Operation Tornado

Essex Police carried out a second day of action with Operation Tornado, a crackdown on criminal dealings in stolen metals, on Friday September 21 in the Basildon area.

Police officers, working with Basildon Council’s waste management team, Trading Standards and British Transport police, carried out 62 stop checks on vehicles at the junction of Wrexham Road and Archers Field Close, near three scrap yards between 8.45am and 3pm.

Drivers of three vehicles were suspected of not have a waste carriers licence, with two of these being certainly required to buy one or be fined £300.

Eight warning letters have been issued to people giving false or incorrect details when dealing in metals, following checks on bookkeeping records at the scrap yards.

Police also made 5 arrests under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act:

A 27 year old man from Basildon was cautioned for giving false personal name or address details

• A 25 year old man from Downham, near Billericay was charged with three counts of giving false details. He was bailed until 11/10/2012

• A 21 year old man from South Ockendon was charged with two counts of giving false details. He was bailed to 11/10/2012

• A 24 year old man from Basildon was given a caution for providing false details.

• A 45 year old man from Gravesend in Kent was charged with taking a motor vehicle without consent, theft of a shopping trolley and possession of cannabis. He has been bailed to 14/11/2012.