Operation Impact nets more results
Staffordshire Police are continuing their crackdown on thieves and burglars through Operation Impact.
Impact was launched in November to tackle serious acquisitive crime – which includes burglary, robbery and vehicle crime – across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Latest figures show such crime fell by seven per cent (from 6,762 to 6,279) between April and December 2011, compared to the same period in 2010.
Ongoing activity under the Operation Impact banner has taken place in various places this week.
Activity has included:
- Checks by officers of thousands of cars and other vehicles across Staffordshire to see if owners have left property on display. Hundreds of letters have been given to motorists as a result to stop them becoming victims of theft
- Crime prevention activity in areas including Cannock and South Staffordshire with the distribution of shed alarms, bike marking and Smartwater kits
- The execution of numerous search warrants. Results include the arrest of a 15-year-old male in Stoke, on suspicion of burglary and theft, and a 39-year-old man in Dresden, Stoke-on-Trent, on suspicion of theft
- Various vehicle stop-check operations throughout the county with other agencies including VOSA and Trading Standards, targeting motorists using mobile phones, having no insurance or not wearing seat belts. Numerous works vehicles were also checked regarding potential rogue trader issues or waste carrying breaches.
Assistance Chief Constable Julian Blazeby said: "Operation Impact is about targeting criminals involved in burglary, theft and robbery and bringing them to justice.
"Dozens of offenders have been put behind bars as part of ongoing work to target them in recent months, while crime continues to fall across the county.
"Our activity this week is part of routine police work which takes place every day across the force.
It underlines our warning to criminals that we have the capability and determination to deal with them.
Local policing teams are working closely with partners to cut crime even further and improve the quality of life for residents.
"Being the victim of a burglary or having your car stolen can be a distressing experience.
People can help themselves by taking simple crime prevention steps to protect their property.
One great way to do this is by signing up to the free, national Immobilise registration scheme or by installing tracker apps on smart phones and tablet computers.
"We need the support of local communities to carry on providing us with details about suspicious activity so we can make Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent safer.
"Anyone with information should ring Staffordshire Police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111."
There have been numerous other recent examples of success in clamping down on serious acquisitive crime:
- In January alone around 90 offenders were dealt with by officers for serious acquisitive crime, and 150 such crimes were detected
- A 27-year-old man from Newcastle was charged this week with robbery after trying to steal a mobile phone from a woman in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent
- A 27-year-old man was arrested for a burglary in Stafford on 23 January, charged on 24 January and jailed for six months by magistrates in Cannock on 25 January
- A 32-year-old Stafford man was charged with conspiracy to burgle homes in the Cannock, Featherstone and Stafford areas
- A 30-year-old Stoke-on-Trent man was charged with stealing a vehicle from Cheddleton
- A 28-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent was charged in connection with theft from seven vehicles
- A 66-year-old Cannock man was jailed for six months for burgling a Rugeley home.
Issued: 03/02/2012