Burglaries in Northamptonshire reduce significantly as Operation Crooked turns one-year-old

• Home invasions in Northamptonshire down by 34%
• 1000 fewer victims
• Over 250 arrests made
• Prolific offenders sent to jail
• More detectives assigned to work on the operation
• Chief Constable’s message to burglars – “we will not tolerate you and you will be caught”

The number of home invasions across Northamptonshire has reduced by over 34% in only the first year Northamptonshire Police’s dedicated burglary team has been operating. 

Operation Crooked is the Force’s campaign to reduce home invasions - a top priority since Chief Constable Nick Adderley joined Northamptonshire Police in 2018.

As part of the operation, the Burglary Team, which sits within CID, ensures that every burglary victim in Northamptonshire is guaranteed a visit from the police.

The team also work to review and drive up the quality of investigations, manage and progress forensic hits, hunt down wanted people, organise police patrols in areas of concern and gather intelligence to prevent burglaries before they happen.

Since April 1, 2019, home invasions have reduced by 34% and burglary overall is at its lowest level since June 2008. This equates to 1000 fewer victims per year and in one area of Northampton, burglaries have fallen by over 50%.

Also, since the operation began, over 250 people have been arrested for burglary offences with some notable convictions secured as well.

Seven years in jail was handed to 36-year-old Peter Stearns who stole two shot guns, an air rifle and a large quantity of high-value jewellery from a home in East Haddon.

38-year-old Philip Dennis was found guilty by a jury at Northampton Crown Court and handed four years in jail for stealing prescription drugs and a PlayStation 4.

Christmas Day burglar - Patrick Connors, 54, was given a life sentence for nine burglaries while Derry Crowshaw, 29, and Callum Gordon, 29, were handed over four years in jail between them for a series of Long Buckby burglaries.

Chief Constable Nick Adderley, said: “Burglary has always been a top priority for me and I am delighted to learn that burglaries in Northamptonshire have reduced so much in only the first year our specialist burglary team, led by Detective Superintendent Paul Rymarz, has been operating.

“Now some people may think that because we’ve achieved a decent reduction, we’re now going to focus on something else. This is absolutely not the case.

“I am expanding the team and investing more and more resources into Operation Crooked in order to hammer down this reduction even further.

“My message to burglars really is very simple – we will not tolerate you in Northamptonshire and you will be caught.”

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said:  “This is fantastic news.  People told me that they wanted to see a focus on crimes that really affect their community like burglary and Northamptonshire Police have truly delivered.

Not only has the Force cracked down hard on burglary, but they have also worked hard to explain to people how they can help to prevent crime and I am sure that all of these actions will have had a very positive effect on the confidence and safety of communities across Northamptonshire.”