County hit by crime gangs
Homes and businesses across Shropshire are being hit by organised criminal gangs who see the county as a soft target, police said today.
Homes and businesses across Shropshire are being hit by organised criminal gangs who see the county as a soft target, police said today.
Gangs from Merseyside and Manchester and other parts of the Midlands have chosen rural and affluent parts of the county during recent crime sprees, which have seen them take a number of items including heavy plant machinery worth a total of more than £150,000.
The raids, many of which have happened at night, have also seen sheds targeted, police said.
But today north Shropshire police Inspector Rik Klair said officers were making inroads in dealing with the criminals.
He said a cross-border police initiative between West Mercia Police and neighbouring forces in Staffordshire, Cheshire and North Wales had been a success in combating the long-distance criminals.
It comes weeks after Shrewsbury Shopwatch bosses said urban areas of the county had also been targeted by gangs.
Officials said shopping centres in the town had become a target for professional gangs of women stealing clothes worth thousands of pounds.
Police said Operation Vulture had seen 700 vehicles stopped for roadside spot checks, 20 suspects arrested and agricultural machinery worth more than £150,000 recovered. The operation was launched a year ago and has been hailed a success.
The crackdown has also led to arrests for drug offences, drink-driving and illegal use of red diesel.
Police believe the operation has also been successful in catching late-night criminals using Shropshire's main roads on their way to and from committing crimes in the county and elsewhere.
Mr Klair said: "The operation was initially launched to combat the increase in thefts of farm machinery and plant equipment.
"Our activity has had the added benefit of disrupting those involved in other crimes like drug dealing and burglary."
He said the joint forces would continue with the operation for the next year because of its success.
By Tom Johannsen
Comments for: "County hit by crime gangs"
Lucy W
"criminal gangs who see the county as a soft target, police said today."
I think it would be more accurate to say that these criminals see the police as soft, not the county of Shropshire.
Jon
What exactly does "making inroads in dealing with the criminals" mean ?
Have arrests been made?, has stolen property been recovered?, has a task force been activated to deal with the problem ?
Inspector Klair, please tell us what`s going on to give us confidence in what you are doing.
Andrew finch
Reason they the criminals are aware that the the police at weekends are taken out of the country side and put on duty in towns and cities. We are left to the mercy of these criminals who if they do get cought which is not often just, get a slap on the wrist.
Lucy W
Would it make any difference if they did arrest anyone?
Freedom of Information Act revealed 4,000 suspected criminals failed to appear in court because the Crown Prosecution Service did not get their files ready in time.
It reveals a frightening picture where criminals go free and victims suffer in silence. Of the 4,000 suspected criminals who failed to appear in court, almost 100 were thought to be alleged sex attackers and 700 cases involved violent attacks.
The figures relate to the past three years in England and Wales.
In London alone in the past year suspects in 61 violent attacks, seven sex offences, 25 drug offences and 18 burglaries went free without their case being heard. Across England and Wales the picture was made worse by witnesses not attending court and police failures to get paperwork to the CPS in 13,000 cases from 2006 to 2009.
And now I see they are wasting money advertising the 'Police Pledge' on TV commercials!!!!
Surely they are have a laugh at us?
Crime DOES pay, hence I don't bother with MOT or 'car tax' and use red diesel. The benefits simply outweigh the risk and/or consequences.
My direct action simply readresseds the imbalance and injustice for honest, hardworking, lawabiding people like me.
Quite frankly, our police make the Keystone Cops look like the Sweeny!
Norman
Yet more police management speak and more non-news for the public to digest.
Stuart
Anyone who has read my comments on the Police in these blogs will have seen that I have said on many occasions that "the Police have lost the plot".
Now, no less a person than Dennis Connor (or is it O'Connor, hope I have his name correct) Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary at the Home Office, the most senior Police Officer in the country, responsible with a small team of Inspectors and Assistant Inspectors of Constabulary for carrying out "efficiency and effectiveness" inspections of Police Forces has said in no uncertain terms that "Police Forces have lost the plot". Couldn't have put it better myself Dennis, my expression exactly, now let the defenders of our "lost" police forces defend that. One can't get higher and one can't get it more correct. The Police Force is a shambles who have seriously lost their way.
Smellie2
Lucy W - i've often had my doubts, but today you have confirmed you have lost the plot.
How does driving an illegal vehicle on the roads do anything but add to the problems the police are dealing with ? Should they take officers of useful tasks and have them check your MOT or ignore your infractions?
And i'd suggest removing the "honest" and "law abiding" from the second to last paragraph as they are somewhat contradictory to your earlier statement.
Smellie2
And ..... Lucy W, it is a sad reflection on society when you feel it is necessary to promote crime as being worthwhile.
How about encouraging your fellow readers to be law abiding and sharing your apparent work ethic?
If we were all working hard we wouldn't have time to rob our neighbours and enjoy being lawless. Unless it were to get in our un-MOT'd car to drive to work!
Lucy W
Smellie2, Re my MOT. I do put my car in for a test and have all the work done to make it pass. Sometimes it just passes as I have the advisories done before they are a fail. But sometimes it doesn't and I don't make the free re-test, buts as I have had the work done, I don't see the point in paying for a new test. Afterall my car is roadworthy so I can hardy be called irresponsible.
You said "How about encouraging your fellow readers to be law abiding and sharing your apparent work ethic?"
Well how about encouraging the police likewise?
My point is, if I get robbed of £200, then the police do nothing. The police is the state so I don't pay my £200 Road Tax - everyones happy and the cycle of natural justice is complete.
If you keep accepting the poor state that this country is in, then thats your problem.