Vehicles seized near Alnwick and arrests made in Ashington in new Northumbria Police operation's first week

The first week of Northumbria Police’s ‘Operation Impact’, which focuses on issues the force says are most important to residents, involved a series of action in Ashington during the day on Wednesday, July 12, followed by action on the roads of rural Northumberland that night.

The operation also involved officers knocking on doors in Ashington to speak to residents and hear their concerns.

In addition to the arrests, the operation resulted in the seizure of over £1,000 of illegal drugs in Ashington. 863 properties were visited in the town, with 79 officers involved in the operation.

50 vehicles were stopped and checked between Alnwick and Hexham overnight, resulting in three vehicles being taken away in the Alnwick area and one summons for careless and inconsiderate driving offences.

Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine said: “This operation is all about listening to our communities, understanding what concerns them, and then taking action to make a tangible, positive difference.

“It was lovely to meet so many people across the Northumbria Police area last week as part of this new operation, and this is just the start.

“We hope the messages of Operation Impact continue to reverberate across our region for many months to come.”

More than 3,500 addresses were visited across the Northumbria Police area during the operation’s first week.

The feedback officers collected will be used to inform future work under the banner of the operation.

“You will continue to see highly-visible, coordinated action tackling the issues most important to you, whether it’s anti-social behaviour, motorcycle disorder or drug supply.

“I would like to thank everyone who was involved in Operation Impact last week, including our officers, staff and partners who showed such passion and dedication throughout the course of the week.

“We were thrilled by the positive reception received from our communities, without whom none of this is possible.

“I would like to thank every single person who spoke to our officers and engaged with us. It is hugely appreciated.”

The operation has resulted in over 50 arrests in total for offences including drug supply, assault, and burglary.