Crackdown on rural crime targets vehicles that '˜look a bit worse for wear'

THREE people were arrested and more than 35 vehicles stopped as part of rural crime crackdown in Morecambe and Lancaster.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Mar 2016, 15:00 BST
File photo dated 18/11/11 of police tape at a crime scene, as the Office for National Statistics said that there was a 16% fall in the number of crimes against households and adults in England and Wales in the year to June 2014. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Thursday October 16, 2014. See PA story CRIME Figures. Photo credit should read: Dave Thompson/PA WireFile photo dated 18/11/11 of police tape at a crime scene, as the Office for National Statistics said that there was a 16% fall in the number of crimes against households and adults in England and Wales in the year to June 2014. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Thursday October 16, 2014. See PA story CRIME Figures. Photo credit should read: Dave Thompson/PA Wire
File photo dated 18/11/11 of police tape at a crime scene, as the Office for National Statistics said that there was a 16% fall in the number of crimes against households and adults in England and Wales in the year to June 2014. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Thursday October 16, 2014. See PA story CRIME Figures. Photo credit should read: Dave Thompson/PA Wire

Vehicles were stopped and checked on Caton Road by Lancashire Constabulary along with staff from the Department of Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). Police officers held the check site at the Holiday Inn car park in Lancaster to attempt to identify stolen plant and farm machinery and prosecute suspected offenders.

Sergeant Simon Balderstone, who has been with Lancaster Police for 26 years, said rural crime can vary from theft of farm machinery, quad bikes and sheep rustling.

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Sgt Balderstone said: “We target vehicles that look a bit worse for wear, any we think may be involved in rural crime. We had a spate of rural crime before Christmas but we are seeing a downfall in such offenders.”