'Cash out of criminals' pockets' - Clamp down on three key crimes in South Tyneside
Northumbria Police chiefs have named three key crimes they’re clamping down on in South Tyneside.
Vehicle thefts, cannabis farms and the selling of vapes to children have been highlighted by police as key crimes which they are tackling in South Tyneside.
Northumbria Police chiefs stressed various plans are in place to tackle the issues which have been raised by residents in the region - and they urged people to report any intelligence to allow them to take further action.
Officers provided the updates at the latest meetings of East Shields and Whitburn Community Area Forum (CAF) and Hebburn CAF.
‘Recently we’ve seen a spike’
Neighbourhood Inspector Dave Heron, who covers the areas, said: "Recently we’ve seen a spike in keyless thefts of Fiestas, transit vans and VW Golfs.
"Therefore we’ve put an operation together to target the areas in which they're going and the nominals who we believe are involved."
He also urged residents to consider using steering locks on such vehicles as a "secondary measure".
Another area where force bosses are taking action is on shops or individuals selling vapes to children and also on those providing illicit devices.
Inspector Heron added: "We target the vapes and the selling of vapes to children as well through vape stores and from other individuals who buy the vapes and sell them to the children.
"We’ve had a very good success rate around closing shops and targeting nominals who are doing that.
"In relation to anti-social behaviour (ASB), vapes, things like that, we’ll continue to use closure notices, closure orders, and use that legislation such as community protection warnings, community protection notices, to target ASB."
‘Dismantling large cannabis farms’
A third issue where police assured residents they have been taking action is around locating and seizing cannabis.
Inspector Heron said: "We’ve had really good success around finding and dismantling large cannabis farms over the last four or five months.
"Taking thousands of pounds out of the criminals' pockets, impacting those networks so they move elsewhere.
"We don't want these people in South Tyneside having massive cannabis farms or growing cannabis farms, we want that criminality to stop or at the very least move out of South Tyneside."
He added their "bread and butter is information and intelligence" and urged residents to come forward with anything they know which could be of use to the police.
Inspector Heron continued: "That’s how we’ve had this success in relation to combating these sorts of crimes, so I would report ASB, report anything that you think is out of the ordinary. Information and intelligence is key for us."
People can report information to police at https://www.northumbria.police.uk/ as well as by calling 101.
For details on how to report anti-social behaviour to the council, visit https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/1957/Report-anti-social-behaviour.