100 arrests as part of an operation to tackle acquisitive crime

A total of 100 people have been arrested in just over a month as part of an operation to tackle acquisitive crime across County Durham and Darlington.

Officers have been relentlessly seeking out suspects across the force since the start of December in order to crackdown on criminal activity.

So far, several of those arrested as part of Operation Trident have already charged and even sentenced.

Seven vehicles have been seized and a large amount of stolen property, including mountain bikes, mobile phones, quad bikes and garden machinery has been recovered.

Cocaine with the street value of £10,000, cannabis and drug paraphernalia were recovered from Consett, and £20,000 cash and an imitation firearm were located in a property in Consett.

The operation has also led to the recovery of more than 100 Cannabis plants from Close House, near Bishop Auckland. This incident led to two Vietnamese nationals being safeguarded having been forced to work as modern-day slaves.

Social media appeals in the style of “Zoom” calls have resulted in a significant number of wanted people being located thanks to help from members of the public and some of those featured even handed themselves in after seeing the posts.

In addition, officers have been out and about offering crime prevention advice where needed, particularly relating to vehicle crime.

Officers have been trying car doors in problem areas and reminding owners about the need to secure their vehicles and not leave anything valuable on display.

Detective Superintendent Lee Gosling, of Durham Constabulary, said: “We have made a great start to Operation Trident, but rest assured, we will continue to use all the powers at our disposal to disrupt the unacceptable work of opportunist thieves. – not just theft.

“Anyone who thinks it is acceptable to bring harm and suffering on innocent people in our communities will be dealt with robustly.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their continued help and support. Your information and pieces of intelligence are invaluable to the work we do.”

To report anything suspicious in your area call Durham Constabulary on 101, or 999 in an emergency.