Night time patrols of Corby pubs after crime wave

Northamptonshire Police has responded to severe criticism from the town’s pub trade and has devised an after hours patrol route of drinking holes to help reassure landlords who have been living in fear.

At least 26 commercial premises, including the Conservative Club, The Beefeater and the Chequered flag have been targeted by gangs armed with crowbars who have smashed windows and made off with cash.

Landlords and their families have often been sleeping upstairs while their businesses have been broken into.

Now in response police say they have set up an investigation unit and have increased patrols of the licensed network.

Inspector Scott Little said: “ All of the crimes are being reviewed to see who do we think are committing them.

“Do we think it is one person.

“Is it a group of people.

“Have we got one group or is it a number of groups?

“Then in relation to some of those we have seen some arrests in the last couple of days and we will monitor how successful those arrests have been but we are still investigating all of the lines of enquiry.

“The neighbourhood team are providing reassurance and then over the last weekend our night time economy patrols were going round the pubs in the evening when they were closed, providing that visible presence and trying to reassure the landlords that we are taking this seriously.”

Ross Laird, 39 was charged this week with a burglary committed in Lloyds Road on September 28.

Last weekend (October 6) two pubs in Burton Latimer and Rothwell were also broken into with burglars taking cash and breaking into the slot machines.

Police have said these incidents could be linked to the Corby crimewave.