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Crime Commissioner victim of vehicle crime

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset can confirm that PCC Martyn Underhill has become a victim of vehicle crime.

The Force Poole car that Mr Underhill was driving was broken into at the Sovereign Centre, Boscombe,Bournemouth on Monday 8th April 2013. It happened as Mr Underhill was attending a meeting with Councillor Jane Kelly on his search for a Voluntary Advocate for Boscombe,to help cut crime and resolve community issues.

Mr Underhill’s car was parked on the ground floor of the Sovereign Centre, Boscombe,when it was broken into.Mr Underhill parked at 11.51am and returned at around 14.00pm.

Martyn Underhill said: “I accidentally left my drivers window open by 1 inch. Someone forced the window down and took the sat-nav from the windscreen. The charger unit was connected and snapped off in the socket in the centre consul as they pulled the sat-nav out. No actual entry to the car was gained, it was left locked.”

Mr Underhill added: “This incident raises awareness of vehicle crime in Dorset. We are working on reducing vehicle crime and it is one of the Force’s priorities. I want to assure local communities that I, along with the Force, will continue to work to reduce the number of vehicle crime incidents. We want to make Dorset a safer place to live and work. We are working hard to ensure this and I would ask local communities to work with us, to help cut crime.”

“We all know Boscombe does have a crime issue. The irony of this incident has not been lost on me. That is why I am employing a voluntary advocate to help me to work with partners to resolve the issues in Boscombe.”

The Voluntary Advocate for Boscombe will be an unpaid voluntary role to support Mr Underhill in helping to address community issues. The concept is being trialled in Boscombe and, if successful, may be extended to other areas of the County.  

The successful applicant will provide support toMartynUnderhillasDorset’s elected Police and Crime Commissioner, working on community issues, helping the PCC to drive ideas forward to change the area and to make Boscombe and Dorset a better place for all of those who live, work and visit the area.

Mr Underhill said: “I am asking a person with a specific skill set to rise to this challenge and help make Boscombe and Dorset safer. Don’t confuse this with a Deputy PCC. I am one of a number of PCC’s nationally who have said no to that concept. This will be a voluntary role, an advocate to represent me.”

As Martyn Underhill’s appointed Advocate for Boscombe, they will represent the PCC at relevant community meetings working with key local partners, stakeholders, other community contacts and members of the public.

The successful applicant will represent the PCC for 1 to 5 hours per week and although this is an unpaid voluntary role, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. They will be fully internet vetted.

Mr Underhill added: “I cannot be everywhere all the time and I have found very quickly that ‘Community Issues’ are complex multi-agency challenges that need a lot of work. Hence my thought of creating an advocate, a role that allows a person well connected with the issue to help me drive things forward in that area.”

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has officially advertised the role on the PCC Dorset website and shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on Friday 19th April 2013.

Mr Underhill said: “Myself and my Advocate, once appointed, will work to combat community issues such as antisocial behaviour and vehicle crime in Boscombe. I have become a victim of crime, like many others, and it causes distress and inconvenience. I want people in Boscombe to feel safe and proud of their neighbourhood. That is my aim, and what I hope to deliver.”

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