A TAVISTOCK resident this week hit out at police staffing levels, following a break in at his Monksmead home. Andrew Barrowman, 63, said it took police three quarters of an hour to respond to his call, after intruders broke into his garden. Mr Barrowman said there were no police available in Tavistock and an officer was sent from Ivybridge to deal with the incident. He said: ?If someone had actually broken into the house and attacked us, what chance would we stand?? Mr Barrowman said Monday night?s break in was the third incident he has suffered in the last few weeks. Garden ornaments have been taken from his garden and a ransom note left in their place, on another occasion, two stone animals were stolen. ?All our garden chairs were thrown into the canal and they cut the wires to our garden lights,? said Mr Barrowman. ?I just don?t think the police are manned enough to deal with situations when they occur. ?Nothing was taken last night because my wife saw them in the garden, and they didn?t get a chance. ?They are just watching us and as soon as we go to bed, they move in ? we just don?t need this at our time of life.? Mr Barrowman said he was now considering installing security lights around the property. Inspector Kara Sherwood-Davies of West Devon police said the closest officer to the area attended the incident and was on the scene within 20 minutes. ?It might have been an officer from Ivybridge but if he was in the north of the patch, it would have been quicker than getting a local officer who was on the outer boundary of our patch,? said Inspector Sherwood-Davies. ?Obviously we have an ongoing problem here ? I will speak to the crime prevention officer to give Mr Barrowman advice. ?There are ongoing investigations into the previous offences involving the local beat manager,? she said.
