An operation dedicated to tackling crime on a Bassetlaw housing estate is proving successful – with hundreds of hours of additional patrols and a significant drop in antisocial behaviour.
Nottinghamshire Police has been listening to the concerns of residents in Costhorpe after officers began to see an increase in the number of antisocial behaviour and criminal damage reports at a new-build housing estate in the year to September 2024.
Operation Thunderloop was launched as a result, and there has since been a 35 per cent decrease in reports of youth-related crime and antisocial behaviour between January and October 2025.
Dedicated neighbourhood officers have conducted 393 hours of additional high-visibility and plain-clothes patrols in the estate, the equivalent of 16 full days.
Concerns include groups of young people involved with antisocial behaviour, disruptive off-road bikes, and criminal damage around the estate and to open green spaces.
Neighbourhood officers have been working closely with residents, the property developer and a housing association to ensure the area sees a reduction in criminal activity.
A specialist problem-solving coordinator and a designing-out-crime officer have also helped assess the site to identify hotspot areas and recommend effective solutions to recurring issues.
Neighbourhood officers helped to organise free events at a youth club in neighbouring Carlton in Lindrick to provide positive recreational activities for young people.
This included a rodeo bull, inflatable play equipment, a climbing wall, and playing football and basketball with the children.
As a result, some young people who previously would not speak with officers have now built the trust to engage with them.
Officers have distributed free doorbell cameras to residents to improve CCTV coverage on the estate and installed additional lighting.
This helps to identify potential suspects and improves the lines of enquiry available to officers.
Registrations to the force’s community messaging platform, Notts Alerts, have also been increased to help distribute updates to residents and newsletters about officers’ progress and useful crime prevention advice.
Anti-bike gates have also been installed by the local authority to reduce opportunities for nuisance off-road bikes and restrict access.
As part of the operation, officers have engaged directly with residents to offer crime prevention advice to reduce opportunities for criminals to operate.
This can include ensuring doors, windows, garages and sheds are thoroughly locked, placing car keys in Faraday pouches, removing tools and wheelie bins from gardens or driveways that could be used for access, and encouraging the use of security alarms.
In addition to seizing off-road bikes, officers have also issued community protection warnings to young people involved with low-level criminality.
The warning outlines specific antisocial behaviour that an individual agrees to stop and can ban them from returning to an area.
It is an opportunity to address issues without formal sanctions. If breached, it can be used as evidence to illustrate that further enforcement action is required, such as a community protection notice.
Failure to comply with these notices can lead to offenders being fined or facing court action.
PCSOs who deliver the force’s Mini Police programme at a primary school in Langold have also used this as a further opportunity to build a better relationship with young people in the area to improve their trust and confidence in the police.
Mini Police is a nine-week classroom scheme that provides schoolchildren with the opportunity to build rapport, trust and confidence in their neighbourhood officers.
Each lesson is packed with information about the law, as well as establishing right from wrong, along with quizzes, games, activities and group discussions.
PC Jacob Millington, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Worksop North Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Tackling antisocial behaviour is a top priority for our team, and we know antisocial behaviour is disruptive and a concern for residents.
“This is why we are taking it seriously and continue to take proactive steps to clamp down on nuisance individuals.
“Our efforts are proving effective, and we have seen a significant reduction in the number of incidents involving young people.
“Residents can still expect to see us conducting regular patrols and proactive police work. To do that effectively, I continue to encourage homeowners to keep us informed about the issues that matter to them so that we can act in response.
“Providing opportunities for young people and engaging with them directly is a really effective way for children to get to know their local officers and helps to break down barriers and build trust and confidence.
“I hope these continued efforts will provide some welcome relief for residents and help to ease community tensions.”
If you want, I can also tighten this slightly for web readability without losing any meaning, or flag any lines that could be trimmed if space is tight.
