A Hatfield man has been charged with a number of offences, including theft and possession of a knife, after he was arrested in the town.

At around 7.30pm on Saturday, March 23, Operation Oarlock officers in an unmarked vehicle spotted a man acting suspiciously in Goldings Crescent.

James Gibson, of Link Walk, was arrested and charged with theft, vehicle interference, going equipped for theft, possession of a knife, and refusing to provide a sample for a class A drug test on arrest.

A number of tools and other items were also seized.

The 38-year-old appeared at Hatfield Magistrates’ Court yesterday (March 25) and he was remanded into custody to await his trial.

"I hope this news reassures residents that we are taking action to make your neighbourhood safer," said Sergeant Robert Wilson, from the Welwyn Hatfield Neighbourhood Policing Team.

"As part of Operation Oarlock, we are carrying out regular high visibility and plain clothed patrols to tackle criminality in the area.

"The patrols are proving beneficial not just for making arrests and deterring offenders but they give us the opportunity to gather and build up intelligence. Our patrols are also a chance for us to speak to residents and give them advice.

"We are continuing to work hard with all the local partners involved in the Safer Streets project. Last month, we worked with Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council to secure a partial closure order on a property in Link Walk where we had previously carried out a drugs warrant.

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"The order was granted under Section 80 (5) of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014. It means that visitors are banned from entering the property for three months.

"I would like to remind locals to carry on reporting any concerns so that we can take action. Don’t forget, you can also speak anonymously to Crimestoppers who will pass the information to us whilst making sure you cannot be identified.

"Finally, don’t forget you can join our new community messaging platform Herts Connected to stay up-to-date with our latest news about the Safer Streets project. It goes live on Monday 1 April and you can sign up at hertsconnected.co.uk."

Operation Oarlock is dedicated to tackling anti-social behaviour, drugs and vehicle theft in hotspot locations in Hatfield.