Five people have been arrested as police crack down on rural crime.
Cumbria police’s rural crime team took part in a region-wide operation earlier this month, which also included officers from Northumbria, Durham, Cleveland, North Yorkshire and Police Scotland.
In Cumbria, the rural crime team were supported by Special Constables, rural crime volunteers, Intelligence department, neighbourhood policing officers, response officers and the road policing unit.
In the county, officers stopped nearly 50 vehicles during the evening of November 15 and 10 were searched. Police said it followed a crime trend in the area where vans have been used to transport stolen agricultural machinery.
Officers also searched four people and submitted eight intelligence reports and arrested five people for drug and driving offences.
Rural crime team Sergeant Amanda McKirdy said: “We continue to see the value in working alongside our colleagues over the borders to target travelling criminals.
“Working together and communicating is key to making our county a hostile place for criminality.
“The collaboration through Operation Hawkeye allows us to continue to take firm action against those who commit crime here, resulting in support with arrests and property recovery.
“I’d also like to credit our dedicated volunteers and rural communities who remain committed to reporting suspicious activity and enabling our relentless pursuit of those not welcome here.”
