Tasburgh man frustrated with Norfolk police after break-ins

Retired lorry driver Marcus Davison has lived in Lower Tasburgh with his wife, Mary, for 55 years.

Now he has spoken out after two of his storage units - one in Tharston and one in Tasburgh - suffered break-ins within just a few weeks of each other, in attacks believed to be random.

"I'm at my wit's end," said Mr Davison.

"I'm an old, infirm and vulnerable man.

"I can't handle this."

The storage locker's door was bent out of shape and a concrete brick used to hold it open (Image: Denise Bradley)

Mr Davison reported the thefts to Norfolk police and received crime reference numbers for each.

However, while an officer visited him following the first theft from a storage unit on February 25, he was told after reporting the second crime that no one would be visiting the site of the second break-in, reported on March 16.

As part of the incidents, Mr Davison has had two bikes stolen and seen significant damage to the units, costing him thousands of pounds.

At the second site, an angle grinder was used to cut through part of the metal lock, before the perpetrators bent the metal door so that they could have a look inside.

"The police said that they think it was kids," said Mr Davison.

"What kid do you know that can handle an angle grinder and carry concrete blocks up there?

"It is all a load of nonsense."

Mr Davison had been unwilling to secure the locker, in the hope that police officers may turn up and investigate the damage.

Mr Davison believes that an angle grinder was used to damage part of the bolt on the door (Image: Denise Bradley)

Now, he has given up hope and has started emptying the rest of his belongings from the storage unit.

According to UK Crime stats, Norfolk Constabulary had 2,065 reports of burglaries between January 2023 and January 2024 and 871 bike thefts reported.

Data released by Norfolk Police at the start of 2023 revealed that more than half of the thefts reported between 2021 and 2022 went unsolved and the cases closed.

After three trips to the constabulary's HQ in Wymondham, multiple phone calls and writing to chief constable Paul Sanford, police and crime commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie and South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon, Mr Davison has given up hope.

Norfolk chief constable Paul Sanford (Image: Jason Bye)

"Nobody wants to know about it," he said.

"I've never done anything to anybody, but what we have worked hard for has been taken.

"Why do we pay all these police officers when they don't help us?"

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A Norfolk police spokesman said: "An investigation was carried out by officers into both cases.

"All lines of enquiry have since been exhausted and both cases have been closed.

"Of course, we would always review any new information provided to us.

"We have received a letter from the victim which is being reviewed and officers from South Norfolk Safer Neighbourhood Team will be contacting them."

Mr Davison has now emptied the storage unit (Image: Denise Bradley)

During his time living in Lower Tasburgh, Mr Davison said he has had a car stolen and burned out on the side of the road, as well as a trailer that was taken from a secure site and left abandoned on a stranger's driveway. 

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After his trailer was stolen, Mr Davison managed to track it down and return it to his home. 

However, he is now in his 80s and has poor health.

Norfolk's police and crime commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie (Image: Newsquest)

"I'm old now," he said.

"It is so stressful and I can't do anything about it.

"My hands are tied."

The office of Norfolk's police and crime commissioner was also contacted for comment.