Twelve people were arrested and multiple motorists stopped for having unroadworthy vehicles during a day of action across north Worcestershire.

Officers from our Redditch, Bromsgrove and Kidderminster stations were joined by support teams with a focus on targeting suspects wanted for a variety of outstanding offences yesterday (Tuesday 11 March).

Response teams, the Local Policing Priorities Team (LPPT) and Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) were out across the Local Policing Area (LPA) looking to make multiple arrests.

And at the DVSA site in Kidderminster, SNT officers were joined by our partners at HMRC, The Equipment Register (TER), DVLA and Trading Standards targeting vehicles that were in poor condition, suspected of using of red diesel, breaching waste regulations, numberplate offences, or potentially towing stolen trailers.

The operational activities were a success with 12 people arrested by officers for a range of outstanding offences including assaults, criminal damage, stalking, breach of non-molestation orders, child cruelty, and one for drug driving at the DVSA site.

Ten of those were arrested and bailed under investigation. One was arrested and charged over a theft and recall to prison and one was arrested, charged and remanded over witness intimidation.

At the DVSA site, two drivers were stopped for having no insurance, one for no licence, one for no seatbelt, one for no MOT, five for excessive window tints, one for using red diesel illegally, four for insecure loads, three for being over the weight limit, six for worn or defective tyres and eight for illegal numberplates. Two of those vehicles were seized.

The DVSA served 13 prohibition notices which means the vehicles could not leave the site until the fault was rectified – including one overloaded vehicle that was 200kg overweight and another van driver who was a ‘rogue’ trader with no business licence.

Inspector David Evans, who led the operation in North Worcestershire LPA, said: “Our day of action was very successful, targeting suspects who we wanted to speak to in connection to outstanding offences in the north of the county.

“Multiple rolling arrest attempts were made throughout the whole of Tuesday, resulting in 12 arrests, including one for drug driving at the DVSA site. They are all now helping us with our investigations into various offences including one who has been charged and sent back to prison and another who has been charged and remanded.

“Officers working with partners at the DVSA site had a particularly successful operation with 13 prohibition notices being served on drivers with unroadworthy or illegal vehicles which is a great result both for the safety of all road users on our area as well as clamping down on those seeking to avoid paying the correct taxes on their diesel fuel or not insuring their vehicles.” 

Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “Days of intensification are really valued by the public and are a reminder of the work West Mercia Police and partners are doing day-in, day-out.

“The success of this activity is also testament to the hardworking police officers on the thin blueline making a difference, which I saw first-hand during the operation in Kidderminster.”