Free burglary advice talks run in Borehamwood on 29 Sept and 28 Oct and in Radlett on 6 Oct, after two men were arrested over a Potters Bar burglary.
Hertfordshire Police is running free talks on keeping burglars out, starting in Borehamwood next Tuesday. The first is at 6pm on 29 September at the council’s Civic Offices.
The force announced the talks on 23 September. The next day it reported two arrests after a suspected aggravated burglary in Potters Bar. An officer said burglaries often rise “as the evenings get darker”.
When and where the talks are
The dates, from the force’s announcement:
| Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 29 September | 6pm | Hertsmere Borough Council Offices, Borehamwood |
| Tuesday 6 October | 12pm to 2pm | Phillimore Community Hall, Radlett |
| Wednesday 28 October | 6pm | Hertsmere Borough Council Offices, Borehamwood |
The two Borehamwood talks are run by the force’s Crime Prevention Team. They will mainly cover home burglary, with advice on vehicle security and personal safety as well. The Hertsmere Neighbourhood Policing Team will be there too, so you can raise local policing issues with them. Each talk ends with questions from the floor.
The Radlett session is hosted by the Neighbourhood Policing Team.
The force asks people to register their interest using an online form.
PCSO Daniel Lewis, of the Hertsmere Neighbourhood Policing Team, said most people in Hertfordshire were unlikely to experience crime. “But there are things you can do to deter opportunist criminals and further reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime,” he said.
Two arrests in Potters Bar
Officers were called at 3.30pm on Monday 21 September to a report of a suspected aggravated burglary in Shillitoe Avenue, Potters Bar. Within ten minutes, they found and arrested two suspects, according to the force’s statement.
The force said:
- a 26-year-old man from Potters Bar was arrested on suspicion of burglary, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of a class C drug, and failing to appear at court
- a 32-year-old man from Potters Bar was arrested on suspicion of burglary and harassment
Both men have been bailed while enquiries continue. Nobody has been charged.
PC Rhys Folley, of the Hertsmere Response Team, said officers were “working to establish if the suspects were known to the victim”. He added: “We often see an increase in burglaries as the evenings get darker.”
What the figures show
We counted the burglaries recorded on police.uk for Hertsmere’s three police neighbourhood areas: Bushey and Radlett, Borehamwood and Elstree, and Potters Bar and Shenley. The data is published by the Home Office and runs to July 2026.
The pattern matches what PC Folley described:
- burglaries climbed from 35 in August 2025 to 50 in November, the highest month in the period
- 446 burglaries were recorded across the borough in the 12 months to June 2026
- July 2026 had 19, half the 38 recorded in July 2025
Borehamwood and Elstree had the most of the three areas in most months. Its highest month was May 2026, with 21. The police.uk figures place each crime at the nearest mapped street or landmark, not an exact address. They cover homes and business premises alike.
What it means for you
- Book a place at one of the talks through the force’s form. They are free.
- Check your home before the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October. The force publishes its own crime prevention advice.
- To report a crime, contact Hertfordshire Police online or on 101. In an emergency, call 999.
- Sign up to Herts Connected, the force’s community messaging service, to get local police alerts. Choose “police” when you register.
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