Rampage that shamed force

NORFOLK Police’s Chief Constable was forced into a humiliating apology this week over his officers’ handling of a crimewave caused by a large group of travellers.

Cromer went into lockdown last month as the 100-strong group rampaged through the seaside town carrying out dozens of thefts, an assault and an alleged rape.

Business owners were forced to board up their premises.

In all, 37 crimes were reported in 36 hours after the arrival of the travellers in dozens of caravans. But police dismissed the mayhem as ‘low-level disturbances’ – and even flatly denied the sex attack was connected.

Chief Constable Simon Bailey admitted his officers – who did not make a single arrest at the time – misinformed the public. In a ‘heated’ public meeting, he conceded the travellers had ‘caused anger and harm’.