Police stop 50 vehicles in rural crime crackdown

More than 50 vehicles were stopped as part of an operation to disrupt criminality and crackdown on rural crime.

Cambridgeshire’s Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) carried out Operation Chambers last week (5 November) alongside Essex Police’s Rural Engagement Team (RET) and the UK National Rural Crime Unit targeting road networks connecting Cambridgeshire with Essex.

The aim was to check vehicle identification and compliance, complete high-visibility patrols of road networks and stop vehicles towing machinery to check for stolen agricultural machinery, horseboxes and caravans.

The team were stationed on the M11 where they intercepted vehicles and escorted to the Imperial War Museum car park where checks could be carried out by ANPR hub, DVSA, DVLA, HMRC Mobile Enforcement Team and Fraud Investigation Service, Environment Agency, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Motor Insurance Bureau, and Data Tag.

Over the six-hour period, more than 50 vehicles were stopped and the results included:

One man from Ely was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and driving whilst under the influence after failing a drug swipe for cannabis.

A £520 fine for using red diesel issued by the HRMC

Stolen property recovered, including a trailer stolen earlier this year

Many vehicles were reported for being overweight, having no MOTs and trailer defects

Vehicles seized for on tax and insurance

Agricultural, construction and leisure equipment check to ensure correct ownership

Sergeant Tom Nuttall, from the RCAT, said: “This was another successful operation where we were able to work with partner enforcement agencies to target drivers that might be involved in rural crime.

“It is important we remove drivers and vehicles off the road which aren’t safe and could cause accidents.

“We conduct this operation various times throughout the year across different locations in Cambridgeshire and will continue to ensure vehicles and drivers are legally safe on the roads and not using them to commit rural crime.”