MADAM,

I have received some information last week regarding yet another burglary in Osbaston. The data received is not particularly detailed so, other than saying how sorry I feel for the individuals concerned, I have little to add other than to question just how much longer must the residents of Osbaston put up with this.

I seem to remember some time ago when many offences had already occurred there was a proposal to site cameras monitoring entry and exit from the area. On the basis that there are only two road entries into Osbaston why has this not been continued?

I remember several years ago receiving a notice from the police informing me I was clocked doing 36mph on Hereford Road. The car involved, while registered to me, was in fact, my wife’s car. As we could not recall who was driving on the quoted date I responded by suggesting that, on the basis of probability, my wife would have been driving on that day. I suggested, with that in mind, perhaps they should resubmit a summons to her. I did add that, obviously, if they had further info to remove any doubt as to who was this speeding maniac doing 36mph on the Hereford Road, I’m sure they would advise me accordingly. Within a week I received a response which contained, not one, but two photos of me at the wheel of my wife’s car.

If it is that easy to monitor a motorist, why is it so difficult to apply similar technology to catch burglars? Surely if cameras were concealed and monitored all traffic in and out of Osbaston would be recorded? Then when an offence is committed at least there should be some degree of confidence that the offending vehicles will be somewhere on that record. At that point a detailed examination of the recorded data, in conjunction with a process of elimination, should, at least identify those vehicles requiring further investigation.

If this proposal is logical but not affordable, I’m sure the residents of Osbaston would be prepared to fund it themselves. Clearly I have not conducted a survey to find out if this would be acceptable to the residents but I would suggest that any individual who opposed it has not been the subject of an assault on their property and any resistance may well be regretted at a later date.

T Crisp

(Monmouth)