This week in the news you will have seen or read about an incident where a family mourn the loss of a loved one and a community comes to terms with a tragedy in it's midst.

I'm not talking about the dramatic events in Rothbury and Northumbria but I mean the sad death of Maria Lakatos in Bitterne Park.

Officers were at the scene soon after the incident and once again I pay tribute to the professionalism of the City's front line police and staff who dealt with this most distressing event. In the North it seems to me my police colleagues there are doing an amazing job and the photographs of PC David Rathband and his injuries must be in the mind of all those officers out on the search.

Let us hope that search is over soon and with no more tragic outcomes. In Southampton as the temperature continues to rise its good to be able to say that overall crime continues to fall and our summer anti-social behaviour campaign is having an effect.

If you have seen any of the effects of that work where you live, good or bad, please let me know.

Sadly we have seen an increase in burglaries over recent months and we know this is very much linked to people who have drug addictions and commit these crimes to pay for the drugs, mainly heroine, they crave. I'm not talking big numbers, usually no more than three or four burglaries a day across the whole city.

Not a lot but still too many but don’t let it be you if you could avoid it by being careful. We will carry on targeting these burglars and those who trade in drugs. Please take care of your homes and property especially if you are away for a holiday. Have a look here for some advice. On Sunday some other colleagues of mine will be taking part in the Race for Life. That includes staff who have overcome their own illness and some who have seen family members or friends taken away by cancer.

The Race for Life is always an amazing event and the sense of collective spirit and determination to do all we can to tackle the disease is profound.

I am pleased to know that my officers and staff who will be taking part are doing so proud of being identified as members of the Constabulary and proud to be part of the Southampton community. Good luck and thank you to them and all those who are running, walking, wheeling this year.