Operation Freestyle tackles Christmas crime

Police say they’re pleased with the results of an operation which aimed to tackle crime over Christmas and the New Year period.

Over the last five weeks, plain clothes and uniformed officers targeted premises and people who are known to the force who were thought likely to reoffend.

Operation Freestyle saw more than 100 patrols checking to make sure businesses were secured and anyone officers thought might be involved in crime were warned about the possible consequences of any such action.

Sergeant Darren Richards, based at Lord Street Station, says the idea was to take proactive steps to prevent crimes taking place.