Operation Nemesis is a force-wide campaign targeting burglars operating within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Hampshire Constabulary will be an opponent that cannot be beaten
The start of the Nemesis campaign began in January 2009, in which all sections of the force united against burglary and burglars.
NEW If you have been a victim of burglary and we have asked you to use the online reporting system to record your missing property, click here to jump to that section of this page.
Operation Nemesis
Chief Constable Alex Marshall has made it clear that he wants to stop a slight increase in burglaries across his force area, and reduce the number of such crimes.
All sections of Hampshire Constabulary will work as one team during Operation Nemesis. All police officers will take part, including 60 officers who normally work at police headquarters in Winchester. They will be joined by many police staff who will support the frontline work.
At the end of the operation, results will be evaluated. Those tactics which were effective will be adopted force-wide to maintain the battle against burglary.
Statistics
Hampshire’s national ranking for house burglaries from April to November 30, 2008 shows Hampshire is 11 out of 43 forces with 3994 crimes. (The force at number 1 had the least number of burglaries.)
Hampshire’s Most Similar Forces (MSF) are Avon and Somerset, Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Sussex and Thames Valley. Hampshire has two crimes per 1,000 residents, the second lowest among the MSF.
The burglar's worst enemy
Known burglars will be targeted, and intelligence will be gathered to identify burglars and their associates.
Officers will maximise the use of tools at their disposal, from dog units and aircraft to search powers and various surveillance techniques. Every effort will be made to retrieve the proceeds of burglary under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Chief Constable Alex Marshall said: “We want to make burglars aware that we will take everything they have as part of their punishment.”
He also urged residents of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to report suspicious activity to police immediately and to make use of crime prevention information which is being made available to householders and other groups.
“There is a great deal the public can do to protect themselves from burglary, but everyone can help the police by reporting suspicious people and actions. In response, we will take action to rid our communities of burglars,” Mr Marshall said.
The victim's best friend
Mr Marshall said: “We know that burglary is a horrible crime which has a significant emotional impact on the victim and a financial impact on individuals and companies.
“In addition to preventing and solving burglaries, we need to build more confidence in the police, especially with rural communities and small businesses. In some cases, a commercial theft can put the victim out of business for a time.
“We must ensure that all burglary victims are visited by the police. If we fail to do that, it is an even bigger blow to them.”
Click here for crime prevention advice about Safer Homes - how to protect yourself and your home from burglary.
New: A victim of burglary? Report missing property online
As part of providing an enhanced service to victims, we are trialling a new way of recording stolen property during Operation Nemesis. If you have been a victim of burglary and have reported it, you can now download the form you need to record missing property from this website.
Please only visit this page if you are a victim of burglary and have already reported the crime and been given a reference number. Do not visit this page if you want to report a burglary or other crime. Contact us on 0845 045 4545 to report a crime, or call 999 in an emergency.
Click here to visit the page for recording your missing property
If you are worried about burglary in your area or need to know who your local officers are, please visit the Safer Neighbourhoods section of this website where you can click through the map or use the post code search to find your local team.
