Police in Coventry have started weekly crime advice surgeries for people living in the Stoke area.

They are being held to quell residents’ fears about crime in the Lower Stoke area after officers discovered that a lot of people in the area were very concerned about burglary, vandalism and vehicle crime.

Following a series of meetings with residents associations, council officers and other agencies, a beat officer was given special responsibility for the area.

The weekly surgery, fronted by PC Neil McCormack, will be held on Tuesdays between 5pm and 7pm in the CCF Building in David Road.

Sgt Phil Horton said once police realised the concerns of residents 12 months ago, they saw that members of the community needed more support.

He said:

“Now that action has been taken, the response from the community has been fantastic, Crime has been dropping, and people are helping themselves by providing us with the information we require to make the partnership work.

“All the other agencies in the area are working together to improve the quality of life for everyone, and there could be eviction orders and anti-social behaviour orders in the pipeline for the worst offenders.

”The local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators are acting as focal points for leaflets, which will soon be dropping though the doors of those living in the area inviting them to drop into the surgery.”