Plea from Wiltshire Police to not become complacent as final week of lockdown looms

The force says it's still seeing people breaching the guidelines

Author: Henrietta CreaseyPublished 24th Nov 2020
Last updated 24th Nov 2020

As we approach the final week of this year's second nationwide lockdown, residents in Wiltshire are being urged to follow the government restrictions.

This comes as the county's Police Force announces it has issued five fixed penalty notices (FPN) to people gathering in groups over the past week.

Three were given to people from Dagneham in East London, who had travelled to Swindon.

Between Monday 16 and Sunday 22 November, Wiltshire Police:

  • Issued five fixed penalty notices, with one further FPN issued retrospectively for the previous week. It brings the total the force has issued since the beginning of the pandemic to 244.
  • Recorded 164 COVID-related reports, either online or over the phone.
  • Recorded 61 COVID-related warnings, including two to businesses not complying with the lockdown restrictions.
  • Recorded 10 COVID-related incidents and three COVID-related crimes.

COVID-19 CASES RISE IN COUNTY

The figures follow the confirmation that Coronavirus is continuing to spread across the county.

In the area covered by Wiltshire Council, there were 674 new cases in the seven days to 18 November.

PLEA TO KEEP DOING "THE RIGHT THING"

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills said:

"Whilst we are seeing a high level of compliance within most of our communities during the current lockdown, we are still witnessing cases where people are not playing their part and are breaching the guidelines."

"The latest figures for Swindon and Wiltshire show that the threat of the virus is active in our communities.

"Once again, I would ask the public to work with us to help keep our communities safe and stop its further spread."

Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson added his thanks to the vast majority of the public, for continuing to follow the guidance:

"As we approach Christmas, I appreciate that this year has been a difficult one for so many of us, and I know that the vast majority of people have ensured they have done the right thing to help protect the most vulnerable in our society.

"So, I wanted to thank you all for your efforts throughout what has been such an unprecedented and uncertain nine months."