Often unseen and under-reported, crimes carried out on historic sites are now being tackled through a initiative led by English Heritage. A study published by the organisation last November suggested that the problem is growing and that reported casesare only the tip of the iceberg. Arson, architectural theft, removal of artefacts from protected sites and vehicle nuisance posed the greatest threats, it found. Kent Police chief inspector Mark Harrison has worked on secondment with English Heritage since March last year and his work has led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding which sets out responsibilities between itself, Crown Prosecution Service and the Association of Chief Police Officers in tackling the problem. It is hoped that this will create more opportunities to charge and prosecute individuals for heritage offences. Three local authorities have also signed, and others are being encouraged to do so.
展开▼
