By Victoria Brenan

Last updated at 14:13, Thursday, 11 October 2012

Nearly 150 cars were stopped and five people arrested following a purge on metal thefts.

DCI Bob Qazi

Police said 148 vehicles were stopped and checked across Cumbria during their two-day campaign this week.

Officers from local police teams also visited 12 scrap metal yards to check what was being sold and who was bringing metal in.

Four vehicles were given prohibition notices and three people were spoken to about traffic offences.

Five people were arrested, four following warrants and one after a police officer checked a scrap yard.

A 35-year-old man from Workington was arrested on suspicion of theft and deception and bailed until January 15.

A 42-year-old man, also from Workington, was arrested on suspicion of theft and bailed until January and a 28-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of fraud. He was bailed until December.

The fourth man, aged 25 and from Maryport, was arrested on suspicion of theft and deception and bailed until December.

A fifth, Ashli Christopher Taylor, of no fixed address, was charged with theft and is due in court next week.

During the operation, police teams were out in the St Aidan’s area of Carlisle doing checks on vehicles and visiting yards in the west of the city.

They were also investigating scrap yards in Brampton and a mobile patrol was checking those in the Eden area.

In west Cumbria, officers set up check-points on the A66 and A596 to stop vehicles travelling to scrap metal merchants in the Workington area.

Detective Chief Inspector Bob Qazi said: “The operation was done with co-operation and assistance from various agencies, including the Department of Work and Pensions, Trading Standards, VOSA, Department of Social Security and Environmental Healt.

“We will continue to crack down on metal theft and with the support from the community, who can help by reporting anything suspicious, we can make it difficult for these crimes to take place.”

To report anything suspicious call police on 101, or 999 if a crime is taking place.

First published at 14:04, Thursday, 11 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk