Dewsbury resident hits out as £250,000 home estate becomes 'supermarket for criminals'

Jon Gardiner, who lives in the Amberwood Chase estate developed by Harron Homes, has collected CCTV images of criminal activity, from car theft to arson.

He said that instances of crime are reported on the estate every couple of days and that residents are becoming increasingly distressed by living on what he’s described as ‘a supermarket for criminals’.

Jon said: “Cars are going missing all the time. We feel like sitting ducks here and people who haven’t even been here for more than a few weeks are wanting to move.

“It’s a lovely new development. When it’s all done and dusted there will be lots of houses here and it’s stunning. These are houses costing £250,000 plus.

“But something needs to change to protect us. In just the past two weeks there have been cars taken, and fires at the building site in the middle of the night. It’s just ridiculous and it’s been going on far too long.

“You know full well that Harron Homes aren’t telling people about this sort of thing when they’re considering buying one of these places, why would they?

“But people need to know that this sort of thing is happening before they buy. There was a lovely couple that moved in just a few weeks ago and they had cars taken.

“It’s become a supermarket for criminals around here.”

A spokesperson for Harron Homes said: “We take the security of residents at our developments very seriously.

“At Amberwood Chase, we have installed a camera surveillance system on site, as well as employed security guards to monitor the development to deter and prevent any criminal activity.

“We have put a number of measures in place to prevent access while the site is closed, including post and haras fencing, daily boundary checks and concrete barriers to prevent vehicle access.

“We will continue to work closely with residents and local authorities to ensure the security of Amberwood Chase.”