Tackling canal crime

THE spate of continuing break-ins and anti-social crime around the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) has prompted a Canal Watch scheme.

Canal & River Trust is working in partnership with West Midlands Police, to launch ‘Canal Watch' in the area to tackle the increasing issues of crime along part of the BCN.

Include boaters

Hoping to include boaters and local residents, this new pilot project, will focus on the Grand Union Canal from Camp Hill locks to Catherine De Barnes where the anti-social activity takes place.

Len Cresswell, West Midlands Partnership Member for the Canal & River Trust, explains:

Small minority

"The canals in the West Midlands are beautiful and thousands of people visit them each year without incident but just like any town and city there is unfortunately a small minority of people who create problems along the waterways and spoil them for everyone.

"This new project really encourages the local community to work together, report any issues they see and ultimately try to deter anti-social behaviour along the canal."

Leaflets and stickers explaining the Canal Watch scheme will be delivered to local people and boaters in the next few weeks encouraging them to take part in this new pilot project.