Latest news with #policecrackdown
Telegraph
21 hours ago
- Telegraph
Supercars worth £7m seized across London
Supercars worth almost £7million have been seized in a police crackdown across London as the force warned that driving an expensive vehicle did not put anyone above the law. A pair of identical purple Lamborghinis were among more than 70 vehicles impounded in response to antisocial and dangerous driving. The cars seized across Hyde Park, Kensington and Chelsea included Ferraris, Porsches and Mercedes-Benz. The Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) said the Lamborghinis, which were uninsured, had been flown into Britain for their owner's summer trip. One of the two drivers had been in the country for just two hours and had only been driving for 15 minutes before the car was seized. The MIB said several cars had been brought into Britain from abroad, with drivers relying on motor insurance from their home countries without verifying whether those policies provided valid coverage. In addition to the 72 vehicles seized, many of which were uninsured or inadequately covered, officers also detected other criminal activity. This included individuals wanted for ABH, criminal damage, drug offences, stolen vehicles, immigration offences and fraudulent insurance policies, known as 'ghost broking'. Several tickets were also issued for offences including driving without a valid licence, using a mobile phone while driving, lack of a valid MOT, illegally tinted windows, not wearing a seatbelt and operating vehicles in a dangerous condition. Some individuals had made innocent mistakes, such as updating DVLA about the use of a personalised number plate but failing to notify their insurer. Seventy-five officers from a Met specialist team took part. Special Chief Officer James Deller said: 'The Met is committed to tackling antisocial behaviour. 'This operation was set up to respond to resident, business and visitors' concerns about high-value vehicles causing a nuisance in known hotspot areas in central and west London. 'Already the Met has reduced neighbourhood crime by 19 per cent compared to the same time last year and we're addressing antisocial behaviour caused by uninsured drivers.' He thanked colleagues 'volunteer their time to help drive down crime across London'. Martin Saunders, of MIB, said: 'We urge all motorists to check their insurance policy is appropriate for their needs and to reach out to their insurer if they are unsure. 'While many offenders knowingly violated the law, others fell victim to simple mistakes such as bounced payments, failed renewals or incorrect details. With growing concern over seasonal hotspots and tourist-linked offences, the Met and MIB plan to continue enforcement and education efforts throughout the year. We don't want any driver to become uninsured in the first place.'
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Police in Telford target illegal bikers
Police in Telford have been cracking down on illegal off-road biking, which they say is a "danger for members of the public".West Mercia Police said it had seen an increase in complaints from local people who had seen the bikes being ridden on paths and in is illegal to ride off-road motorbikes and quad bikes on public land like bridleways and David Williams is part of the force's motorcycle team and said the use of police motorbikes was helping officers tackle the issue more effectively and "make our community safer". West Mercia Police is being assisted by West Midlands Police, which has provided off-road bikes for the is also air support from the National Police Air Service, whose aircraft are able to spot and track the riders. Sgt Williams said officers get "numerous calls" from the public about off-road biking, meaning they can "build up a picture of where [offenders] are, what time of day they're there"."We're taking this issue to them directly as opposed to waiting for a call and nobody being available," he added. The project, dubbed Operation Spree, is being led by Sgt Richard Jones."Telford is mainly built up of close communities, so they're riding on pavements around housing estates and causing distress and danger for members of the public," he said. Sgt Jones added that a lot of riders were not wearing the appropriate kit, including helmets, and often did not have the skills required to ride the bikes safely. Senior Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Katy Balaam said people had reported feeling unsafe and scared by off-road bikes, and advised them to call 101 if they spotted riders using them in antisocial ways. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
CTV News
05-08-2025
- CTV News
17 charged in Calgary break-and-enters dating back to last summer
A police vehicle is shown at Calgary Police Service headquarters in Calgary, Alta., on April 9, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh) Eight adults and nine youth are facing charges after a Calgary police crackdown on overnight residential break and enters. Police announced in June that a special task force had been created in hopes of reducing instances of the crime. Since then, police say officers were able to identify a large number of suspects. Search warrants were executed at three homes in the city's southeast, leading to more than 100 charges laid against 17 people in connection with 45 break and enters. Police say the break-ins happened all over the city, as recently as June and as far back as August 2024. 'It is believed the individuals charged in this investigation are all known to one another and were working in a coordinated effort to target homeowners across Calgary,' police said in a Tuesday news release. 'Going forward, our investigators plan to engage with the youths charged in this investigation through the Serious Habitual Offender Program. This is a community-based crime intervention program focused on prevention, reduction and enforcement, targeting habitual youth and young adult offenders aged 12 to 24.' If you have any information about a break-in, you're asked to call police at 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
The Sun
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Incredible Bentley TANK uncovered by cops after being abandoned & left to rust in bushes outside garage
AN astonishing Bentley tank has been unearthed from a bush by cops after being abandoned outside a garage. The £200,000 GT Coupe was discovered during a raid on a workshop in St Petersburg, Russia. 2 2 Immigration officers found the luxury vehicle on 30 July when they were looking for illegal workers. Police video footage of the operation shows the hybrid motor parked up among weeds and bushes outside the garage. Officers also discovered 67 hybrid and heavily adapted vehicles on the site either with illegal registration documents or unroadworthy bodywork changes. A police spokesperson said: "Given the nature of the site, special attention was paid to vehicles." The Bentley is believed to be modelled on an earlier "Ultratank" built by Russian petrolhead Konstantin Zarutskiy for his YouTube channel AcademeG. His prototype, with higher tracks, could reach 81 mph, slower than the Bentley's original 200mph but still faster than any other tracked vehicle. This isn't the first time a luxury motor has been seized in a police crackdown on crime. In the UK too, police are frequently confiscating supercars to improve safety in the capital. Last year, Scotland Yard confiscated vehicles including a McClaren, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari and Lamborghini. I bought £13,000 Bentley only to learn it was once owned by legendary TV host of classic 1980s game show Westminster local residents complained about cars driving poorly or at high-speed. So the force worked with Westminster City Council and the Motor Insurers' Bureau to remove nuisance drivers who drive around the area more frequently in the summer months. The operation launched on the evening of August 2 and ran across that weekend seizing £6million worth of cars. Officers also made five arrests including for insurance fraud, using a mobile phone at the wheel, not using a seatbelt and driving without due care. Metropolitan Police Special Inspector Geoff Tatman said: "The Met is working to put communities first - listening to and tackling their concerns. "This hugely successful operation has proved we are dealing with those crimes, such as anti-social driving, that is causing most distress to residents and tourists. "This brilliant partnership work between the Met's Vehicle Enforcement Team, Motor Insurers' Bureau and Westminster City Council demonstrates to Londoners we are doubling down on crime on the roads. "It's also testament to the hard work and dedication of the Met Special Constables – volunteer police officers - that play a vital role in our mission to make London safer and kindly give up their free time help serve the community."
The Australian
01-08-2025
- The Australian
NSW Police crack down on new 'G7' crime gang hitting Sydney's streets
A new crime network has hit Sydney's streets and police are cracking down on its alleged serious organised crimes, with four men already arrested. Police alleged the gang, named 'G7', was responsible for a series of aggravated break and enters, home invasions, and motor vehicle thefts in Sydney. The crimes were alleged to have supported broader organised crime operations. NSW Police launched Strike Force Duncan to probe what they suspected was the supply of vehicles to organise crime, uncovering the new G7 network. NSW Police have cracked down on the new "G7" network on Sydney's streets. Picture: NSW Police The investigation was elevated to Strike Force Falcon, which found 17 vehicles they alleged were linked 'directly' to G7's operations. This week the task force charged four men for their alleged involvement in the criminal activities. One of the men, an 18-year-old, was arrested on July 28 at a correctional centre on the Mid North Coast and charged with seven offences, including firearm charges and participating in a criminal group. The teenager was refused bail and will next appear in Campbelltown Local Court on August 27. More searches were made on Wednesday, including at properties in Greystanes and Menai where police found nearly $30,000 cash, a shotgun, ammunition, more than a kilogram of cocaine and 14 mobile phones. Police searched a home in Menai. Picture: NSW Police Footage from the Menai search shows Raptor police knocking on the door of the home and shouting: 'It's police, open the door.' A female voice can be heard inside. The officer then breaks down the door and enters the property. Officers also stopped a vehicle in Narellan at 12.20pm on Wednesday and arrested the 21-year-old driver, taking him to Camden Police station and charging him with three offences including possessing a shortened firearm without authority and participating in a criminal group. Footage from that arrest show the man being taken into custody by at least eight officers and a dog, he was pinned to the ground and his white hoodie drenched in mud. One of the men was arrested when police stopped a vehicle in Narellan. Picture: NSW Police A simultaneous arrest was also undertaken in Blacktown, where another 21-year-old driver was stopped and charged with seven offences, including three firearm charges, a drug charge and charges for alleged involvement with a criminal group. Both were refused bail. The fourth man was charged on Thursday for a similar firearm charge and participation in a criminal group. Charges were previously laid against nine members and associates of the G7 network. Brendan Kearns Cadet Journalist Brendan Kearns is a cadet journalist with News Corp Australia. He has written for The Australian, the Herald Sun, the Geelong Advertiser, CHOICE, Cosmos, and The Citizen. He won Democracy's Watchdogs' Student Award for Investigative Journalism 2024 and hosted the third season of award-winning podcast Uncurated. He studied as Master of Journalism at The University of Melbourne, before that he worked as a video producer and disability worker. @brendandkearns Brendan Kearns
