Officers in West Cumbria conducted operation Checkpoint last night (Sept 30). The operation, which is regularly conducted, targets organised crime groups who travel throughout the region committing crime such as theft and burglary, particularly in rural areas.
In the first part of the operation crime prevention officers spoke with 11 farms who agreed to the use of SmartWater forensic property marking kits to help protect their property.
In the second part of the operation 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 said: “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.”
