This is the birkenhead.news weekly round-up of Merseyside Police activity in Wirral during the previous seven days.
Police working in partnership with YMCA
Wirral Police had additional Officers on duty on Saturday 8 May in Central Birkenhead as part of #OpTarget in order to continue reducing violent offending in the area.
During the morning, the Officers were working with partners from YMCA Wirral by conducting knife-wanding, passing on personal safety advice to residents, and also conducting area searches nearby.
In the afternoon the Officers concentrated on another one of the priority areas which is Harrowby Road, Tranmere targeting drug dealing and the associated violence it causes.
The Officers have conducted a number of stop searches there and seized a vehicle that was being driven without a driving licence or insurance. The Officers made enquiries into the driver and he was found to be an illegal immigrant so he was arrested and taken to a local Police station.
Labour’s Emily Spurrell elected as Merseyside’s next Police and Crime Commissioner
Labour candidate Emily Spurrell has been elected as Merseyside’s second Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
The former Mossley Hill Councillor and community safety lead for Liverpool City Council thanked voters across Merseyside after she took more than half the first preference count and was elected the winner by the Police Area Returning Officer, Tony Reeves at the Liverpool Tennis Centre in Wavertree.
Patrols in Wirral parks as a part of #ParkSafe operation
Officers from #TeamBeb continued their patrols of parks and open spaces. Operation Parksafe targets those individuals engaging in crime at these locations. Police continue to work on our preventative policing approach to ensure safety for the community. #OpParksafe
On Sunday 9 May, Officers were at Eastham Country Park offering a bike marking service. Police are able to mark and register push bikes which gives them a greater chance of returning them to the owner if ever stolen.
Drunk driver crashes on M53
On Sunday 9 May, the driver of a Dacia entered the M53 at Junction 3, the Woodchurch and Prenton junction and crashed at Junction 5, the Eastham and Queensferry exit.
A police spokesperson said, “This is one reason why you shouldn’t drink and drive. Luckily he’s not collected anybody else with him, but after blowing nearly three times the legal alcohol limit, he’ll be spending some time with us.”
Merseyside Police amongst highest number of investigations into theft of energy for drug cultivation in 2020
The average insurance claim for repairing a landlord’s property damaged by cannabis cultivation stood at £9,471 in 2020, according to Direct Line business insurance data, which would equate to £789.25 per month for those affected.
According to ONS figures 
, the average rent in the UK is £725 per month, meaning that landlords are in danger of making an overall loss of income as a result of cannabis farming in their properties.
Sat-Nav donated by the Merseyside Police Federation Charitable Trust
On Tuesday 11 May, officers from the Local Policing Team at Wallasey visited an elderly resident of Seacombe who was victim of car crime to deliver a new replacement Sat-Nav kindly donated by the Merseyside Police Federation Charitable Trust.
Police Commissioner presents Merseyside Police with merit award for response to Coronavirus pandemic
Merseyside’s outgoing Police Commissioner has presented Merseyside Police with a merit award to recognise the Force’s response to the global Coronavirus pandemic.
Jane Kennedy, whose term of office officially ends today, Wednesday 12 May, presented the award to Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, who received it on behalf of the entire Force.
The award recognises the “fortitude, professionalism and determination” of the officers and staff of Merseyside Police to meet the challenges of the pandemic head-on, without regard for the potential risk to their own health and wellbeing.
Two Wirral men sentenced for Class A drugs supply
Officers from The Merseyside Police #OpTarget local policing team on the Wirral have welcomed the sentencing of two men after they were found guilty of committing drugs offences in Birkenhead.
Both men were first arrested in June and then again in July 2020, following a proactive policing operation looking into violence being committed in Birkenhead town centre and the links to drug activity.
Sergeant Alan McKeon, who leads the Wirral Op Target team said, “The two men were initially flagged to us by members of the community who reported the men were involved in supplying crack cocaine and heroin.”
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Officers on patrol in Tranmere
On the evening of Wednesday 12 May, Officers were again patrolling Harrowby Road, Tranmere and the surrounding streets. Officers stopped a number of motorists and pedestrians. Two of which have been reported for driving offences. Police thanked the members of the community who are helping to disrupt and target crime around this area. #OpTarget
Two Wirral men sentenced for vandalising train
Two vandals who caused damage to train stock have been sentenced following a British Transport Police investigation.
Investigating officer PC Paul Quest said, “Graffiti is not a victimless crime – it is vandalism and has severe consequences for passengers – when trains are taken out of service for repairs and cleaning this results in delays and cancellations.”
Van seized in Birkenhead
On Friday 14 May, Officers from Wirral Targeted Team stopped this van for having no insurance. The van was stopped on Rendel Street, near the junction with Cleveland Street in Birkenhead. The Driver was reported and the van seized.
Mindless teenage vandals smash Wirral mobile COVID-19 testing bus windows with golf club
Merseyside Police is appealing for witnesses after criminal damage was caused to a mobile COVID-19 testing bus in Wirral.
Police were contacted at 2.05pm yesterday, Thursday 13 May, following reports a gang of youths had smashed the windows of the Wirral council-owned bus, which had been delivering home COVID-19 tests.
The bus was on Beechwood Drive on the Beechwood Estate when the incident occurred.
Three youths on a white, black and scooter, believed to be aged between 14 and 18, and wearing dark clothing and balaclavas are believed to have used a golf club to smash a number of windows.
Wirral Safer Schools Project
Wirral safer schools officers commenced their 5-week project working in 9 of Wirral’s high schools.
The project focuses on knife crime, gangs, county lines and child criminal exploitation. This week year 7 and 8 pupils from Mosslands and Oldershaw were able to work with safer schools officers to discuss the consequences of their actions.
Local musician James Lyons helped children to produce some amazing raps themed around the difficult subjects. Military Style Education also joined the officers to provide team-building exercises, street first aid and command tasks to encourage the children to work together and look out for one another. A great week of preventative policing with young people, breaking down barriers and tackling current issues through interactive preventative inputs.
For regular crime and police related updates, please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/crimewatchwirral
Images and information used with kind permission from Wirral Police/Merseyside Police.
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