Rural Crime Team join forces with residents to deter and disrupt criminals as part of Op Overwatch

Officers from Cheshire Constabulary’s Rural Crime Team joined forces with residents to deter and disrupt criminals who target farming and rural communities.

Operation Overwatch took place during the evening of Friday 4 November and saw officers engage with residents in Macclesfield and the surrounding areas. 

During the night, officers supported by Cheshire’s Special Constabulary and the Derbyshire Rural Crime Team, worked to target Cheshire’s borders with Derbyshire and Staffordshire – on the look-out for Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) who purposefully target and exploit rural communities.

Patrols were on the look-out for a range of crime such as livestock theft, organised plant theft, burglaries targeting firearms, poaching and hare coursing.

Throughout the night a number of vehicles were subject to stop and search while officers also carrying out drink and drug testing.

Police constable Jim Clark, of the Rural Crime Team, who led the operation, said: “It’s really important for us to work with our rural communities to proactively target those who think that they can commit crime in our areas.

“Due to Cheshire having such vast areas of countryside, we can see how it may be tempting for those to cross the border and commit such crime but they’d be wrong.

“Our Rural Crime Team work around the clock to catch those in the act and bring criminals to justice and we will not stop in pursuing those who believe they can travel into Cheshire’s rural communities to commit crime.

“I would just like to give a personal thanks to all those that volunteered and took part in the operation.”

If you have any concerns about rural crime in your area, please report them via:  

https://www.cheshire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/soh/seen-or-heard/