A 19-year-old man has appeared before Newport Magistrates’ Court charged with robbing an Iceland supermarket in Caerphilly town.
Adam Mackie, of Pen y Cae, Caerphilly, is accused of robbing a large quantity of cash from the store, on Cardiff Road, on March 30, when two workers were opening the shop.
He spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth. No plea was entered.
The teenager was remanded in custody to appear before Newport Crown Court on May 1.
A 15-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of robbery is still in police custody. The store, on Cardiff Road, was closed all day yesterday as police carried out forensic examinations, but is back open today.
This incident, within 10 metres of residential homes,which is where this store is located, and, other incidents of crime and disorder in the heart of the residential streets of the town, are particular concern for residents, and the one way this criminality is highlighted is the the pockets of home and car owners in insurance premiums, CF83 being disprortionately amongst the mst expensive.
Residents recently applied to the Caerphilly Council to talk to them about increasing the existing network of CCTV in the town into other town trouble spots in the residential streets, BUT , with 20 minutes of our request to landing on the desk of the Responsible Officer for CCTV ( to whom our Email message had been diverted by the Council) wrtote to the us to say “NO CHANCE AT ALL”.
I then made further enquiries of the Commissioner,covering the UK for the Policing of CCTV asking for advise, he said that he would consider any resquests that the Council may make to protect residents and their property and for the safety of people using the residential streets. We are making a further request to speak to Councillors who make the decisions, and await a rsaponse,
The Commissioners however informed us that the CAERPHILLY COUNCIL has made a seperate application to his office (which an officer of CAERPHILLY council has denied) TO USE THE CURRENT CCTV CAMERAS FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF PARKING FINES. REMOTELY DEALING WITH ENFORCEMENT AND ISSUEING OF FINES ON MOTORISTS. The Commissioner also informed us that he has a team of officers coming to CAERPHILLY soon to “assess the situation” and how the Council use our CCTV for the benefit of the Community.
Perhapos better use of recording night-time activity in the town by the CCTV network may go some way to offering the Gwent Police better inteligence of what is really going on.
I remember the robbery of the NATIONWIDE BUILDING SOCIETY some years ago, right beneath three cameras of the towns CCTV , yet no footage of the robbery was taken. so perhaps it is not being operated and managed properly?. Perhaos, Hence the Commissioners intervention BEFORE he agrees for it to be used for the collection of fines from motorists.
With regard to the ICELAND incident residents really did see a welcome police intervention in the town, and have expressed appreciation to what they observed all day. The Gwent Police also have to be congratulated for such a rapid and positive response to this incident.