Police want to stamp out car cruising at Annesley M1 junction 'once and for all'

Incidents dropped off during the Covid pandemic, but now, Insp Jon Hewitt, Nottinghamshire Police’s Ashfield district commander, says tougher measure are now needed again to tackle the problems of car cruising and the associated anti-social behaviour and danger to road users caused the by illegal car meets.

He said: “The issue at this location having been going on for many years and its time we resolved it once and for all. We have reinvigorated Operation Farad at the location with two fixed penalty notices and eight Section 59 warning served for vehicles causing ASB at the location.

“Moving forward we will run both enforcement operations at the location and retrospectively review cameras and issue S59s and penalty notices for those vehicles that have been at the location. The Public Spaces Protection Order has been well publicised, so no warnings will be issued in relation to this – it will be straight to £100 fines.

“The beauty of the S59 is the warning remains on the vehicle and the second time a vehicle is at the location it will be seized. I am confident this approach will deter any meets at the location and am grateful for the particularly well written PSPO the council have to support these operations.”

Kirkby Shopwatch scheme on the start line

Insp Hewitt also confirmed the new Kirkby Shopwatch scheme is almost ready to go.

He said: “We are just waiting on radios arriving and will then launch the scheme.

“This will allow stores to link up with the police, community protection teams and CCTV to both prevent shoplifting and make the town centre a safer place for all.

“The scheme will allow persistent offenders to be problem solved to prevent further offending.

“An example of this would be the criminal behaviour order just obtained for Katie Ross, banning her form a number of stores in Kirkby.

“Simply by entering these stores, Ross would commit an offence and be liable to be imprisoned, so these orders give that protection to stores before any thefts even occur.

“In Kirkby, it is Safer Streets funding that has allowed the launch of the scheme and in the next couple of months there is lots of work going on under the Safer Streets project.

“We will be speaking to Sutton stores to gauge interest in the launch of a shop watch scheme.

“Sutton did used to have a scheme but with turnover of staff this is no longer functioning as it once was and something we are keen to refresh.”

Drugs dens shut down

Meanwhile in Sutton and Mansfield, Insp Hewitt highlighted recent police successes in the fight against drugs.

He said: “As part of a larger operation, we conducted a number of warrants across Sutton and Mansfield in relation to cannabis grows.

"Whilst the criminal investigations are ongoing the neighbourhood policing team obtained seven premises closures across Mansfield and Sutton.

"These will mean the properties remain closed for three months and there will not be the associated risk of criminality or fires at the properties.

“On January 17, a male in possession of about 150 wraps was arrested and this investigation is ongoing.”