Thurrock: tackling crime and ASB to keep residents & road-users safe

On busy Friday and Saturday nights in Thurrock you will see our officers out on patrol across the district.

Sergeant Adam Priest, of Grays Community Policing Team, says:

“We know our neighbourhoods and that knowledge helps us to keep you safe.
“We know the trending crime types and put operations in place to tackle them.
“And we know what worries you, so we provide reassurance and crime prevention advice to reduce the chances of you becoming a victim of crime.”

On Friday evening, 28 February, officers were swift to make two arrests in connection with separate assaults that happened that same day.

A 35-year-old Hornchurch man has since been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a knife after a fight in Hampden Road, while a 31-year-old man has been charged with two assaults after an incident in Lodge Lane.

Adam says:

“Residents will naturally be concerned about any incident of violence but officers swiftly arrested suspects after both incidents and they have been charged.
“Overall, across the district incidents of violence have dropped 10.3% in the year to 31 January 2025 and we will continue to focus on reducing them still further.”

Officers also conducted several stop searches and a vehicle search during the evening. They use stop and search when they suspect people are carrying drugs, weapons or stolen property. One man was issued with a community resolution for possession of cannabis.

Adam says:

“Stop and search is a policing power which can deter people from carrying knives and dealing drugs in public. And it can avoid arrests if the outcome is negative.”

Anti-social behaviour associated with car cruising at Lakeside and the surrounding West Thurrock area is also a focus at weekends. Thurrock Council renewed the public spaces protection order (PSPO) for three years in December 2024.

Car cruising events have decreased significantly in the past year, says Adam, but community policing officers continue to patrol regularly with Thurrock Council staff, looking out for vehicles being driven anti-socially along straight stretches of roads or in car parks.

While council staff issue tickets for breaches of the PSPO, police officers deal with criminal matters, such as drifting, which is a form of careless driving.

“Many drivers and their passengers attend car cruises because they simply want to meet and chat with fellow enthusiasts but some drivers break the law and endanger the safety of other road users, and it is that behaviour we target.
“We have seen a huge decrease in car cruising events, particularly in the past 12 months. Now, generally, as soon as we turn up, vehicles disperse, as they did last Friday, because they all know we will enforce the law and the rules of the PSPO.
“And we’ll be doing it all again this weekend!”

Overall, crime has decreased by 5% across Thurrock in the past year but we need the public to help us reduce it still further.

Adam says:

“We have several operations to tackle specific criminal activity in the district. They are informed by what the public tell us about crime and anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhoods.
“This information helps us to identify emerging crime trends which we then focus our operational activity on.
“So please tell us what you know. You can provide information online, where you can also use our Live Chat service, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Alternatively, you can ring 101. If it’s an emergency, or a crime in progress, ring 999.”

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