Police operation cracks down on rural crime in Northumberland

Northumbria Police were supported by a team of rural crime volunteers during Operation Checkpoint.

More than 100 vehicles were stopped and a string of arrests made in the latest police operation to tackle rural crime.

Operation Checkpoint involved police officers, partners and volunteers from Northumbria, Durham, Cleveland and Cumbria teaming up to target rural criminals, especially wildlife and poaching offences.

One driver who was pulled over was found to be wanted for failing to appear in court and was subsequently arrested.

Another driver was found to be under the influence of drugs and was duly detained.

More than 20 rural crime volunteers, a team of residents who feed directly into on-patrol officers about anything that looks unusual in the areas they know best, were also involved.

Inspector Garry Neill, of Northumbria Police’s dedicated rural policing team, said: “We’ve made great strides in recent months through planned operations like this, and with the support of partners and our neighbouring forces, we really are hitting rural criminals hard.

“More than £1 million worth of stolen farming and agricultural equipment has been successfully recovered since our rural policing team was formed in 2020, but there’s still so much more to come in our ongoing fight against rural crime.

“The creation of Northumberland Partnership Against Rural Crime (NPARC) – bringing regional partners’ expertise to the table - will only strengthen our hand further, using thermal imagine and number plate recognition to identify rural criminals and bring them to justice.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, added: “Ongoing efforts and key investment will continue thanks to our recent success securing £255,000 in Safer Streets funding purely to benefit our rural neighbourhoods.”