truck seizure

Police in Kent seized a truck after the driver was stopped and arrested in connection with a robbery of scrap metal in Chatham.

Rural officers were out working with local partners to tackle fly-tippers when they came across a suspicious vehicle on 27 May.

Kent police said the 23-year-old driver was arrested in connection with a robbery that had taken place earlier that day.

It involved two victims who said they had been threatened with a hammer and robbed of their scrap metal, a mobile phone and a bank card.

Throughout the day several vehicles were stopped and checks were made to ensure those carrying and moving waste were doing so legally and had all the correct paperwork.

Sergeant Darren Walshaw of the rural task force said: “In addition to stop checks and targeted patrols, officers also visit scrap metal dealerships to ensure they are keeping accurate records.

“On this occasion, we did not have to issue any fines," he said. “This is a good opportunity however to remind the public that fly-tipping is not just littering, it is organised criminality.

“The problem blights communities and some waste, like asbestos, can pose a significant health risk to the public.”

Last month, the Environment Agency crushed an eight-wheel tipper truck after suspecting it of being used by criminals for fly-tipping purposes.

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