Month-long rural policing operation hailed a success, Teesdale Mercury

Police have hailed the success of an operation to target rural crime and promote road safety during one of Teesdale’s busiest periods of the year.

Five officers from the South Durham Road Policing Unit (RPU) were taken off their normal duties and dedicated to the dale for the month-long operation.

Working with Barnard Castle Police, officers from North Yorkshire and other agencies, the RPU used overt and covert techniques to recover eight stolen caravans worth £62,000, a stolen Land Rover, road roller, and a quad bike.

They dealt with 71 other offences, seized ten uninsured vehicles, and arrested nine people for offences 

including drink-driving, driving while disqualified, and dangerous driving.

During the operation, the five RPU officers worked alongside a number of other agencies, including  VOSA, HM Revenue and Customs, and the Environmental Crime Agency, on a series of ‘days of action’ on the A66.

As a result, four vehicles were seized, six people were fined for environmental crimes, VOSA issued eight prohibition notices, and there will be 44 prosecutions for various other offences.

And there were no serious road traffic accidents reported during the operation, which came to an end last week.

PC Samantha Stevens from the RPU said the operation was a “success”, as officers worked effectively with other agencies and provided a high visibility presence throughout the dale.

She said:  “The equipment used by the RPU aided in stopping countless vehicles of interest, which in itself led to arrests, but also lets travelling criminals know that the police knew they were out and about in the Teesdale area.”  

RPU officers and Barnard Castle Police also handed out high visibility chevron covers for Travellers to display of their caravans, to help prevent accidents. “This went a long way to creating a good relationship and opened up communications between the travellers and the police,” said PC Stevens.