Police crack down on travelling criminals

Nov 8 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal

TRAVELLING criminals were targeted by police last night as the latest phase of a major crackdown on crime in Northumberland took to the county’s roads.

Northumbria Police officers used special number plate recognition equipment during the night-time operation aimed at hunting down lawbreakers and identifying suspect vehicles.

Working in a combination of marked and unmarked cars, they are utilising Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology which can scan thousands of car details every hour.

During this latest phase of the six-month crackdown, officers are patrolling throughout the county, in towns and villages as well as along the road network.

Last night Northumberland Area Commander, Chief Supt Kevin Lambert, said: “This is the latest in a number of operational tactics we are using to drive down crime in the coming months.

“Following on from Operation Conquest last week, we are now looking to target criminals who use our roads. We know that those who break the law often travel some distance to commit crime and these are the people we are after. Earlier this year we ran a week-long operation using ANPR technology, which proved highly effective in reducing crime. These devices help us identify vehicles and drivers connected with crime. This operation will enable us to build up our intelligence picture about who is using the roads and what they are doing. However, I would reassure innocent motorists they have nothing to worry about. This is all about denying criminals the use of the roads.”

Last week’s Operation Conquest was carried out to launch the six-month crackdown by the Northumberland Area Command, following an increase in the county’s crime rate this summer.

Almost 40 people were arrested during two days of raids which targeted suspected criminals involved in offences such as drug dealing, violent assaults, house burglaries, vehicle thefts and others. Officers swooped on addresses in Ashington, Bedlington, Blyth and Cramlington to kick-start a wide-ranging operation which will last well into 2009.

Last night’s operation was a smaller-scale version of June’s week-long Operation Lockdown, which saw Northumbria Police and three neighbouring forces come together to tackle travelling criminals preying on isolated rural communities in Northumberland.

Operation Lockdown involved Northumbria, Durham, Cumbria and Lothian and Borders police forces stopping 450 suspicious people and vehicles travelling around rural Northumberland at night.

Anyone with information which can help the crime crackdown is asked to contact Northumbria Police in confidence on 03456 043043.