Operation to combat rural crime a success say police

Lincolnshire police say an operation launched to combat crime in rural areas - and the Wolds in particular - is making an impact.
Some of the officers from Operation Aardwold gather at Willingham Woods EMN-160107-155300001Some of the officers from Operation Aardwold gather at Willingham Woods EMN-160107-155300001
Some of the officers from Operation Aardwold gather at Willingham Woods EMN-160107-155300001

Operation Aardwolf features specialist teams of officers, PCSOs and Special Constables - some of them from the Market Rasen area.

Dressed in both plain clothes and high visibility uniform, they have been conducting patrols and stop-checks through the night for the past few weeks.

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As part of the patrols, officers recently stopped a suspicious vehicle in an area where previous burglary offences had been committed.

The stop led to the arrest of two people on suspicion of burglary-related offences.

On the same night, a man was charged with driving while disqualified and a vehicle was seized for having no insurance.

Wolds Inspector Richard Myszczyszyn said: “We are pro-actively challenging all suspicious behaviour and taking robust action against offenders.

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“Operation Aardwolf activity continues to generate successes and criminals visiting our county should be in no doubt of our determination to deny them the opportunity to offend”.

The operation was launched after what police described as a spate of crime in the Market Rasen, Louth and Horncastle areas.

Offences included burglaries to farms, workshops and garages, with tools, agricultural vehicles and Land Rover 4x4s having been stolen in most cases.

Police also received reports of people driving across land using 4X4 vehicles and quad bikes, causing damage to crops, gates and fences.

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PC Chris Bell, who is one of the officers involved in the operation, said: “We understand the effect these crimes have been having on victims and the rural communities and as a result have been making proactive efforts.

“By tackling these issues head-on and ensuring we have a very visible presence in these areas we hope it will deter criminals and put a stop to their offending.

“We rely greatly on information and intelligence from the public. If you have anything you think might be relevant, please contact us on 101 as soon as possible. Sometimes even the smallest piece of information can be all we need to bring offenders to justice.”

Crime Reduction Tactical Advisor Sally Picker said: “It’s always good to review your own security, no matter what time of year, and especially when there has been a spike in offences. It’s very easy to be complacent and think ‘it won’t happen to me’ but that’s what opportunistic offenders rely on. Please ensure that all your properties and vehicles are safe and secure and deny criminals the opportunity to carry out crime.”

More information can be found on our crime reduction page.