Abandoned Oxfordshire home used as drugs den shut down

Police said frequent anti-social behaviour and drug taking was “persistent” in the home at an undisclosed location in the Wantage and Grove area.

Officers secured a closure order for the home on Thursday, March 19, the locks were changed and nobody is allowed inside anymore, Thames Valley Police stated this afternoon (March 26).

If caught breaking a closure order, trespassers could see themselves being arrested.

READ MORE: New Oxford ‘no left turn’ camera at roundabout generates £600k in fines

A police spokesman said: “Over recent months, we’ve issued eight closure orders—most of them aimed at protecting vulnerable people who were being taken advantage of.

“Safeguarding remains at the heart of our work. But on March 19, we issued a very different type of closure order.

“This order was directly linked to persistent anti‑social behaviour coming from an address in the heart of our community.

“The property had been abandoned by its tenant and taken over by individuals using it as a place to take drugs and cause disruption for local residents.

“As part of the closure order, no one is permitted to enter the premises for the duration of the order.

“The locks have now been changed, and the housing association will be taking further action to ensure the address can no longer be used in a way that harms our community.

“We remain committed to keeping Wantage and Grove safe and will continue to take decisive action whenever it’s needed.”