Drop in vehicle crime in Chiswick

‘Operation Automotive’ appears to be working

Chiswick has seen a dramatic reduction in the level of vehicle crime.

Sgt Gareth O’Donnell reported to the Chiswick Area Forum meeting in September that since he started working in Chiswick and launched ‘Operation Automotive’, the Chiswick Safer Neighbourhood Team’s response to vehicle crime, there had been a decrease in vehicle offences across Chiswick of 24% in the financial year 2025-26 compared with 2024-25.

So far this year, looking at April to August, the trend has continued with a 19% reduction compared with the same months last year. Vehicle remains the biggest problem the police deal with in Chiswick, but they are making inroads.

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“We hope in future to have these available to use in Chiswick” Sgt O’Donnell’s report said.

Shoplifters jailed

The police have also been successful in taking repeat shoplifting offenders off the streets of Chiswick.

‘We have been working to build relationships with the shops on the High Road to better tackle shoplifting’, he said, ‘as well as utilising new technologies such as the Auror retail crime intelligence system.

‘We have been extremely busy in tackling repeated offenders and have successfully applied for 9 Criminal Behaviour Orders so far this year with conditions that include banning from part of, or the whole of Chiswick.

‘We have seen an increase of over 300% in positive outcomes for shoplifting offences this year and have seen multiple offenders jailed. Shoplifting offences are up this year but some of this is due to shops having confidence to report more and us being proactive in picking up incidents direct from the shops’.

Speeding targeted on Sutton Court Road and Dukes Avenue

To address complaints about speeding in Chiswick the neighbourhood police team has carried out eight operations in Sutton Court Road and eight in Dukes Avenue using a mobile speed van.

Since June, 170 speeding tickets have been issued, with a top speed recorded of 39 mph in a 20 mph zone. Further roads are being assessed and future deployments planned around Chiswick.

Local team short staffed

Resources are a constant battle, however.

‘It is a very challenging time for us’, Sgt O’Donnell reported.

‘We have officer vacancies that still are not filled, leaving us short staffed at a time where we are being increasingly abstracted to cover other areas and departments.

‘Being based at Acton this obviously effects our visibility further and are actively still looking at whether there is feasible options for a Ward office in Chiswick’.

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