YULE NOT BEAT US!

Plans are currently being prepared to deploy additional officers across the borough as part of Operation Seasons Greetings.

The planned crackdown was announced by local police inspectors Pete Bouma and John Allen at a public meeting of Ballymena District Policing Partnership last week.

As part of the police operation, officers will be tasked to target motorists in a bid to curb drink-driving.

“We will be encouraging people to be careful on the roads at this time of year, making sure people are wearing their seatbelts, aren’t using their mobile phones, are watching their speed and aren’t drink-driving,” Insp. Bouma said.

On the issue of domestic burglaries, Independent DPP member Ita McErlean asked what police would be doing to prevent crimes of this nature over the Christmas period.

Insp. Bouma said that there would be an increase in patrols, not only for this issue but also to target shoplifters, issues arising from the night time economy, and safe driving.

Meanwhile, Insp. Allen urged the public to be vigilant, to keep a check of their handbag or wallet and to ensure there were no items left on view in parked cars.

“We say this every year but it needs to be repeated as people can forget,” Insp. Allen said.

Police have revealed that the most common profile of a person caught shoplifting are females aged between 10 and 19 years.

“We do get gangs coming down to Ballymena,” Insp. Allen said.

He added: “Last year we had four girls who were shoplifting as a team. One acted as a decoy, another lifted the items and passed them on.

“They were picked up on CCTV and followed and arrested.”

Insp. Allen also revealed that extra officers had been brought in early to try and catch out criminal elements.

“They know we step up our patrols in December so we’re trying to be one step ahead and we’ve had extra officers out on the streets already,” he said.