Crowbar digger found with knife

A man found to be carrying a knife after being spotted by police digging some ground with a crowbar has been jailed.

Vaidas Vasiliauskas, 42, was seen digging in bushes in Wheelyard, Peterborough city centre, by an officer from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) at about 3pm on Saturday (15 February).

Vasiliauskas, of Beckets Close, New England, Peterborough, was stop-searched and a kitchen knife was found in his rucksack, as well as a small bag of cocaine in his pocket.

He was sentenced to six months in prison after admitting possession of an offensive weapon, possession of a knife, and possession of cocaine at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Monday (17 February).

PC Kristian Bennett, who investigated, said: “Carrying a weapon, regardless of your reasoning, is completely unacceptable, and I am glad we were able to seize these items before they could have potentially been used in crime.

“I urge anyone with concerns for someone who may be in possession of a weapon to report it to us.”