Operation Tornado

Operation Tornado swept back into Scarborough, Malton and Pickering yesterday (Wednesday 4 September 2024) as officers smashed through doors as part of a targeted enforcement day of action resulting in 12 arrests.

From early light in Scarborough, several people wanted by the Police for various reasons, including shoplifting offences, were arrested by the Retail Crime Officer with support from the Response Team.

Chief Constable Tim Forber was in Scarborough as officers paraded on, prior to joining them executing two drug warrants alongside the Operational Support Unit. Two men were arrested in relation to drug offences and have been released under investigation as enquiries are ongoing.

This effort supported the Barrowcliff ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ project to tackle organised crime on the estate in Scarborough.

 

 

At another address, two knives were located within the address, which will be illegal to own as the legislation changes later this month. The owner surrendered these weapons, and they will be destroyed.

 

 

The action wasn’t restricted to the coast, with two doors going through in the evening - one in Pickering and one in Malton. As darkness fell last night, three people were arrested in relation to drug offences and are currently still in the cells as the investigation continues.

 

 

Our Rural Task Force were proactively out and about making visits to the farming and rural communities. They gave out more than 150 vehicle marking packs which are a security intervention designed to keep GPS devices and other agricultural systems safe. 

Operational Commander, Chief Inspector Donna Musgrove, said: “We have been working together with our partners to focus on the issues that really matter to our communities. We are committed to keeping our residents and businesses safe by focusing on those individuals who cause the most harm.”

Our Road Safety Team were also working in partnership with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) conducting vehicle checks. During this activity, one driver was arrested for failing to attend court in relation to drink-drive offences in Cleveland.

 

Other results included:

• Two immediate prohibitions issued by the DVSA – one for handbrake failure and the other for having an insecure load
• One delayed prohibition – glass not as prescribed (non-legal tinted windows)
• One driver issued with a Traffic Offence Report (TOR) for having glass not as prescribed
• One TOR issued for driver for having no insurance
• One vehicle seized for driver having no insurance

Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams in Scarborough and Malton were also actively engaging with businesses in relation to the new NICE Investigate scheme. This allows residents and businesses to register their CCTV systems with North Yorkshire Police.

After actively executing one of the drugs warrants in Scarborough, Chief Constable Tim Forber said: “It has been fantastic work today. We are working together with our communities to make North Yorkshire a better place to visit and to live, and to make sure people feel safe to live in their own home.”

 

Reporting information about drug-related crime 

Anyone with any information about suspected drug-related crime are urged to make a report via the North Yorkshire Police website or by calling 101, select option 4, and speak to the Force Control Room.

Always dial 999 if an emergency response is required.

If you would prefer to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or make a report online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. 

Get professional support for drug and alcohol related issues

• Drink Drug Hub website drinkdrughub.co.uk
• North Yorkshire Rise– young people's specialist drug and alcohol service- freephone 08000 14 14 80 (option 2) – humankindcharity.org.uk/service/nyrise/
• North Yorkshire Horizons- adult specialist drug and alcohol service - freephone 08000 14 14 80 – nyhorizons.org.uk/
• City of York Drug and Alcohol Service– https://www.changegrowlive.org/york/info
• NHS– https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/drug-addiction-getting-help/
• FRANK helpline and information - https://www.talktofrank.com/