Five Arrests As Police And Council Crack Down On Crime In Romford

6th July 20266th July 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments min read

A major multi agency operation saw police, Havering Council and local partners join forces to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour across Romford town centre as part of Antisocial Behaviour Awareness Week.

The Day of Action took place on Thursday 2 July and brought together Havering Council enforcement officers, Havering Police, PCSOs, Romford BID, and security teams from Liberty Shopping Centre, Mercury Mall and The Brewery to provide a highly visible presence throughout the town.

The operation began with a joint briefing at the Salvation Army centre in Romford High Street before teams deployed across the town centre to target antisocial behaviour, street begging, rough sleeping and fly tipping.

The day produced significant results, including:

• Five arrests for offences including assault, theft, breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order, possession of Class A drugs and failing to appear at court.

• Six stop and searches.

• Five crime reports, including shoplifting, possession of Class A drugs and assaulting a police officer.

• One missing person located safe and well.

Officers also spoke with local businesses and members of the public following concerns about nuisance behaviour, including groups intimidating shoppers and reports of water pistols being aimed at members of the public.

As part of the wider campaign, community safety officers and police officers also visited Hornchurch High Street, offering crime prevention advice to businesses and residents while encouraging people to report antisocial behaviour.

Councillor Terry Brown, Havering’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection and Planning, said the Council remains committed to working alongside the police to tackle crime and make the borough’s town centres safer.

He said: “We want to help make our borough safe for our residents and our visitors. We won’t tolerate antisocial behaviour and will continue to support the police in cracking down on those who commit crime in our borough. These partnership days also allow us to work closely with businesses, residents and visitors to help prevent crime and make Havering a safer place for everyone.”

Joint patrols covered Romford town centre, Liberty Shopping Centre, Mercury Mall, The Brewery and the area surrounding Romford Station.

Romford BID Director Julie Frost praised the partnership, saying the coordinated approach provides reassurance to businesses and visitors while proactively tackling crime and antisocial behaviour.

Inspector Peter Kirk from Havering Police added that the day was about more than enforcement, highlighting the importance of agencies working together and engaging directly with businesses and residents to address local concerns.

The operation formed part of Antisocial Behaviour Awareness Week, which runs from 29 June to 5 July, with partners continuing to work together to keep Havering’s town centres safe, welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.