FOUR people were arrested following two separate police pursuits during a operation in Thurrock on Tuesday, January 8.
Officers from the Essex Police Casualty Reduction Unit were carrying out Operation Sheltered Path as part of a crackdown to improve road safety and detect criminals using the roads.
ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology was used to identify any suspect vehicles which were intercepted by officers on motorbikes or in cars and taken to check sites in the area.
One intercepted vehicle failed to stop for police on the M25 and was followed to Ship Lane, Aveley where the three occupants were arrested nearby.
A 28-year-old man from Kent was later charged with dangerous driving, driving without insurance, having an invalid driving licence, possessing a knife in a public place and going equipped for theft. A 33-year-old man from Cambridgeshire and a 32-year-old man from Kent were both charged with with going equipped for theft and possessing a knife in a public place. All three were due to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court today.
Officers also seized 3.000 litres of red diesel fuel after stopping a van that appeared to be overweight. The driver ran off but was later arrested after he was followed across fields by police motorcyclists.
The van was later found to be three tons overweight and was suspected of being stolen. An 18-year-old man from Kent was charged with driving without insurance and having an invalid licence. He was bailed to appear at Basildon Magistrates Court on January 24. Enquiries are continuing into the source of the red disel and the ownership of the van.
A total of 93 vehicles were stopped during the operation of which seven were seized for having no insurance. Fourteen people were stopped for driving while using a mobile phone, eight cars were found to have invalid MOTs, four people were fined for not using seat belts, seven vehicles were found to be overweight and a further 12 motoring offences were dealt with.
