Dawlish Discussion

A man who was being hunted by Devon and Cornwall Police after an axe raid robbery at a holiday park in Dawlish last summer has been arrested in Bath.

Dean Smart, 27, of Southlands was arrested with another man after they were seen in a vehicle in Englishcombe Lane on Tuesday afternoon, 8th April.

Smart is wanted in connection with a robbery at the Golden Sands Holiday Park in Dawlish Warren in the early hours of August 27th, 2013.

In February Devon and Cornwall police issued a public appeal for help to find him and the case also appeared on BBC Crimewatch in March.

See more:http://www.nowbath.co.uk/news/devon-axe-raid-robbery-man-arrested-bath-56036/

Another not great advert for tourists thinking about staying at a holiday park.

Oh dear. Mrs C will object to this thread as it is very negative for Dawlish, as in her eyes, only nice things happen here.

@Clive, it's news in dawlish.  it's for people who live here as well as those visiting.

Yes, never a bad thing to learn about these things to be safer.

It happens anywhere (e.g. Madeline McCann) I guess it just seems more poignant when then victims are on holiday, maybe having naturally dropped their guard.

Clive, it was the holiday park business that was robbed, not holidaymakers. 

Was linking to the boy attack thread.  i.e. 2xholiday parks.

i.e. the natural instinct is to steer away from anything negative to do with security howsoever the detail, particularly if paying customers.

@Clive - perhaps if people hadn't steered away from the negative, these rapes wouldn't have happened.  i'm very angry about this case for various reasons and can't abide it when things are swept under the carpet.  apologies if the news upset you but the content was alluded to in the title.

@flo - no probs. whether axe robberies or the boys, it is increasingly hard to be surprised albeit nevertheless shocking particularly when in a holiday context.  transparency, daylight, sensitive advice to young children and publicity on forums/newspapers are all vital tools in prevention.  i remember being told as a boy never to get in a stranger's car, but not why or even that non-strangers are actually more likely to be a perpetrator.

I couldn't agree more that sweeping things under the carpet is so wrong in successful detection and prevention.  Two of the most shocking things about the JSaville case were, a) staff at the children's hospitals knowing exactly what he was up to as they used to tell children to 'pretend to be asleep' when he did his rounds and b) the girl who was locked in solitary confinement by staff for reporting having been molested.

The film, 'The Magdalene Sisters' was perhaps one of the most watershed moments of grasping the nettle rather than perpetuating steering away from the truth.