Okehampton police officers undertook an anti-social behaviour patrol at the end of last month in an effort to prevent anti-social behaviour in known hotspots.

Nine police officers, including special constables from Okehampton, Tavistock and Plymouth patrolled Simmons Park, Moyses Lane and Meadows, Giblands, Lidl and the supermarket carparks and the town centre on June 24, which residents had identified as particularly problematic areas.

None of the patrols, which consisted of uniformed and plain clothes officers, caught any anti-social behaviour, but did receive information about drug and moped problems.

There will be another patrol in Okehampton in the near future.

The patrol operation follows a series of vandalism incidents around the town which included an incident in Simmons Park when a picnic bench was ripped from its fixings and the town’s book swap destroyed and an incident in Baldwin Drive when a resident was hit in the face.

In an attempt to curb these incidents, Okehampton Town Council has installed CCTV within the park and in other key areas of the town which Simmons Park park keeper said has reduced the amount of vandalism in the park. Last week, the town council agreed to write a letter to Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez to ask for her help in tackling the ongoing problems with anti-social behaviour.

Anti-social behaviour can be reported by calling the police on 101 or via their website at www.devon-cornwall.police.uk.

To report a crime anonymously, contact Crimestoppers, which will then pass the information about the crime to the police.