Peacock on the loose in Darras
Appeal for witnesses to house fire
By PC Jon Gray,Community Beat Officer, Ponteland
By PC Jon Gray,Community Beat Officer, Ponteland
The reports of property crime have remained low since the last publication, with no house burglaries reported at all during this period.
A premises on the Meadowfield trading estate was broken into and scrap metal was taken. Two garden sheds were broken into on Darras Hall.
The majority of offences were reported during the last week in May, including a car being stolen from Thornhill Road, another damaged in Merton Way, damage to some noticeboards/windows (not high value) and five assaults. All the violent offences have 'positive lines of enquiry' which are being followed up.
Readers should be reminded that in most of the assaults that take place in this area, the injured party will know the offender. They will often involve school pupils who will fall out over various things, a small core group of teenagers who think that the best form of social advancement is to pick on other teenagers (but always when the odds are in their favour), domestic assaults, and drink-fuelled disagreements amongst adults. It is very rare that a total stranger will attack you without warning. It has happened in this area, but it is not the norm.
On 27th May, a fire occurred at a house under renovation on Whinfell Road during the early hours of the morning. This one is under investigation. Any information would be welcome about this offence.
Staying with damage offences, two youths were detained in connection with the numerous windows broken at the High School last month. Finally, a resident from the Moor Lane area of Darras brought our attention to a peacock that is living in the area of Moor Lane and Sandringham Way. There is a strong division of opinion amongst the area's residents, with a pro and anti peacock lobby (along with a resident dog fox whose views are firmly decided). This is just to make the owner aware that some people are bothered by this bird, which has been around for sometime now and - with the absence of a feral leopard on the estate - could be around for sometime in the future. The complaint has been passed to Castle Morpeth Borough Council's environmental health department.
Take care, keep reporting things.
