‘Speak up to help us bring violent criminals to justice’
RUNCORN police’s chief inspector has warned that reluctance among residents to speak to the authorities is preventing serious cases from proceeding to court and violent criminals from facing justice.
Ch Insp Sarah Heath said she has worked around Cheshire but that only Runcorn has shown such a wariness to engage.
She said she did not know the reasons, adding that there was ‘no evidence’ of an informal code of silence or repercussions and added that procedures were in place to protect residents when needed.
In some cases, officers ‘know’ who the culprit is but need corroboration to pursue the matter through the courts, she said.
Although the accused might be identified on Crimestoppers, she said investigators may well already have that information.
Instances in recent cases where this has been a factor in preventing prosecution have included a shocking robbery in which two men were savagely beaten with bats or poles on the footbridge between Hallwood Park and ● ● Beechwood in January this year.
The issue is now potentially being compounded by a rise in members of the public carrying knives, a ‘worrying trend’, she said is happening around the country but also Runcorn.
Even more dire consequences could be just a matter of time.
Ch Insp Heath’s warnings came following a slew of violent and sometimes unsolved violent crimes in Runcorn.
Unsolved offences include the above attack on the Hallwood Park footbridge on January 23, a stabbing in Hallwood Park on August 13, an incident in which a cyclist was allegedly battered by youths in Halton Lodge on April 6, a stabbing in Runcorn Old Town by the Bridgewater Canal on April 4, an alleged multiple stabbing on Union Street on February 24.
In some cases, suspects have been arrested and released under investigation.
Discussing the difficulties in finding residents willing to speak to the police, Ch Insp Heath said: “It feels like it’s a real issue in Runcorn at the moment.
“I’ve had some meetings with a Safer Halton Partnership, it’s not just a police issue, we need to get round the table.
“In quite a lot of these incidents people won’t talk to us in Runcorn.
“I’ve worked all over Cheshire and victims are more prepared to talk to you, and in Runcorn they’re not.
“With a lot of nasty incidents we know who’s done it and we make the arrests and people will phone up anonymously and give us a name.
“Unless people are prepared to tell us, we haven’t got enough.
“Without some clear evidence, people talking to us, we can’t put people away.
“It’s one thing finding out who’s done it, it’s another proving it.”
She added: “I’ve noticed in Runcorn the community engages less with us.
“I’m trying to drive community engagement.
On the increase in carrying knives, she said: “The figures don’t show that it’s much of a concern, it doesn’t look like there’s a major spike but we are feeling that more people are carrying knives than they used to, which bothers me a lot.
“We’re doing a lot of work in schools.
“People start carrying knives then more start carrying knives and before you know it people are going to get seriously hurt.
“We want the community to work with us.
“If people are carrying knives, for their sake, let us know.
“Talk to your kids and explain the dangers of it as well.
“I don’t know if we can but I’m looking to do some kind of amnesty looking to work with housing.
“It’s not a reflection of Runcorn, it’s society as a whole.
“It’s a worrying trend.”