Motorists blitzed in weekend operation

Steve Hayes

12 February 2010

MOTORISTS travelling through Alcester were blitzed as part of a special police operation this weekend.
A total of 17 vehicles were seized and seven people arrested as police conducted random number plate checks to catch criminals in an operation run jointly by Warwickshire Police, neighbouring forces and other organisation including HM Revenue and Customs and the DVLA.
The operation, based on the Birmingham Road on Saturday (February 7), was the biggest of its kind to have been led by special constables in the county.
During six hours 76 vehicles were brought in to be checked, four of which were seized for offences including no insurance and use of red diesel.
Three people were arrested - one on suspicion of possession of class A drugs, one on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle and one who had overstayed his permission to be in the country.
There were also more than 30 traffic offences detected with eight drivers receiving fixed penalty notices.
A host of technologies were used during the process including an ionscan - to detect the presence of drugs as well as hand held PDAs which allowed officers access to databases such as the Police National Computer (PNC) so that they could check credentials on the spot.
During the operation cameras were strategically located along key routes and any vehicles which registered a hit were intercepted and taken into a search area.
The operation was based in Rugby on Sunday where a further 96 vehicles were checked, 13 of which were seized and four people were arrested.
Inspector Lucy Sewell, from Warwickshire Police's Operations Task Force, said: "This was the Specials' first operation on such a large scale, and the first time working with a neighbouring force and other agencies. It has proved the value of working with neighbouring forces to tackle cross border crime."

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