Axminster Rural

Your Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) is a group of local police officers dedicated to serving your community. The team is made up of officers and PCSOs based in your area, supported by additional officers from the wider area.

We work closely with local authorities, community leaders and residents to decide our policing priorities for the area. This helps us to find useful, long-term solutions to local problems, while maintaining our wider focus on reducing crime across Devon and Cornwall.

Please find contact details for your Neighbourhood Policing Team provided below.

Please note that to report a crime or incident to Devon and Cornwall Police, please visit Devon & Cornwall Police or in an emergency, please dial 999.

Axminster Neighbourhood Team

Linda Ebdon

Police Constable

Phil Gray

Police Inspector

Ben Middleton

Police Constable

Jenny Palmer

Police Sergeant

Hayley Widger

Police Community Support Officer

Local Priority Issues

Priority	Action taken
Anti-Social Driving & Vehicle Offences The Axminster Neighbourhood Team and Devon and Cornwall Police are working to reduce the number of casualties and road traffic collisions in our area, through proactive work and positive action. Vehicle crime includes theft from motor vehicles, vehicles being driven without insurance and/or a valid driving licence, vehicle theft, unroadworthy vehicles, and drink and drug driving. Antisocial driving such as speeding, revving, loud music and large car meets also meets this criteria. Issued 14 October 2025	High visibility traffic operation and speed watch held on the A358 corridor between AXMINSTER and SEATON. Officers deployed in marked and unmarked vehicles and at a static location using the speed gun to monitor the speed of motorists. Motorists spoken with and given education and advice about their speed and manner of driving. Actioned 17 October 2025
Reduce Antisocial Behaviour Antisocial behaviour (ASB) is defined as 'behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person'. There are three main categories of ASB which depends on how many people are affected; personal ASB, nuisance ASB, and environmental ASB. This can include littering, noise, inconsiderate behaviour, nuisance calls, antisocial driving, abandoned vehicles, begging, and street drinking. To reduce and target ASB in the community the East Devon Neighbourhood team work with partner agencies such as East Devon Council, local schools, local shops, pubs, and Highways. Issued 14 October 2025	Members of the public had raised concerns about the anti-social use of bicycles in AXMINSTER. This included cyclists riding aggressively towards members of the public, deliberately cycling towards motorists and general dangerous cycling at night when it is much harder to be seen by other road users. As a result the Neighbourhood team organised a bike safety and security event at AXMINSTER SKATE PARK during the October half term. The aim of the event was to educate cyclists and also offer road safety advice as well as information about bike register and how to keep your bicycle secure. Actioned 28 October 2025
Drug Possession and Supply Drugs can have a devastating social impact on community life and on those who are dependent on them. It can lead to anti-social behaviour, violence, safeguarding concerns, and other crime. Community intelligence is invaluable to the Police, and without it would limit the ability to gain drug warrants and target offenders. Information from the public helps to prevent and detect crime, whilst ensuring the safeguarding and protection of our community. You may think that the information you hold will not be useful but it may be the final missing piece to the puzzle. If you suspect illegal activity in your area please report it via 101 online or by phone. Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. Issued 14 October 2025	Pubs Against Drugs operation involving officers from across Rural East Devon. Plain clothes officers attended a selection of pubs in AXMINSTER following concerns raised by publicans and members of the public. The aim of the evening was to disrupt low level drug use within licensed premises in the town. Thankfully no issues were noted on the night, and everyone was in good spirits. More operations to be held in the future as we continue to combat drug use in AXMINSTER and the surrounding area. Actioned 18 October 2025
Rural Crime & Engagement Rural crime is an issue for large areas of the country, but it tends to go unreported. It can impact on insurance premiums, food prices, the environment, and can damage local communities. The Axminster Neighbourhood Team are conducting a visible presence in the rural community to offer reassurance and crime prevention. The aim is to improve connectivity with the rural communities and provide education to users of our beautiful countryside. This includes attending rural events to gain knowledge about the issues effecting the rural communities and to offer the crime prevention advice. Issued 14 October 2025	The AXMINSTER neighbourhood team has carried out high visibility patrols throughout our rural communities when possible. This will continue as we aim to disrupt rural crime and continue to build links with our rural communities. Actioned 31 October 2025

Priority

Action taken

Anti-Social Driving & Vehicle Offences

The Axminster Neighbourhood Team and Devon and Cornwall Police are working to reduce the number of casualties and road traffic collisions in our area, through proactive work and positive action.

Vehicle crime includes theft from motor vehicles, vehicles being driven without insurance and/or a valid driving licence, vehicle theft, unroadworthy vehicles, and drink and drug driving. Antisocial driving such as speeding, revving, loud music and large car meets also meets this criteria.

Issued 14 October 2025

High visibility traffic operation and speed watch held on the A358 corridor between AXMINSTER and SEATON. Officers deployed in marked and unmarked vehicles and at a static location using the speed gun to monitor the speed of motorists.

Motorists spoken with and given education and advice about their speed and manner of driving.

Actioned 17 October 2025

Reduce Antisocial Behaviour

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) is defined as 'behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person'. There are three main categories of ASB which depends on how many people are affected; personal ASB, nuisance ASB, and environmental ASB. This can include littering, noise, inconsiderate behaviour, nuisance calls, antisocial driving, abandoned vehicles, begging, and street drinking.

To reduce and target ASB in the community the East Devon Neighbourhood team work with partner agencies such as East Devon Council, local schools, local shops, pubs, and Highways.

Issued 14 October 2025

Members of the public had raised concerns about the anti-social use of bicycles in AXMINSTER. This included cyclists riding aggressively towards members of the public, deliberately cycling towards motorists and general dangerous cycling at night when it is much harder to be seen by other road users.

As a result the Neighbourhood team organised a bike safety and security event at AXMINSTER SKATE PARK during the October half term.

The aim of the event was to educate cyclists and also offer road safety advice as well as information about bike register and how to keep your bicycle secure.

Actioned 28 October 2025

Drug Possession and Supply

Drugs can have a devastating social impact on community life and on those who are dependent on them. It can lead to anti-social behaviour, violence, safeguarding concerns, and other crime.

Community intelligence is invaluable to the Police, and without it would limit the ability to gain drug warrants and target offenders. Information from the public helps to prevent and detect crime, whilst ensuring the safeguarding and protection of our community. You may think that the information you hold will not be useful but it may be the final missing piece to the puzzle. If you suspect illegal activity in your area please report it via 101 online or by phone. Alternatively, you can report information anonymously to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

Issued 14 October 2025

Pubs Against Drugs operation involving officers from across Rural East Devon. Plain clothes officers attended a selection of pubs in AXMINSTER following concerns raised by publicans and members of the public.

The aim of the evening was to disrupt low level drug use within licensed premises in the town.

Thankfully no issues were noted on the night, and everyone was in good spirits. More operations to be held in the future as we continue to combat drug use in AXMINSTER and the surrounding area.

Actioned 18 October 2025

Rural Crime & Engagement

Rural crime is an issue for large areas of the country, but it tends to go unreported. It can impact on insurance premiums, food prices, the environment, and can damage local communities.

The Axminster Neighbourhood Team are conducting a visible presence in the rural community to offer reassurance and crime prevention. The aim is to improve connectivity with the rural communities and provide education to users of our beautiful countryside. This includes attending rural events to gain knowledge about the issues effecting the rural communities and to offer the crime prevention advice.

Issued 14 October 2025

The AXMINSTER neighbourhood team has carried out high visibility patrols throughout our rural communities when possible. This will continue as we aim to disrupt rural crime and continue to build links with our rural communities.

Actioned 31 October 2025

What members in Axminster Rural are saying are the issues in the area:

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