'˜Your car's nicked...and crushed' '“ Police

Nearly 40 vehicles being driven without insurance, road tax or MOT in Levenmouth have been seized and crushed in a joint operation by local police and DVLA.
PC Richard Cartwright with crushed cars at Noble Recycling, Kirkcaldy. (Picture: Fife Photo Agency.)PC Richard Cartwright with crushed cars at Noble Recycling, Kirkcaldy. (Picture: Fife Photo Agency.)
PC Richard Cartwright with crushed cars at Noble Recycling, Kirkcaldy. (Picture: Fife Photo Agency.)

And drivers still tempted to drive illegal, and often dangerous, vehicles are being warned: “You will be caught.”

Operation Reflector, an initiative being piloted in Levenmouth, is combining preventative measures, intelligence-gathering tactics and interventions to make local roads safer and tackle anti-social behaviour.

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Targeting the illegal use of quad bikes, motorbikes and cars, the scheme has resulted in more than 35 vehicles being seized and crushed since the start of the year.

Community Inspector Tom Brown said the result has been a drop in the number of calls about anti-social behaviour concerning quad bikes, motorbikes and cars on public roads and footpaths.

“Working with our partners in road policing and DVLA allows us to deploy additional resources and agencies which can also assist with detecting those responsible,” Inspector Brown said.

“This proactive approach ensures that illegal vehicles, which are generally in a bad state of repair and a danger to other road users and the public, are removed from the roads.”

Most of the offenders are young men aged between 14 and 25.

Cars are crushed at Noble Recycling, Kirkcaldy. (Picture: Fife Photo Agency.)Cars are crushed at Noble Recycling, Kirkcaldy. (Picture: Fife Photo Agency.)
Cars are crushed at Noble Recycling, Kirkcaldy. (Picture: Fife Photo Agency.)
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Inspector Brown added: “There has also been a significant increase in the detection rate for persons committing road traffic offences, which has led to fines and bans from the road for serial offenders.

“The initiative will continue for the foreseeable future and you should fully expect if you are driving illegally on any road in Levenmouth to be targeted by the local police and your vehicle may be seized and crushed.”

Part of the intelligence-gathering involves monitoring websites where vehicles are bought and sold.

“Current crime trends indicate that persons purchase vehicles on websites such as Gumtree and use them on the road without registering them or holding relevant documentation,” Inspector Brown said.

Cars are crushed at Noble Recycling, Kirkcaldy. (Picture: Fife Photo Agency.)Cars are crushed at Noble Recycling, Kirkcaldy. (Picture: Fife Photo Agency.)
Cars are crushed at Noble Recycling, Kirkcaldy. (Picture: Fife Photo Agency.)
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“Levenmouth Police monitor these websites and know who these vehicles belong to.”

Information and intelligence about the illegal use of vehicles was managed daily and officers were being deployed, both in uniform and marked police vehicles and plain clothes, to nab those involved.

“We can’t become complacent and we continue to address it on a daily basis,” he added.

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