Thornbury police tackle rural crime

POLICE have been out in and around Thornbury to help tackle rural crime. On Monday, April 18 members of the Thornbury Neighbourhood Policing Team held a day of action, due to the recent thefts of agricultural equipment, quad bikes, garden machinery and scrap metal.
During the day the team, led by Acting Police Sargent (APS) Neil Whyman, stopped vehicles that fitted the profile of vehicles used in offences or vehicles from locations which have been targeted by thieves.
As part of the operation officers used an Automatic Number Plate Recognition camera and screened 2,897 vehicles, and of that number 68 vehicles were stopped for routine checks, crime prevention advice and vehicle defects.
All motorists were given a leaflet asking them to mark their property with their postcode to deter criminals and to register it at www.immobilise.com APS Whyman said: "This was a successful operation, with many motorists expressing how pleased they were to be stopped and that this was very welcome.
"One motorist stopped had just replaced equipment after being stolen in another area, they expressed how good it was to see the police being pro-active, they also stated that they would register with Immobilise."

(Reproduced from the Gazette, April 20th)

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