Police warning to uninsured drivers

MOTORISTS who are uninsured or who use their cars to commit burglaries or carry out drug dealing are facing a renewed crackdown across West Yorkshire.

Five uninsured vehicles have been seized in two days this week as part West Yorkshire Police’s Operation Viper to target prolific and persistent offenders.

A further eight people were also arrested by officers in Bradford for a variety of offences including robbery, burglary and possession with intent to supply drugs.

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Police activity on Tuesday centred on the Thornton, Queensbury and Little Horton areas of Bradford, where three cannabis farms were also discovered and dismantled.

Chief Superintendent Dickie Whitehead, who leads Operation Viper, said: “Uninsured drivers are a menace to law abiding motorists who pay increased insurance premiums to mitigate the losses incurred by those who drive, and crash, without insurance.

“This is about making sure people understand the full consequences of their actions and that people who work hard and pay their premiums know that we are doing everything in our power to target and throw the full weight of the law at those who believe it’s acceptable to drive without insurance.”

Anyone caught driving without insurance faces having their car seized, a maximum fine of £5,000 pounds, eight points on their driving licence, and a criminal record.

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Earlier this week Operation Viper officers arrested seven people across Bradford.

The police raids led to the discovery of a small arsenal of weapons at a property in Allison Lane, Bolton Woods.

Following a search of the Allison Lane property, a 28-year-old man was arrested on firearms offences after a number of air weapons, crossbows, swords, knives and two CS gas canisters were recovered.

A 49-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman were arrested from a property on Sewell Road, Laisterdyke after suspected class A crack cocaine, with an estimated street value of £800, was found in a kitchen cupboard.

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Further arrests included a 45-year-old man from Elsdon Grove, Little Horton, who was taken into custody on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class B drugs after officers uncovered around a kilogram of cannabis at the property.

Two other people have also been arrested in connection with three burglaries and one man was taken into custody on suspicion of cannabis possession.

Mr Whitehead said: “This week is just one of a number of proactive tactics we are employing as we aim to turn the fear of crime onto criminals themselves.

“The week of action in Bradford follows on from a similar operation in Leeds that helped to reduce incidents of burglary across the city by over 20 per cent.

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“The seizure of class A and B drugs removes them from the local market place and recovery of the cache of weapons is something that makes the streets of Bradford a safer place for local people.”

Last week 28 people were arrested in Leeds.

During a search at an address on Waincliffe Mount, Beeston, a picture frame was found to contain a number of driving licences, bank cards and car keys. A 38-year-old man was arrested from the property on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

Two stun-gun type weapons recovered from the kitchen of an address on Park Avenue, Wakefield, and two people arrested, in a police raid last week.