Isle of Wight-based Scenes of Crime team, Intelligence Unit, Dog Support Unit, Custody team, Targeted Patrol teams (TPT), Roads Policing Unit (RPU) and Safer Neighbourhoods teams (SNT) with support from Hampshire Constabulary’s Imaging Unit, Hi-Tech Crime Unit and Force Support Unit (FSU), Isle of Wight Council’s Community Safety Service, Sussex Police, Wightlink and Red Funnel. Their collective efforts under the codename Operation Sop produced more than 260 statements and more than 180 exhibits.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Nick Heelan, said: “This was an unusual type of crime for the Isle of Wight that prompted one of the largest investigations I’ve ever known in my policing career. Two dangerous men from Sussex with no regard for others conspired to commit a daylight armed robbery at a jewellery shop in a high street busy with dozens of shoppers. The police force on the Isle of Wight responded rapidly with local knowledge and expertise to arrest the men responsible and seize forensic evidence that ultimately convinced two career criminals to admit their guilt after refusing to comment on the allegations against them. Their prison sentences should serve as a warning to anybody considering serious crimes on the Isle of Wight. You will be caught by an experienced, effective police force that works closely with the community to demonstrate such crimes are not tolerated on our island."
CCTV image courtesy of Isle of Wight Council
Det Insp Heelan added: “The co-operation of Isle of Wight Council and transport operators was invaluable in capturing crucial CCTV evidence that allowed us to examine the suspects’ movements before the crime and trace key witnesses through media appeals. We are grateful to news organisations for their assistance and to the many members of the public who came forward with information. Their responses all helped to establish a clearer picture of how the robbery was planned. Our thanks go to Sussex Police for the time and support of its officers in tracing and arresting the suspects.
“I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the officers and police staff involved in this investigation. The outcome of this case is testament to their extra resolve and skills during a time when the police force here was already committed on extensive inquiries for several high risk missing people last summer.”
Detective Sergeant Alex Lowe of Sussex Police’s Worthing CID said: "We were only too glad to help with enquiries about two cars involved in the robbery, which had been stolen from Southwick. We worked with Hampshire officers to identify the robbers and helped with the arrests. It is yet another example of the close relationship that exists between police forces." Ann Smout, Crown Advocate for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Hampshire & Isle of Wight said: “Both of these men obviously had no concern for the law; they stole a number of cars and used one in the very serious Cowes robbery, which they committed in broad daylight. They had no concern for the staff inside the jewellers or the shoppers going about their normal business. It was clear that they intended to steal as many high value items as possible and would not let anyone stand in their way. Oliver Mazirel pointed a firearm at a member of staff putting her in genuine fear of her safety.”
Investigation timeline
Stolen Volvos
Oliver Mazirel and Gary Ridgewell-Smith admitted their involvement in stealing two cars, a silver Volvo V70 and a blue Volvo S60 from the Amber Garage in Southwick in Brighton on June 23, 2009. They travelled to the Isle of Wight on June 25, 2009 when both men and their vehicles had been recorded by CCTV cameras at Southampton Central Railway Station and on the Red Funnel vehicle ferry. Subsequent inquiries established the two stolen Volvos were both displaying separate stolen number plates. Upon arrival on the Isle of Wight, the stolen silver Volvo V70 was abandoned in Westwood Close in Cowes on or around June 29, 2009.
The robbery
A Land Rover Freelander was stolen from an address in Rew Street in Gurnard on Thursday, July 2, 2009. This vehicle was used in the robbery at Benzie jewellers on Friday, July 3, 2009. Isle of Wight Council’s CCTV footage shows the stolen Land Rover Freelander was being driven and parked in the Cowes High Street area near Benzie yachtsmen’s jeweller for up to one hour before the robbery was committed at 3.15pm on Friday, July 3, 2009. CCTV captured the entire robbery in progress as Mazirel and Ridgewell Smith stopped the Freelander outside Benzie before both men left the car wearing masks and carrying sledgehammers, which were used to smash two windows at the front of the shop. One sledgehammer was left at the scene of the robbery. Mazirel was seen brandishing a hand gun, which he pointed at a woman who was working inside the shop at the time. She had walked to the front entrance of Benzie to see what was happening. The woman was threatened by the robbers but not injured. The robbery lasted under two minutes with Mazirel and Ridgewell-Smith drove away from the scene along the one way Cowes High Street in the Freelander, which was found abandoned in the Northwood House car park in Cowes later the same afternoon. Witnesses reported seeing the men leaving the Freelander to drive away from Northwood House in a car, which was later identified as a blue Volvo V60.
CCTV image courtesy of Isle of Wight Council
Finding the stolen cars
A police air and land search for the suspects began with checks and inquiries made with Solent ferry operators. Media appeals prompted information from the public about suspicious vehicles that had been noticed abandoned for several days. The silver Volvo V70 was recovered from Westwood Close in Cowes and the blue Volvo S60 was recovered from Norton Grange near Freshwater during the days immediately following the robbery. Both vehicles were seized for forensic examinations by Isle of Wight-based Scenes of Crime officers.
Tracking the suspects
Information was received from Sussex Police about possible identities for the suspects. Officers from the Isle of Wight travelled to Sussex to assist with the arrests of Oliver Mazirel and a 23-year-old woman late at night on Monday, July 6, 2009 when three addresses were also searched. The two suspects were taken into custody in Sussex before being transferred to Newport Police Station on Tuesday, July 7, 2009. Detectives from Isle of Wight CID were granted more time by magistrates on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 to question two suspects.
Analysing the suspects' movements
Isle of Wight CID analysed hours of CCTV footage from Solent ferry terminals and railway stations. Mazirel and Ridgewell-Smith were both identified on CCTV at Wightink’s Yarmouth and Lymington ferry terminals, Brockenhurst and Southampton Central railway stations during the hours following the robbery. Wightlink CCTV recorded the men in the ticket office of Yarmouth ferry terminal at 3.55pm on Friday, July 3, 2009. The men had left the island less than an hour after committing the robbery.
Bringing the suspects to court
Oliver John Paul Mazirel, of Ivydore Avenue, Worthing, West Sussex, was charged on the evening of Thursday, July 9, 2009 with robbery and possessing an imitation firearm. He was remanded in custody to appear in court the following morning. The 23-year-old woman from Worthing, West Sussex was bailed pending further enquiries and later released with no further action. A third arrest was made on Tuesday, July 14, 2009 when Gary Ridgewell-Smith reported to Worthing Police Station in West Sussex. He was transferred to custody at Newport Police Station on the Isle of Wight where he was charged with robbery to appear in court on Thursday, July 16, 2010.
Forensics
Searches of addresses in West Sussex linked to the suspects led to the seizure of several items including two T-shirts. One shirt was worn by Oliver Mazirel with a Ghostbusters movie ‘Who Ya Gonna Call?’ slogan on the front. The other shirt was worn by Gary Ridgewell-Smith with a Nike ‘Air Max’ logo. These shirts were examined and analysed by Hampshire Constabulary’s Isle of Wight Scenes of Crime officers and the Forensic Science Service (FSS). Glass matching the window of Benzie jewellers in Cowes was found on Ridgewell-Smith’s ‘Air Max’ shirt. Glass matching the stolen silver Volvo V70 abandoned in Westwood Close, Cowes was found on Mazirel’s ‘Who Ya Gonna Call?’ T-shirt. A fingerprint belonging to Ridgewell Smith was found on the tax disc of the blue Volvo S60 found abandoned at Norton Grange.
April 2010
Crime falls on the Isle of Wight between April 2009 and March 2010
- Overall crime is down by 1,236 offences to 9,009 (a 12% reduction)
- Overall anti social behaviour is down by 1,538 offences to 3,771 (a 28% reduction)
Specific reductions include:
- Criminal damage & arson is down by 469 offences to 2075. (18% reduction)
- Violence against the person is down by 384 offences to 2,203. (14% reduction)
- Serious acquisitive crime (including house burglary, robbery and vehicle crime) is down by 184 offences to 712. (20.54% reduction)
The Isle of Wight remains one of the safest places in the country when compared to similar areas.
Superintendent Norman Mellors
Isle of Wight OCU
April 2010
The Isle of Wight OCU headquarters is based at:
Newport Police Station
High Street
Newport
Isle of Wight
PO30 1SZ
Enquiry office open: 8.30am - 8pm
Isle of Wight OCU is made up of 208 police officers and 77 police staff serving a population of more than 129,000. The OCU covers an area of more than 146 square miles
The Senior Management Team (SMT) are:
Superintendent Norman Mellors
- Superintendent Norman Mellors - OCU Commander
- Chief Inspector Gavin McMillan - District Commander
- Detective Chief Inspector Bob Maker - CID
- Inspector Paul Savill - Operations Inspector
Inspector Paul Savill
- Inspector Bill Pinnell - Safer Neighbourhoods (East)
Inspector Bill Pinnell
- Inspector Terry Clawson - Safer Neighbourhoods (West)
Inspector Terry Clawson
- Inspector Steve Evans - Custody
- Inspector Mark Bell - Partnership / Community Safety
- Inspector Andy Treagus - Targeted Patrol Teams
- Inspector Colin Hall - Targeted Patrol Teams
- Inspector Kate Fowles - Targeted Patrol Teams
- Inspector Jonathan Hoare - Targeted Patrol Teams
- Inspector Robert Abel - Targeted Patrol Teams
Inspector Rob Abel
- Simon Richards - Finance & Business Manager
- Jayne Beddall - Human Resources Manager
- Duncan Smith - Corporate Communications Manager
- David Gledhill - Performance Manager
For minutes of the SMT meetings see the Isle of Wight OCU Minutes page.
Local Performance Information
You can also view details of how we are performing against certain key criteria in your local area. Click here to see the details for the Isle of Wight OCU.
June 2009
BBC Crimewatch Roadshow highlights community safety action on the Isle of Wight
Actions and achievements in maintaining the Isle of Wight as a safe place to live and visit were highlighted during a new series on national TV. BBC One’s Crimewatch Roadshow visited the Island as part of a week of programmes featuring the work of Hampshire Constabulary and its community safety partners.
The BBC filmed various aspects of the dedicated policing operation at the Isle of Wight Festival outside Seaclose Park in Newport. The programme focused on the nationally recognised skills and tactics used to help achieve low levels of crime and disorder amongst an extra population of more than 60,000 people. Police officers were filmed on duty in the Newport custody centre, on foot, cycle and passive drug dog search patrols in Fairlee Road outside the main arena, and working with the independent charity Cranstoun to treat people at risk from substance misuse. Crimewatch Roadshow also focused on an Isle of Wight Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) initiative to tackle inappropriate graffiti and the offenders responsible. The BBC interviewed Isle of Wight Council staff working on the local authority’s online gallery of graffiti tags, accompanied Council Environment and Neighbourhoods Officer (ENO) Linda Shorter on patrol looking for graffiti with Safer Neighbourhoods police officer PC Mick Baxter, and filmed IW Council contractors ‘Community Clean’ removing the graffiti with specialist equipment.
The programme culminated in BBC presenter Rav Wilding broadcasting live from The Needles Park.
Rav interviewed Dog Support Unit Sergeant Dave Steele about reduced crime at this year’s Isle of Wight Festival, and spoke with West Wight Safer Neighbourhoods Inspector Paul Savill and Isle of Wight Council Community Safety Services Operations Manager Simon Dennis about an appeal to solve a series of thefts from car park meters across the Island.
Inspector Paul Savill said: "The Crimewatch Roadshow programme highlighted to a national audience the results achieved by co-operation between the police, Isle of Wight Council, Cranstoun and security companies. These combined efforts are vital to maintain neighbourhoods where people are safe and feel safe. The successful tactics and techniques employed at the Isle of Wight Festival have gone from strength to strength over a number of years, and are acknowledged as examples of good practice by other police forces."
IW Council's Simon Dennis, Inspector Paul Savill and Sergeant Dave Steele
Isle of Wight Council Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods Stuart Love said: “Isle of Wight Council works very closely with its partners including the police to crack down on anti-social behaviour and reduce the fear of crime. Some people may not be fully aware of the work that goes on behind the scenes to continue to make sure the Isle of Wight remains one of the safest places in the UK. The BBC Crimewatch Roadshow sent out a reassuring message to a national audience that the council, Hampshire Constabulary and its partners are winning the battle to reduce crime and the fear of crime on the Isle of Wight.”
