Six people have been arrested as part of a police crackdown in South Tyneside following a spate of crime in the borough.
Operation Princess was rolled out last month in response to anti-social behaviour and crime concerns raised by residents, commuters and shopkeepers in the east South Shields and Whitburn areas. During the initiative, six arrests were made for offences including for carrying weapons, being in possession of drugs and shoplifting.
Northumbria Police and the force's Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness’ Safer Transport Northumbria project team joined forces with Nexus and South Tyneside Council to help prevent crime during the operation. They carried out stop and searches and engaged with young people in areas where youth anti-social behaviour has been identified as a particular concern.
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Through Operation Princess, more than 1,500 people passed through the knife arch, 38 stop checks were carried out and 14 stop and searches were made as part of the proactive efforts to catch offenders and bring them to justice.
The operation also saw acquisitive crime - where large groups were using the Metro to commit high-value shoplifts – fall by 81%. Public order offences also dropped by 50% during the six-week period.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness, said: “This operation really has been a job well done. Not only do the numbers speak for themselves but residents and transport bosses have told me so. It’s been a well-delivered mix of catching people, detecting crime, and improving people’s general feelings of safety on and around our public transport networks in the area."
Northumbria Police said the initiative is not a one-off, with operations planned to take place throughout the year to target hotspot areas and crime trends.
Chief Inspector Phil Baker, of Northumbria Police, said: "Tackling anti-social behaviour is a priority for the force and this positive activity is not a one-off. We have planned operations throughout the year to target hotspot areas and crime trends, and that work will be continuing over the coming weeks and months.
“As ever, I’d like to thank our residents, commuters and businesses for their support and I hope these results offer reassurance that we have listened to their concerns – and are taking robust action to address them."
Anyone who is a victim of crime, or who has concerns about criminality in their area, is encouraged to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of their website or by calling 101. In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, always ring 999.”
