Rural crime police officers in Cambridgeshire joined the British Transport Police as part of a nationwide crackdown on metal theft and waste crime.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Rural Crime Action Team visited scrap metal dealers and vehicle dismantlers in an effort to reduce the number of thefts across the county.
The week of action ran from October 12 and focused on prevention, education and enforcement.
Throughout the week the team visited heritage sites including Wimpole Hall, Burghley Estate and Cambridge American Cemetery providing crime prevention advice and continued reassurance.
They joined forces with Huntingdonshire District Council to target vehicles transporting waste along the A428 corridor, stopping 12 vehicles to check their waste carrier licences.
Two were given instructions to produce the licence.
Sergeant Craig Flavell said: “This week of action is part of a continued effort by the force and partners to target issues that affect our rural communities including travelling criminality.
“We can’t be everywhere but we could be anywhere and, on this occasion, targeting those on our county borders.”
The week culminated with a day of enforcement in partnership with Essex Police, Hertfordshire Police and the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service.
The DVLA, DVSA, the Environment Agency, South Cambridgeshire District Council and Ringway and Highways England targeting travelling criminality.
Throughout the day, 38 vehicles, including trailers, caravans and construction machinery were stopped and examined and 42 drivers were prosecuted for speeding.
One was reported for driving without a licence, 65 drivers were reported for no tax, two drivers were reported for no MOT and three drivers reported for no licence and their vehicles seized.
One vehicle and one trailer was recovered for serious roadworthiness defects, one stolen car was seized and three were people arrested, two for theft of fuel and one for being wanted on warrant.
Superintendent Mark Cleland, British Transport Police’s national lead for metal crime, said: “The aim of the week was to put the positive work being done to tackle metal and waste crime in the spotlight, encourage people to report incidents and warn would-be offenders that we will take action against them.
“We’re working with partners across the entire country and throughout the metals recycling industry to target those who we suspect of flouting the law or operating outside of their licence.
“By taking a multi-agency approach, we are maximising our ability to identify those who are attacking our national infrastructure and historical buildings, making it harder for them to sell stolen metal and gain from their activities.”
If you see any suspicious activity, report it to the police by calling 101, or 999 if an offence is in progress.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here