Every week Chief Superintendent Michael Gallagher, Brent Police borough commander, writes a column to inform Times readers about the latest policing activity happening in the borough. Today he talks about a number of recent success stories.

It is half term from Monday and while many of you will be enjoying time off work with your children, it is business as usual on Brent borough for the police, with the Neighbourhood Teams working tirelessly to keep you safe.

Our emergency response teams will of course be there to help you and the CID will continue to provide investigative support to their uniform colleagues. Everyday across London police officers do excellent work. Brent is no exception. Whilst I could not possibly attempt to update you on all the good work done on a daily basis by my officers, I would like to highlight a few recent investigations that shows what my staff do day-to-day.

Many of you may well know that the Safer Neighbourhood Teams regularly conduct street briefings with residents across the borough. Last September, following a burglary in the Sudbury Court Drive area, officers from the Northwick Park Safer Neighbourhood Team were conducting such a street briefing when they spotted two males on bicycles looking into houses. PCs Gail Stanton and Fionnuala Kennedy stopped them.

They were found to be in possession of a glass hammer, thick gloves and one had a screwdriver. Suspecting that the men were looking to commit burglaries, the officers arrested both for going equipped to steal.

As a result of the investigation that followed, Reece Carrington, aged 22, and Marcus McLarthy, aged 20, where charged.

At Willesden Magistrates’ Court, both men were found guilty and will be sentenced later this month.

I would like to share with you the work of one of my probationary constables Pete Howes, who recently investigated a complicated series of frauds involving the use of counterfeit credit cards.

The officer identified the premises involved, obtained a search warrant and on searching the property found, concealed behind wooden panels, numerous counterfeit credit cards and counterfeiting machines, as well as other evidence.

PC Howes’ investigation led to a 30-year-old man being charged with four counts of making or supplying articles for use in fraud and three other linked offences including attempting to pervert the course of justice. This was a complex job undertaken by a probationary constable to his credit.

He is due to appear at Crown Court later this year.

Another recent investigation worthy of mentioning is from the last London-wide ‘Operation Big Wing’ last month where Brent officers searched an address in Harrow and found a moped stolen the night before from an address in Brent.

The occupier of that house Anthony Sakho, aged 19, of Falcon Way, Harrow was arrested.

The investigation led to Sakho being charged with three counts of theft of mopeds. He was put before a court and pleaded guilty. He awaits sentence.

Finally, let me give you an update on police operations I mentioned last week. ‘Operation Bumblebee’, the London-wide burglary operation, has just come to an end. The operation ran from October 2014 and ended on Sunday, 1 February. Police in Brent activities in the operation, from hunting down five burglars who were wanted by the police and the courts to high visibility patrols and inspection visits to every second-hand shop in the borough, has helped the borough to a 17% reduction in burglary compared to last year

Last week the Met Police launched ‘Operation Endeavour’ which is focused on keyless thefts of motor vehicles. Unfortunately Brent Borough does suffer from these types of crime and our advice includes:

Using a good quality steering wheel lock or a gear stick lock.

Consider getting an on-board diagnostics lock (OBD) professionally fitted.

Parking your vehicle in a well-lit area, a garage, a staffed car park or in an area covered by CCTV.

Double-checking the vehicle is locked when leaving it even for a moment.

Consider purchasing a tracking device to increase the chances of the vehicle being traced if it is stolen.

As part of Operation Endeavour your neighbourhood Policing Teams have been tasked to give out leaflets in the wards most affected by vehicle crime. In addition Brent Borough participated in a day of action on Thursday, 5 February stopping vehicles with colleagues across London in an effort to reduce this type of criminal activity. The work in Brent resulted in five cars being seized and two people arrested for criminal offences.