Harrow Police launch campaign against driving offences

Police have launched a campaign to bring driving offences to a halt by showing felons the consequences of their crimes.

Officers at Harrow on the Hill Safer Neighbourhood Team brought out crushed remnants of impounded cars on Tuesday, to show drivers that crime does not pay.

As part of Operation Reclaim more than 80 cars were pulled over in four hours, of which four were seized and one arrest made for drink-driving.

Cars were seized because the owners had no proof of insurance, but Sergeant Edward Baildon said this kind of crime often revealed more serious activity.

He said: "We started running this operation in the lead up to Christmas, and we have seen that often drivers who are found with no insurance or driving license are responsible for other crimes such as burglary.

"Showing them the result of such crimes with the crushed vehicles just helps to hit home the seriousness of driving offences."

Mr Baildon said drivers of the impounded cars will now have 15 days to give proof of insurance, or their vehicles face being crushed.

Cars above a certain valuation may escape the crusher by being auctioned, while others will be compressed into a cube and recycled.