Homeowners have been left shocked after police discovered a secret ‘brothel’ on their suburban quiet street.
Thames Valley Police raided a property in Oxford and arrested a 43-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman last Sunday.
The pair are suspected of using the semi-detached house as a brothel for prostitution.
Their arrests have surprised neighbours who described the street as ‘quiet with very little crime’.
One said: ‘It is a real surprise this kind of thing can happen here. This is a very quiet street with very little crime. There are a lot of families here.
‘We all keep to ourselves around here. I didn’t know the people who were arrested.
Thames Valley Police raided a property in Oxford and arrested a 43-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman who are suspected of using the semi-detached house as a brothel for prostitution
The force also obtained a closure order for the property from the courts
‘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 pair were arrestd.
‘It’s so shocking that something like this could be happening without us even knowing about it,’ she said.
But a 66-year-old local 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.’
The arrests 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.
Their arrests have surprised neighbours who described the street as ‘quiet with very little crime’
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 allows 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.’
