- Success for Council's anti-fraud team
- How much power are you wasting?
- Protect your home from thieves this summer
- Young builders needed for child's-size city!
- Rugby World Cup success is 'outstanding' for Twickenham
- Crofters fashion show wows guests
- Curtain comes up on summer theatrical spectacular
- Karate kids get their kicks at Hampton Sports and Fitness Centre
- Performing on the edge
- Young people shape plan for future of children's services
- Car club membership rockets as residents save thousands
- Operation Lockout improves bike security
- Dodgy drivers warned over parking fraud
- Are you willing to gamble on the cocaine lottery?
- Free parking boost for businesses
- Your chance to display artwork at the Riverside Gallery
- Now it's over to Tomasz for the weather...
- London Youth Games team celebrated at the stoop
- Game, set and match, for free!
- Royal approval for pupils' bespoke deckchairs
- Raising the flag for borough's parks
- Businesses get greener thanks to the Council
- Borough blooms under the spotlight
- Play cool in parks this summer
- A snapshot of Richmond from around the world
- Land speed record holder sets challenge for school pupils
- Bike ride promotes cycling to secondary schools
- Third runway "will not reduce stacking"
- Borough's cyclists praised for wheely great challenge result
- Cycle starter packs launched to get Richmond pedalling
- PwC to help Council improve efficiency
- Earl of Wessex reopens 'Magnificent' Terrace Gardens
- Summer of larks in borough parks
- Lazy drivers are pushing up crime - police
- Team Richmond Shines at London Youth Games
- Young people needed for youth magazine
- Council acts to tackle cigarette litter
- Top award for borough crime team
- Family entertainment in Terrace Gardens
- Council kick starts regeneration of Barn Elms
- Top awards for young artists
- Results announced for £1million youth facilities vote
- Council thanks Father Thames Trust for donations
- Demont confirmed as principal designate of proposed academy
- Great British inventing praised
- Pupils excellence celebrated
- Café sunshine opens on Twickenham Riverside
Release Date: 03/08/2009
Success for Council's anti-fraud team
A stop and search operation targeting motorists driving untaxed and uninsured vehicles has resulted in more than 20 people being questioned for a range of suspected offences.
During the operation, Police used an automatic number plate recognition equipment to identify vehicles suspected of driving illegally or who may not have had a licence for transporting commercial waste.
Among the issues identified as a result of this operation were :
- One vehicle impounded by police for offences relating to not having insurance or non payment of road tax.
- One immigration offender identified and detained.
- Two people questioned regarding benefit claims - further investigations will now take place.
Sir David Williams, Richmond Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “There’s usually a reason why people don’t tax or insure their vehicles – it’s because they know they would be a danger on the road or because they are stolen, and we’re determined to make sure these dodgy drivers do not put other people at risk. These smaller crimes can be an indicator of bigger issues at play.
“The Council’s anti-fraud team will work on more operations like this and will bring public services together to cut down on fakery, scams and schemes by monitoring suspect activity and acting to stop it and prosecute offenders quickly. When people try to beat the system, they only end up costing everyone else because money is lost from front line services like housing vulnerable families and looking after people in need.”
The joint operation was carried out by Richmond and Hounslow Councils, the Met Police and the UK Border Agency. It was a success for Richmond Council’s anti-fraud team, and is the first of a number of joint initiatives planned in the Borough to tackle and prevent fraud in the borough.
If you suspect fraud, report it to the Council on 020 8891 7839 or email benefitsInvestigations@richmond.gov.uk.
View the full press release