Six arrests and 14 cars seized as police launch blitz on Doncaster crime gangs

South Yorkshire Police announced the one day Operation Scorpion sting last Wednesday, aiming to target drug and car crime and anti-social behaviour across the town.

Officers from a number of different units were brought together for the blitz with chiefs praising ‘fantastic results.’

Uniting the resources of the force’s Operational Support Unit and Neighbourhood teams in Doncaster Central, Doncaster North and Doncaster North East, officers from the Roads Policing Group, Tactical Support Group, Firearms Support Group and the Off-Road Bike Intervention team (ORBIT) were also involved.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “As Neighbourhood Policing Week continued nationally, it was a chance for officers within the Doncaster teams to utilise the extra resources available on the day and tackle those issues that matter to the communities they serve.

The operation was hailed a success by organisers, with Doncaster’s District Commander T/Chief Superintendent Ian Proffitt adding: “There were some fantastic results recorded.”

In total there were six arrests, 14 vehicles seized worth around £127,000, multiple stop and searches and citations and warnings handed out for other more minor offences.

Highlights from the operation included a Volvo – believed stolen on 15 January from the Yorkshire Wildlife Park - being spotted and engaged with around the Intake and Wheatley areas.

It collided with a bus which, thankfully, caused no injuries and three men in the vehicle were arrested. Two – aged 22 and 15 and from Doncaster – were arrested on suspicion of taking a motor vehicle and have been released under investigation as enquiries continue.

The third, also aged 22 and from Doncaster, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving while under the influence of drugs and theft of a motor vehicle.

He was also been released under investigation as enquiries continue.

Elsewhere, a stolen Range Rover Sport on cloned plates was found and recovered in Balby.

The force’s safety camera partnerships were also deployed and detected 72 motoring offences across the district.

Field Intelligence Officer Tim Scothern, from the force’s Specialist Crime Services unit, said: “This was, again, a very successful day of action in the Doncaster area. It required significant staff extractions due to the complexities of some of the incidents.

“Special thanks must go to all the district officers who took part with OSU.

“We prioritised detection and disruption of criminal behaviour, and showed the communities through high visibility policing that we continue to sustain public protection and deny criminals the use of the roads.

“We are very happy with the results obtained and hopefully this will send out a message to those undertaking organised criminal activity that you are not safe and we will continue to hunt you down and disrupt your actions, bringing you to justice.”