Force takes part in another regional rural crime operation.

This weekend our officers took part in another rural crime operation.

Operation Checkpoint was coordinated by our colleagues at Northumbria Police and saw activity across the Cleveland force area.

16 police officers, two rural crime volunteers and Fisheries Department colleagues carried out high visibility patrols on foot and by car on Saturday night.

They visited 40 farms to offer reassurance to landowners and farmers that Cleveland Police is listening to their concerns and wants to work with them to drive down rural crime.

Officers stopped five vehicles of interest, with two drivers given words of advice regarding minor motoring offences.

Three vehicles made off from police in the East Cleveland area, enquiries are ongoing.

Officers also visited areas where we’ve received reports of antisocial behaviour from nuisance motorbikes and quads, as well as poaching activity – perhaps due to the extremely cold weather that night, they didn’t see or hear any motorbikes or quads!

Over at the coast at Skinningrove, officers removed some gill netting they came across in the beck, removing the risk of death for creatures other than fish which may have swum into it.

We will continue to run these operations and support our rural communities from crime and ASB which can blight quality of life, affect farmers' livelihoods and cause harm to farm animals and wildlife.

We urge those living and working in or visiting our countryside to consider joining Cleveland Police’s Rural Watch scheme.  Please see more information here: Rural Watch | Cleveland Police