Aldridge

Local priority -
Issue: Reducing and preventing incidents of shop thefts providing local retailers and businesses with reassurance and advice to help their staff stay safe and take positive action against anyone intent on committing crime in the village.
Location: Aldridge Shopping Centre, Anchor Road and High Street.

August 2026 update -

Officers have continued with discussions with local retailers and businesses to allow any concerns and issues they have with theft to be dealt with and a visible presence by local officers in the problem areas to reduce offending. Further engagement has also taken place to provide a reassuring presence within Anchor Road, High Street, Anchor Parade and Precinct, to continue with the increased police presence within the shopping centre as part of our ongoing business patrol and engagement strategy speaking with shop staff and customers and working with the management centre.

We are seeing a steady reduction in shop thefts within the area compared to reports from 2025 and continue to work with partner agencies and local businesses to reduce these figures going forward.

This week Walsall Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Sam Batey also met with Aldridge MP Wendy Morton to discuss the concerns of local residents and businesses and how the local policing team are addressing the issues raised.

Local priority -
Issue: Speeding and racing of vehicles.
Location: Queslett Road.

August 2026 update -
Liaising with our Road Harm Prevention Team and CCTV speed van team to sporadically position their speed vans around Queslett Road to reduce road harm and offending.
Local police team have continued to carry out patrols around the area and provide a presence to help reduce the risk and provide reassurance to the community.
A number of officers have now been speed laser gun trained to actively focus patrols at this location and have secured the equipment to identify offending vehicles whilst in the area and action appropriately.
The local police team have completed a speed awareness operation in association with the West Midlands Fire Service to identify and educate drivers driving over the speed limit with the use of VR technology and further similar operations are planned in the coming months.

Local priority -
Issue: Incidents of Antisocial Behaviour (ASB)
Location: KFC, Walsall Wood

September 2026 update -
The local policing team have had recent reports of youth ASB around KFC and are continuing to conduct visible patrols around this location following previous issues around the wider Oak Park area during the Spring and Summer months. It appears issues have now arisen at this location with concerns around antisocial behaviour highlighted. We are engaging with and educating any youths encountered in the area. Along with reassurance patrols being carried out in this hotspot location we have facilitated regular police drop-in surgeries at Oak Park Leisure Centre foyer for local people to attend and speak with officers about their concerns. The team are looking into CCTV enquiries to identify youths involved. We are also working in association with partner agencies such as Walsall Council. Targeted patrols in this area will continue.