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South Yorkshire Police: 'Operation has made its impact'
OPERATION Impact has yielded results and improved public confidence, police claimed this week as the cross-county crime crackdown came to a conclusion.
About 50 officers were involved on Monday, when three teams targeted car crime in the Rother Valley West area, checking vehicles and turning up five arrests.
The scheme marks the end of the eight-week operation, which has seen South Yorkshire Police working with their colleagues from West and North Yorkshire, Humberside and Notts.
"One of the arrests on Monday was someone wanted for a serious assault," said Insp Richard Scholey.
"This illustrates the cross-border aspect, and it's exactly what we were looking for."
A team of about a dozen officers were based on Thurcroft's Green Arbour Road, specifically concentrating on commercial vehicles. Customs and excise officers dipped more than 100 vehicles, fining one driver 500 for using red diesel.
Meanwhile, two other teams were patrolling the area, using number plate recognition technology to immediately identify motorists breaking the law.
"It also enables us to pick up a lot of intelligence," said Insp Scholey. "We can track people who are already known to us, and that lets us know where we need to be putting in resources."
"The overall aim of Operation Impact was to increase public confidence, and I'm pleased with how it's gone. We are currently in the process of surveying people in the areas where we've been working to see what they have to say."
Sgt Mark Worrall, from the Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT), was among the officers based on Green Arbour Road this week.
"We're checking for red diesel, and any other offences," he said. "We've been looking at commercial vehicles, the 'white van man' if you like, and just anything else of that nature."
"There are only certain locations around where we can do these kinds of operations, based on road speeds, officer safety and suitable locations."
"We've tried to spread them across the area, so we've been to Catcliffe and Dinnington. But we didn't want Thurcroft to miss out."
He added: "The reaction from motorists has been very mixed, from the average person who has ordinary diesel and we detain them for about two minutes, then it's not a problem."
"But then some of the ones we catch for the offences ask us if we've nothing better to do – it's a fairly standard line we get."
Supt Richard Tweed, who headed up the operation, said: "South Yorkshire Police will be working together with our partners and officers from across the Yorkshire and Humber region to tackle the roads policing issues that matter most to our local communities."
"Through intelligence-led policing methods, we will be targeting those travelling criminals who prey on our more vulnerable members of the community, and will be aiming to reduce the harm caused by the inconsiderate and illegal use of motor vehicles on our roads."
"This collaboration of resources will enable us to make a real impact on those issues that matter most within our local neighbourhoods."
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Weather for Dinnington
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Heavy snow
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
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