Catapults.

Issued 12 October 2026

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.

Actioned 12 October 2026

Road safety issues.

Issued 12 October 2026

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.

Actioned 12 October 2026

Nuisance motorcycles.

Issued 12 October 2026

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.

Actioned 12 October 2026

Catapults.

Issued 17 July 2026

Officers have worked with the Rural Task Force to identify a juvenile male who had recently been involved in an incident involving wildlife crime in the Bethersden area. The juvenile has since been interviewed by officers whilst the investigation for wildlife crime offences. Officers have also worked with Neighbourhood Watch and the local Community Warden to identify several other youths linked to and involved in catapulting incidents across Bethersden and High Halden. As a result of this, home visits have been conducted as well as initial engagements with the parents. A separate juvenile from Great Chart has also been issued an acceptable behaviour agreement. This is an agreement of conditions between the police, their guardians and the juvenile, to address their offending, following catapult related crime in the Great Chart area.

On top of this there has been proactive patrolling in catapult hotspot areas raised by local residents. Two successful stop searches have also been conducted in the last quarter, resulting in the location of 3 catapults which have since been seized for destruction.

Actioned 30 September 2026

Road safety issues.

Issued 17 July 2026

Officers with the Special Constabulary have conducted speed checks and issued 7 Traffic Offence Reports for excess speed. These checks have been conducted in High Halden, Bethersden, Hothfield, Pluckley, Biddenden and Smarden. Following concerns raised by local residents and parish councils, two vehicles have been seized and recovered after having been stopped/located on the public road whilst being Notified Off-Road/SORN.

Following proactive patrolling within the Hothfield area, a driver stopped back in March for drug driving and reported for driving without insurance has since been charged to Court after forensic results confirmed that his blood levels were 16 times the legal limit for cocaine and has an upcoming court date.

Actioned 30 September 2026

Nuisance motorcycles.

Issued 17 July 2026

Following a stop search of a suspicious male in Hothfield, a motorcycle with no registration plate was located nearby and linked to a fail to stop incident from the previous day, where the bike was involved in a pursuit with Firearms officers before making off. This bike was recovered by the Neighbourhood Policing Team. We have also been engaging with the local community to develop intelligence and give crime prevention advice around nuisance motorcycles.

Officers attended a recent Housing Community Day hosted by Ashford Borough Council to offer advice and engage with residents and motorcyclists in Hothfield.

Actioned 30 September 2026