Homeowners shock as cops discover 'secret brothel' on quiet suburban street

16 February 2024 , 12:35

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Police have issued a closure order on the property (Image: Police Handout)

Locals were left stunned after police busted a secret "brothel" on their peaceful suburban road that is supposedly “quiet with very little crime”.

Thames Valley Police arrested a man, aged 43, and a woman, aged 25, after they raided the semi-detached house in Oxford. It is believed the pair used the property for prostitution. However, homeowners living on the street said they had no idea about the seedy secret.

Neighbours insisted that their road was family friendly and said they have only experienced "rowdy behaviour" from a local pub, at most. However, others said the crime isn't as far-stretched as it seems as the wider area has previously been plagued with "drug dens".

One resident said: “This is a very quiet street with very little crime. There are a lot of families here. There is a pub down the road and that can lead to some rowdy behaviour. I wonder if it is fuelled by alcohol. We all keep to ourselves around here. I didn’t know the people who were arrested. Police have put a leaflet through my door asking us to contact them if we see anything, but I haven’t seen anything.”

A woman claimed police officers had knocked on her door and asked her questions after the arrests.“It’s so shocking that something like this could be happening without us even knowing about it,” she said. But a man, 66, said he was not surprised by the arrests. “Things like that have been going on in streets like this for years – it is nothing new,” he said. “We have had drug factories and drug dens just around the corner. “But things do seem to have gotten worse in recent years. There are different kinds of people who have moved into the area. There are fewer families.”

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Residents say the Oxford street is usually quiet (Google)

The arrests on Sunday came after police received reports of antisocial behaviour and criminality at the property. Officers with the Cowley neighbourhood policing team arrested the man and woman while “safeguarding” other individuals at the address. The suspects, who are both from Oxford, have been released on bail pending further investigation. The force also obtained a closure order for the property from the courts.

Closure powers allow police to quickly close premises which are being used to commit illegal activities or disorder. A police spokesperson said: "This will help to prevent criminality and further disruption to nearby residents. This closure order prevents people from entering the address and stops antisocial behaviour from taking place. People breaching this order will be arrested and taken to court."

Monica Charsley