11:43am Friday 12th March 2010
POACHING and rural crime have been the target of a major operation by Lancashire, Cumbria and North Yorkshire Police.
The cross border crack down has seen the three forces increase night time patrols in isolated rural areas to tackle criminals such as poachers, who cross between the counties to try and avoid detection.
Officers patrolled in the Lower and Upper Lune Valley areas of Lancashire, the Bentham, Ingleton and Clapham areas of North Yorkshire and the Milnthorpe and Sedburgh areas of Cumbria over the past four days.
Sixty-two vehicles were stopped and a number of warnings were given.
PC Carl Wood, community beat manager for Caton, said: “It became apparent that each county was being affected by neighbouring county’s criminals and that there was a strong likelihood of crime trends over-lapping each of the counties involved.
“The information gained by working together proved to be invaluable, and we hope to carry out similar operations in the future.”
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