Washington

Shop Theft

Shop theft remains a priority for local policing teams. We continue to work closely with retailers to protect businesses and staff, while using crime data and intelligence to identify and target the most prolific offenders. Where appropriate, we seek Criminal Behaviour Orders to place restrictions on offenders, reduce reoffending and minimise the impact on the retail community.

Sunderland Area Command now has a dedicated team focused on shop theft investigations, helping to build cases more efficiently and bring offenders before the courts more quickly.

We also identify the stores most frequently targeted and carry out regular visits to provide tailored crime prevention advice and support, helping businesses and staff better protect themselves from crime.

Burglary and Vehicle Crime

Op Dreyfus continues to target and disrupt key offenders by robustly dealing with offences and applying for criminal behaviour orders, diverting perpetrators away from offending, providing additional patrols and target hardening in affected areas, and working with partners to utilise civil orders to disrupt offending behaviours. Police are aware of offenders and robustly manage them in the community, with partners to prevent and deter offending behaviour.

Through this management and continued patrol activity we have seen reductions in reports of this type of offences.

We will continue to work with partners to enforce by both Criminal and Civil means to prevent and reducing offending behaviour.

Anti-social Behaviour (ASB)

Neighbourhood policing teams and the Safer Sulgrave and Concord Hub continue to tackle hotspot locations both seasonal and emerging. We have seen a 25% decrease in ASB from same period in 2025. This is down to intervention work via TFC, Early help and youth workers.

We identify those young people involved by patrols in the areas and then refer them to prevent escalation in behaviour thus reducing ASB in the future. With the help of local youth workers also patrolling the hotspot areas we are able to engage with young people and offer other opportunities such as local youth clubs etc.

Joint partnership patrols and education through local schools will continue in the Washington area.

Prevention through education and diverting behaviour

Achieved through police and partnership inputs to local schools and youth clubs. Working with PolEd, TFC and Youth workers. Signposting young people to opportunities either social or educational.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) and motorcycle ASB

Anti-social behaviour hotspot areas are identified through reports from residents, local leaders and partner agencies. We encourage people to continue reporting concerns so we can better understand local issues and respond effectively, helping to make Washington a great place to live and work.

Neighbourhood Policing Teams have a range of powers available to tackle anti-social behaviour, from enforcement and deterrence to engagement and education. We work closely with partners to maximise resources and deliver lasting solutions, with the Concord and Sulgrave Community Team and local policing teams playing a key role in this approach.

We have seen a positive reduction in anti-social behaviour compared to earlier this year and will continue to build on that progress.

As the darker nights approach, we will increase patrols in known hotspot areas and around key dates such as Halloween and Bonfire Night to deter anti-social behaviour and keep communities safe.