Folkestone Central

Homelessness/begging.

This is a priority for the next 3 months. We have identified this based on feedback from local residents, crime data, and ongoing concerns in the area.

We’ll publish an update in the coming months to let you know what we’ve done, what progress has been made, and what’s next.

Alcohol.

This is a priority for the next 3 months. We have identified this based on feedback from local residents, crime data, and ongoing concerns in the area.

We’ll publish an update in the coming months to let you know what we’ve done, what progress has been made, and what’s next.

E-bikes/E-scooters.

This is a priority for the next 3 months. We have identified this based on feedback from local residents, crime data, and ongoing concerns in the area.

We’ll publish an update in the coming months to let you know what we’ve done, what progress has been made, and what’s next.

Homelessness/begging.

Officers engage regularly with people who are homeless and provide information about local support services, charities and safeguarding options. This helps ensure that vulnerable people are aware of the assistance available to them and can access support when needed.

Begging is often underreported to the police, although officers understand the impact it can have on local businesses, shoppers and the wider community. When officers encounter people who are believed to be begging, they may engage with them and ask them to move on where appropriate.

Where individuals are involved in aggressive begging or behaviour that is having a negative impact on the community, officers may issue Community Protection Warnings and Community Protection Notices. These are formal measures designed to address ongoing nuisance behaviour and can lead to further action if the behaviour continues. Where necessary, officers will work with partner agencies and pursue court action to help protect local residents, businesses and visitors while ensuring vulnerable people are directed towards appropriate support services.

Scooters/e-bikes.

Officers have been targeting concerns relating to nuisance cycling, e-scooters and e-bikes within the town centre. Bouverie Place Shopping Centre has been identified as a hotspot, and regular patrols have been carried out in the area to improve safety and address reports from the community. As a result, several bicycles and an e-scooter have been seized where offences were identified. Officers have also spoken with young people and their parents to provide advice and education about safe and responsible cycling, particularly where dangerous riding has created a risk to pedestrians and other town centre users.

Police are working closely with local partner agencies to help manage this ongoing issue and reduce the impact on residents, shoppers and businesses. Alongside enforcement activity, officers are exploring diversionary opportunities and identifying suitable alternative locations where young people can ride their bikes safely and legally. The aim is to reduce risks to both riders and members of the public while encouraging positive use of local facilities. Officers will continue to patrol the area, engage with young people and take appropriate action where offences are committed.

Theft - shoplifting.

Officers are proactively targeting repeat offenders and working closely with local businesses and CCTV operators to identify incidents of crime and respond to them as quickly as possible. By sharing information and intelligence, officers are able to identify those responsible, gather evidence and take appropriate action to prevent further offending.

This proactive approach has resulted in multiple arrests and has helped to reduce the impact of crime on local businesses. Officers have also provided crime prevention and target-hardening advice to retailers. Target hardening refers to practical measures that make a business or property less vulnerable to crime, such as improving lighting, enhancing security systems, reviewing store layouts or introducing other measures to deter offenders.

Officers will continue to work in partnership with businesses and other organisations to identify repeat offenders, prevent crime and help ensure that local shopping and business areas remain safe and welcoming for staff, customers and visitors.