I am just off the Mendip Hill, but within easy reach of Bristol as is Mendip.
I'm regularly seeing posts on my local facebook group about vans being broken into, usually works vans and hence tools stolen. Extra security doesn't seem to bother them, some instances of side doors peeled opened like a tin can. Often the post include CCTV footage.
Warning reports of suspicious people nosing around gardens and vehicles, possibly looking for any metal they can take for scrap or other easy pickings.
I often comment asking if reported to the police, other comments reply with "what's the point?". These thefts, break ins, suspicious activity should always be reported to the police and if possible insist that an incident number given. Regardless of whether the police do anything about it, if it's not reported in the eyes of the powers to be it hasn't happened. If it's not happening nothing needs to be done. I would urge everyone that experiences any incident to report it. The more that are reported the greater chance of something being done about it.
A while ago the police raided a barn after a tip off. The police found huge quantities of stolen power tools etc. One of the theories is that most of these thefts are being carried out by the same perpetrators and if caught the number of incidents may drop significantly. The more reports to the police the greater the chance of patterns emerging and an increase in the likelihood of them being caught.
Maj.