Operation to tackle car cruising hailed a success

An operation to tackle car cruising on an industrial estate in Pitsea has been hailed a success, reducing calls made to police about the problem by around 80 per cent. 


PCSO Gary Newton at Bentalls Industrial Estate

Neighbourhood officers launched Operation Navy in June after receiving numerous calls from business owners about cars being driven recklessly on the Bentalls estate.

Sgt Brian Palombella said: “The area was being used as a drag racing strip and we received a lot of calls from people working late on the site about noise and music from the cars, littering and urination.

“Cars were being driven in a drag racing fashion down some of the straight areas of the estate, they were being driven carelessly and dangerously and a lot of drivers were uninsured or didn’t have the correct documentation.”

To help reduce the problem, a dispersal order was put in place giving police powers to remove anyone acting in an anti-social manner from the site. Vehicles being driven carelessly could also be seized.

Officers also used a speed gun on Chesterhall Lane to catch cruisers using the road as a rat run.

Sgt Palmobella added: “We used a number of the powers available to us, one of which entitles a uniformed constable to seize any vehicle being driven in an anti-social manner, committing a careless driving offence or being driven off road.

“We had some good successes with that and a number of vehicles were seized.”

Since the launch of Operation Navy calls made to police relating to anti-social behaviour on the estate have reduced by around 80 per cent.

Operation Navy and the dispersal order will run until Friday, October 1 this year.