Police operation on Wakefield roads sees arrests made, speeding fines and vehicle seizures

Operation Mindstoke is the district’s response to target the fatal four road traffic offences of speeding, use a handheld phone/device whilst using a motor vehicle on a road, driving whilst over the specified limit of drink or drugs and failing to wear a seatbelt.

The operation also targets roads-based crime by disrupting organised crime groups and county lines activity.

On Thursday, July 21, officers issued three traffic offence reports for excess speed in the Walton area. A summons was issued to the driver of a vehicle seen using a mobile phone whilst driving.

On the same day a further four traffic offence reports were issued for excess speed in Ryhill.

Operation Mindstoke took place in Castleford on Sunday, July 24. Two traffic offence reports were issued for excess speed.

The driver of a vehicle was summonsed to court for driving without a licence and insurance and the vehicle was seized.

On the evening of Wednesday, 27 July, Operation Mindstoke was deployed in Netherton.

Late in the evening a vehicle was sighted in suspicious circumstances and subsequently failed to stop for police. Following a pursuit, the vehicle was located abandoned and seized.

Enquiries continue to trace the driver.

PC Richard Shaw, of Castleford Neighbourhood Policing Team, who coordinates Operation Mindstoke, said: “Operation Mindstoke was implemented in Wakefield to reduce the number of road traffic collisions and, in turn, reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.

"Each collision that we can prevent is potentially another life saved.

“We know that statistics tell us that where we actively enforce the legislation around the fatal four offences, we can reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads.

"This is something that me and my colleagues are very passionate about. Over the last year we have seen a 12.4 per cent reduction in road traffic collisions in Wakefield district.

“We also know that communities often raise issues around anti-social use of motor vehicles and road related crime including drug related offences and serious acquisitive crime, and we have sought to target and disrupt this offending.

"Numerous arrests have been made and vehicles seized over the last year.”