10th March 2010

BRIDPORT: Police join forces

BRIDPORT’S police were instrumental in a cross-border blitz on crime during a night of stop and search operation to combat rural offences.

Dorset, Avon and Somerset, and Devon and Cornwall’s police forces took part in Operation Shogun as they targeted crime along their shared rural borders.

Members from each force joined with Bridport’s Police officers to stop-check vehicles travelling along the border in a show of strength aimed at intimidating potential criminals.

Inspector Caroline Naughton, Bridport Section Commander, said: “The nature of the border, being predominantly rural farm land, means that anyone coming into the area looking to commit crime is more than likely to be travelling in a vehicle.

“Therefore, by carrying out stop checks, we not only provide our rural communities in Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne, as well as those in Devon and Somerset, with a highly-visible police presence we also deter criminals from coming into the area.”

During the operation, officers also spoke to community members to ascertain if they had seen any suspicious vehicles in the area.

Inspector Naughton continued: “The information we gathered from residents will help us, and our neighbouring forces, to detect any crime that occurs along the border even more effectively in the future.

“If a theft from a farm were to occur close to the forces’ border, for example, the idea is that as a result of the information we’ve gathered, we would be more likely to be able to apprehend an offender.”

The forces will continue to work on collaborative operations, like Operation Shogun, in the future.

PICTURE: A Dorset Police traffic officer conducting a stop check