Over 1000 arrests made over festive period in Cumbria
Officers were part of multiple operations during December
Last updated 5th Jan 2024
Major stats have been released by Cumbria Police - at the end of their crackdown on festive crime.
During December it's emerged they made more than a thousand arrests.
A series of policing operations took place covering themes such as drink and drug driving, burglary prevention, VAWG (violence against women and girls), domestic abuse, personal safety, retail crime and targeting wanted people.
Assistant Chief Constable Dave Stalker said:
“Our officers have worked incredibly hard throughout the festive season to ensure our communities were kept safe and those who committed crime are held to account.
“We increased the number of officers on patrol and on specific operations to ensure that we had sufficient resource to tackle criminality throughout the festive period.
“December is often one of our busiest periods of the year and I am delighted to say that our officers were able to respond quickly to the vast majority of incidents.
“Whilst a significant number of arrests have been made, it is also important to note that the efforts made throughout December will have led to countless crimes being prevented.
“This prevention work is key. Officers from our neighbourhood policing teams have engaged with communities and provided a visible presence to deter criminals and reassure law-abiding people. We have also conducted a number of public awareness campaigns to prevent crime and keep people safe."
Some of the key work and results include:
Drink and Drug Driving – Operation Limit
Officers stopped more than 1,800 motorists during December as part of a proactive approach to prevent loss of life on Cumbria’s roads. In total, 1,302 people were tested at the roadside and 130 people were arrested.
Of those arrested, 70 were on suspicion of driving whilst over the limit for drugs and 56 on suspicion of driving whilst over the limit for alcohol.
Burglary prevention – Operation Themis
Operation Themis is the force’s ongoing response to burglaries. Throughout the month crime prevention advice was issued to the public on ways to ensure the security of a person’s home and deter criminals.
68 burglaries were reported during the month, with 53 arrests made so far. Investigations into the reported offences continue as officers do all they can to identify those responsible and secure charges.
Domestic abuse
In December over 90 arrests were made in relation to domestic abuse-related incidents.
Operation Merlin
Officers once again carried out enquiries under Operation Merlin, which targets wanted individuals in Cumbria.
Over a period of four days, officers arrested 20 individuals wanted for a range of offences including Class A drug supply. Notably, on one day alone, police arrested 11 wanted people.
Tackling serious and organised crime – Operation Alliance
Operation Alliance is the force’s ongoing response to serious and organised crime in Cumbria.
Officers continued to tackle serious and organised criminality during December, with the force’s Road Crime Unit seizing more than £425,000 from the county’s road networks.
12 kilos of cannabis was also seized during the month.
Chief Constable Rob Carden added:
“The work conducted throughout December shows the unwavering commitment our police officers, staff and volunteers have for our communities.
“Many of the operations and activity which were undertaken last month are done so throughout the year. I can assure you that we will continue to be robust in ensuring criminals are held accountable for their actions.
“I hope that this sends a clear message to those who attempt to commit crime in Cumbria; your actions will not be tolerated, and we will do all we can to protect our communities.”