Five arrested and firearm seized on second day of police operation
The second day of a police operation aimed at disrupting and preventing night-time criminality across Shropshire saw five suspects arrested following a police pursuit.
Day two of Operation Vulture took place on Thursday 20 June in south Shropshire and saw officers stop-checking vehicles and occupants where there were grounds to do so and using Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems to target individuals believed to be associated with criminal activity.
One suspicious vehicle was identified as having cloned number plates. Police carried out a pursuit to try to apprehend the vehicle and its occupants, however the suspects' vehicle collided with a hedge and the occupants fled into nearby fields. A National Police Air Service helicopter was used to track the five suspects who were all located and arrested a short time later. A firearm was also seized a few metres away from the vehicle.
Officers also arrested an individual on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs, possession of an offensive weapon, driving without insurance, a valid MOT certificate or a valid driving license. Their vehicle was subsequently seized.
A further arrest was made in connection with driving under the influence of drugs and another individual was issued a ticket in relation to traffic offences.
A total of 69 vehicles were stopped on Thursday.
South Shropshire Safer Neighbourhood Inspector Nicola Roberts said: "The aim of the operation was to enable officers to address antisocial driving and target criminals known to be involved in crime, with a particular focus on rural crime, while promoting road safety so we are pleased with these results and hope they demonstrate another day of activity to tackle vehicle crime within the county.
"We continue to work hard to prevent and disrupt further offences, and hope the public are reassured that we are taking vehicle crime and rural crime very seriously.
"Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to remind anyone who is thinking of committing vehicle crime or rural crime within Shropshire that Operation Vulture is in progress, and the chance of you getting caught is real and significant."
Day one of the operation saw officers stop 86 vehicles and of those vehicles stopped, made three arrests in connection with driving under the influence of drugs, issued one Community Resolution Order to someone found to be in possession of cannabis, and seized one vehicle and reported its driver for traffic offences.
