Atherstone cops in operation to stop street cruise spike in its tracks

TASK FORCE DISPERSES 30 VEHICLES ON BORDERS OF NORTH WARWICKSHIRE AND WEST MIDLANDS

A POLICE task force from Atherstone and Coleshill combined with county colleagues and a dedicated Special Constabulary team to break up 30 illegal "street cruisers" on the North Warwickshire and West Midlands borders.

The operation, which also involved the Warwickshire Operational Patrol Unit, was aiming to preserve a High Court injunction.

Earlier this month seven people were reported for breaching Government guidelines and an eighth for breaking the injunction, granted to North Warwickshire Borough Council.

The Atherstone and Coleshill Safer Neighbourhood team says street cruising has impacted on local communities and is a problem which crosses boundaries with similar injunctions in force in Birmingham and Solihull.

On Sunday evening the officers – including the Northern Special Tasking Team – were deployed in the Bassetts Police area.

As well as dispersing the vehicles, two traffic offence reports were issued for defective number plates and a number of car occupants were spoken to during the operation.

Special Chief Officer Katherine Hancock said "In recent weeks, we have been made aware that large numbers of vehicles have been breaching the car cruising High Court Injunction in North Warwickshire.

"In response to this, on the request of Coleshill SNT, officers from the Special Constabulary were asked to assist with proactively policing the area covered by the injunction."

"This has led to a downturn in vehicles using the district for car cruising opportunities."

The injunction order forbids people from taking part in a "street cruise" within Atherstone and the wider borough. It also stops anyone hoping to promote, organise or publicise one in any manner.

Officers are warning anyone overstepping the local authority's injunction risks arrest and being in contempt of court for which they can face up to two years in prison.

SCO Hancock added "We will continue to proactively police the area and will continue to report those breaching the High Court injunction."