On Tuesday 29th September officers from West Cumbria conducted a traffic operation in Wigton following a number of complaints from the local community around anti-social driving in the town.
During the operation officers stopped 26 vehicles during the evening. Resulting in the following:
- Two traffic offence report for use of Mobile phones while driving
- One driver reported for summons driving at 53mph in a 30mph zone
- One driver reported for careless driving
- One section 59 – warning issued
- One drug wipe completed – passed
- One breath test completed – driver blew 20 at the road side.
- Four searches under section 23 MDA
- Four drivers dealt with for excessively loud exhausts
Inspector Steve Waddell said: “The operation was a great success and we will look to continue our activities in the area to tackle anti-social driving.
“I would continue to encourage people in Wigton to report such issues. The reports we receive are vital in helping us build up an accurate picture of what is happening.”
In the second part of the operation held on 30 September officers conducted a road block and targeted patrols in the rural areas, during this officers conducted
- Five stop searches
- Four section 18 searches
- Ten intel submissions
- Six cars stopped
Also during the operation officers stopped a car carrying three passengers and conducted a vehicle search, the occupants of the car were subsequently arrested.
- A 35-year-old woman from Silloth was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class C controlled drug and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and release under investigation.
- A 49-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class C controlled drug and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and release under investigation.
- A 42-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested on suspicion of possession of a class C controlled drug and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and release under investigation.
Inspector Steve Waddell added: “Operations such as this are vital in not only disrupting criminals who travel across county borders, but in gaining intelligence by engaging with the rural communities.
“Yesterday, engagement with the public was really positive – we gave crime prevention advice and gained lots of valuable intelligence from the vehicle stops.
“Targeting rural crime and keeping people safe are priorities for the neighbourhood policing teams in Cumbria.”
Anyone with any information or to report antisocial behaviour issues can contact police via reporting online – https://www.cumbria.police.uk/Report-It/Report-a-Crime/Non-Emergency-Crime-Online.aspx , email [email protected] or call us on 101.
Always call 999 in an emergency, when a crime is in progress.
