More arrests and e-scooters seized in Police crackdown on street crime

• Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson has welcomed the latest results of a seasonal operation to reduce so-called street crime in Gloucestershire
• Figures for August showed the ‘Safer Streets Summer Initiative’ included a further 22 arrests, 10 people given anti-social behaviour related out of court disposals and more illegal e-bikes and scooters seized
• The operation was launched in Gloucester on 30 June and will continue until the end of September
• Mr. Nelson said, “Successful, high visibility operations like this go a long way to addressing crimes that I know the public are particularly concerned about”.

Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson praised Gloucestershire Constabulary after figures, just released, show a summer long police operation is continuing to reduce so-called ‘street crime’ in Gloucestershire.

22 people were arrested for offences including robbery, theft, vandalism and assault and a number of and illegal e-bikes and e-scooters seized in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury;

Figures released by the Constabulary earlier today revealed that more than 1,000 hours of street patrols in August, resulted in:

• 33 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters seized during a day of action in Gloucester with others also seized in Cheltenham and Tewkesbury
• 22 arrests made for offences such as robbery, theft, vandalism and assaults
• 10 people given anti-social behaviour related out of court disposals;
• Eight people given retail crime related out of court disposals
• Five people given a street crime related out of court disposal.One person given a street crime related out of court disposal.

Out of court disposals are when matters are not taken to court and can include more immediate, and often more effective outcomes such as cautions, conditional cautions, penalty notices and community resolutions.

Welcoming these results, Police and Crime Commissioner Chris Nelson said: "For some reason, there always seems to be more shoplifting and anti-social behaviour during the summer.

“By focusing on these sorts of crimes, the Constabulary is giving the public more of the ‘hands-on’ policing they want to see and making a visible difference in our communities as a result.

“Successful, high visibility operations like this go a long way to addressing crimes that I know the public are particularly concerned about”.

As part of the summer long operation, Gloucestershire County Council Immigration and Trading Standards Officers also joined a day of action and seized around £3,000 of worth of illegal vapes and 13 suspected counterfeit Labubu dolls.

Elsewhere in the county, more public space protection orders (PSPOs) were implemented in Cheltenham and Gloucester after foot patrols identified street drinking.

PSPOs are orders that prohibit anyone from having open containers of alcohol in a public place and anyone who is caught is asked to dispose of it or risk being issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.

The Safer Streets Summer Initiative, began on 30 June and runs until the end of this month (September).