1:20pm Monday 8th February 2010
By Ben Perrin
POLICE and warrant officers collected more than £5,000 in outstanding fines from offenders on behalf of Swindon’s law courts.
Operation Disruption set out to claim back unpaid bail fines and money for breached warrants within the town centre during a seven-hour patrol last week.
Offenders were asked to pay up or, if they refused, be arrested and taken to Gablecross Police Station.
In total 49 warrants were issued on 38 Swindon addresses by four teams involving HM Courts Service officers, four PCs and four Police Community Support Officers.
Out of the addresses contacted, three people were arrested for no bail fines, with warrants amounting to £3,458.
One person was arrested for breach of warrant – with further payments totalling £1,162.50 – and one person surrendered into court for no bail fines coming to £425. So in total £5,045.50 was collected by police.
Warrant enforcement officer Warren Lowe said it had been a hugely successful operation.
He said: “This operation gains a positive working partnership by showing strength between the police and H M Courts Service in the local community.
“I would like to thank the police officers and PCSOs involved for their time, cooperation and support in making the operation a great success.
“Outside of the operation further warrants have been investigated and executed due to intelligence passed between the court service and the police.”
Two drugs raids were also carried out during the same week of Operation Disruption.
Two men, aged in their 40s,were arrested for possessing suspected herbal cannabis at an address in Euclid Street.
They were later released on police bail pending further investigations.
Police also found drug paraphernalia at a house in Farringdon Road, but made no arrests.
Any information about illegal activity can be passed onto police by calling 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers, where information can be left anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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