More than 100 arrests in one week in Essex

Officers have made 101 arrests in seven days, targeting serious offenders and patrolling in our towns and cities.

Last week, February 10 to February 17, 931 officers were involved in proactive policing operations to keep our communities safe and locate those with outstanding warrants for their arrest.

In their combined 4,100 hours of work we took 56 weapons off our streets through 22 sweeps through public parks and spaces, as well as carrying out 85 stop and searches while patrolling.

We gathered more than 200 new pieces of intelligence that is helping us build investigations into other offences, and attended 82 meetings and events to speak to local residents about the issues that most affect them.

Among the arrests were offenders suspected of causing grievous bodily harm, sexual assault, child sex offences, being concerned in the supply of drugs, taking of motor vehicles, intentional strangulation and controlling and coercive behaviour.

Superintendent Phil Stinger said:

“I’d like to thank all the officers who committed time to this work in the last week – it’s only possible thanks to the work of everyone involved that we see any of the results.
“I hope this serves as an example to the public how wide the range of work we take on every day is, and how vital the support they can provide us is as a result.
“Sharing what you’ve seen, the footage from doorbells and dashcams, all helps our investigations and plays a part in making arrests of offenders that would rather evade the law.
“It’s work we are proud to do, and we’ll be doing it all again this week.”

Officers across the force contributed to these arrests, including the Rural Engagement Team (RET) - supported by local officers in Maldon and Chelmsford, our Dog Unit and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter, they arrested five people on suspicion of hare coursing in the afternoon of Saturday 15 January.

Two men, aged 68 and 33, and a 37-year-old woman, all from Basildon, a 19-year-old man from Wickford and a 28-year-old man from Birstall in Leicestershire have all been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

Supt Stinger added:

“Our Rural engagement Team is just one example of the specialists we have tackling unique types of crime, which are just as important to prevent and police.
“We engage with stakeholders in our rural communities because we know they hold the most information about this offending.
“The more we know, the more we can do to catch criminals those in rural Essex.”

As well as these arrests, we have also been patrolling our roads as part of Operation Scalis – using information held about uninsured vehicles – and Op Limit – targeting suspected drink and drug driving – during the week.

We carried out almost 700 speed checks as well as stopping 1,049 vehicles. Of those we reported 551 traffic offences and seized 165 cars for driving without insurance.

Supt Stinger added:

“All of these traffic offences are serious. Driving without a seatbelt, using a mobile, speeding or driving under the influence of drink or drugs all put the driver and other road users at much greater risk of harm.
“Everyone who drives in Essex, on major roads or country lanes, can expect to see us and we will be making sure drivers are staying safe behind the wheel.”

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