Joining forces to tackle crime

Surrey Police and Thames Valley Police recently joined forces to tackle cross-border crime in an operation to crack down on criminals travelling between the counties to commit offences.

Officers were out in force last month and are warning would-be offenders that more operations are being planned for the near future.

The idea was first put into practice on 21 December 2009, when officers armed with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras took up positions on the A322 at Lightwater, the A30 at Camberley and the A321 at Sandhurst.

Thousands of cars passed through the cameras between 11am and 3.30pm, allowing police to gather valuable intelligence on a number of vehicles. Three of the drivers stopped were required to present their documents at a police station within a week after roadside checks failed to demonstrate correct paperwork and another was made to fix a technical fault with their car, or face prosecution. Two motorists were given verbal warnings for the manner of their driving.

Surrey Heath Neighbourhood Sergeant Sandra Carlier said: “The purpose of this type of joint working is to stop criminals from crossing county borders by cutting off the main access routes.

“ANPR technology instantly flags up cars that are known to be linked to criminal activity so officers can monitor the movements of offenders, limiting their ability to carry out crimes undetected.

“We hope to carry out more of these operations in the near future, so anyone looking to cause trouble in our county should take note and think again.”

Ref AW/09

For more information call the West Surrey Press Office at Guildford on 01483 630262

E-mail: wpressoffice@surrey.pnn.police.uk

Call 0845 125 2222 for all non-emergency policing matters.

Call 999 if you have a genuine emergency requiring the attendance of the police (eg a crime is in progress or someone is in immediate danger).

For up-to-date news see our website at: www.surrey.police.uk

North West Surrey Police, Direct Line 01483 655785