40 vehicles stopped in vehicle crackdown

Forty vehicles were stopped as part of a multi-agency operation to tackle driving offences along the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.

Cambridgeshire’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) and Wisbech’s Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) carried out Operation Chambers yesterday (4 December) alongside Norfolk Constabulary’s Op Moonshot team, to target the A47 and A1101 which connects the two counties.

Sergeant Tom Nuttall, from RCAT, said: “The aim was to check that vehicles were roadworthy, ensuring they have up-to-date tax and MOT, and the drivers were insured and held valid licences, as well as any vehicles using trailers were complying with road laws.”

The teams were spread around the area, where they intercepted vehicles and escorted them to Morrisons car park in Elm High Road, where checks could be carried out by the UK National Rural Crime Unit, DVLA, HMRC, Fenland District Council, and DataTag.

Over a six-hour period:

• 40 vehicles were stopped
• 72 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) hits for vehicles with no tax
• Seven vehicles seized – one was found to be stolen from West Midlands, four had no insurance (including two where the driver didn’t have a licence), and two were not taxed.
• 11 Traffic Offence Reports (TORs) were issued – one for an insecure load, one for using a mobile phone, one for no MOT, two for no tax, two for no licence, and four for no insurance
• Seven people were stop-searched – resulting in two arrests.
• One driver was found to be disqualified - he was interviewed at the scene and has been reported for the offences.

Six arrests were made:

• Deimantas Zamuska, 26, of no fixed address, was arrested and charged with theft from a shop, and is due to appear in court in January.
• A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft of motor vehicle, driving without insurance and driving without a licence. He remains in custody.
• A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft from a shop. He remains in custody.
• A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class B drugs, drug driving, and possession of an offensive weapon. He has been released under investigation.
• An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class B drugs. He has been released under investigation.
• A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drug driving. He has been released under investigation.

Sgt Nuttall added: “This was a successful operation which allowed us to work with partner agencies to tackle an issue that we know the community is concerned about.

“By doing these days of action, we are able to ensure that motorists are complying with road laws and remove drivers and unsafe vehicles from our roads.

“We hope this shows the community that we are listening to their concerns and will continue our work to make our roads a safer place.”