POLICE in Okehampton are hailing their recent traffic policing day 'a major success'. The neighbourhood policing team in the town joined officers from the specialist Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) team on Friday, May 30 to crack down on vehicles on the road without tax, insurance or MOT. Drivers were stopped and checked for driving licence offences and diesel-powered vehicles were checked for illegal 'red' fuel. In the morning the focus was on the town area, with the cameras set up in Exeter Road. Two vehicles were seized and taken straight off the road to a car pound. A number of other motorists received fixed penalty notices, ranging from £30 to £80. In the afternoon the focus switched to the A30, and again, vehicles were found without correct documentation or in poor condition. At about 3.30pm a local driver made off from the police, and after a brief pursuit through the town he was arrested for a number of offences, for which he has been charged in court. Neighbourhood team leader, Sgt Mark Hoar, said: 'We recently undertook a survey of the public in and around Okehampton, inviting them to tell us of their concerns about the community. With over 500 responses the message was quite clear — a lot of people are worried about traffic speed and responsible use of vehicles. 'We have responded to those concerns with this operation, and the impact it has had should be serving notice to those who flout the law with their vehicles. We have taken uninsured cars off the road, and fined motorists who have broken the law. We even seized a quantity of drugs.' 'This is not a one-off. We are determined to listen to what the public tell us, and to act on their concerns.' A number of the neighbourhood team have recently been trained to use the new laser speed detection device. Sgt Hoar added: 'Not only does this help us keep speeds down; it also gives us the opportunity to check that any vehicle we stop is legal. There seems to be a connection between driving offences and document offences — we stop the reckless motorist, only to find they have no tax, insurance or MOT, their vehicle is in poor condition and should not even be on the road. Community safety is not just about anti-social behaviour, it is about making the town a better place to live, and safe use of the streets is included in that.' Sgt Hoar said this type of operation will be carried out regularly in the Okehampton area. Anyone who suspects someone of using a car with no documents, or who knows a drink-driver should call Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111 or visit http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org">www.crimestoppers-uk.org
