Neighbours have been left in fear after a body was discovered in a quiet Earley cul-de-sac which has been reportedly been terrorised with crime and disorder.

A 59-year-old man was found dead at Heather Hill Close on Wednesday, July 26, Thames Valley Police confirmed. However, officers have reassured residents the death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

But despite such reassurance, neighbours say they have been left in fear after months of criminal behaviour including fears of 'cuckooing' -  a process where criminals may use a vulnerable person's home as their base of operations for activity such as drug dealing.

Residents have also reported street fights, thefts and slashed tyres and a particular home where visitors come and go at all times of the night.

Crimes reported to police recently include:

  • Reports of a naked man with a pole fighting a masked man with a knife in broad daylight
  • Car tyres being slashed
  • Reports of a parcel being stolen from outside a front door

Other safety fears reported by neighbours include suspicious men peering into houses at night, and vehicles blocking the roads

One neighbour, who didn’t want to be named in fear for their safety, said: “We’ve been begging police to do something about this.

“Parcels have been stolen, tyres have been slashed. People are coming at all times of the night, and there have been fights."

The neighbour also expressed fear for one of the local homeowners who they fear is at risk due to cuckooing.

Neighbours say they’ve contacted the council with safeguarding fears for the homeowner and complaints of anti-social behaviour.

READ MORE: Suspected drug dealers kicked out of Wokingham houses

Emails seen by the Chronicle confirm that Wokingham Borough Council officers visited the house in May to speak to the owner about litter in the street.

The authority also suggested that the owner has been offered support and a multi-agency anti-social behaviour panel apparently discussed the issues at a meeting in April.

But council officers told neighbours there wasn’t enough evidence of high level anti-social behaviour to support council action – and that any crimes were a matter for the police.

Wokingham Borough Council confirmed that it had “no live case” regarding homes in the cul-de-sac at the time of writing. And Thames Valley Police confirmed several reported crimes have been 'filed pending further information coming to light'.