Police blitz on untaxed vehicles

POLICE and officials from the DVLA joined forces to target untaxed vehicles in Warrington.
Officers from Warrington Central Neighbourhood Policing Unit assisted a team of enforcement officers from the DVLA throughout the operation yesterday (Friday).
In five hours 16 untaxed vehicles – or vehicles with tax discs that were more than 28 days out of date – were clamped.
The owners of clamped vehicles are required to pay £200 for the clamp to be removed or to tax the vehicle within 24 hours. If they fail to do this the vehicle will be seized and towed away.
Sergeant Ian Stott, from Warrington Central NPU, said: “This particular operation is part of an ongoing campaign by the DVLA to crack down on the number of untaxed vehicles on the roads. It has been a great success and shows the effective partnerships that we have formed with agencies in the local community.
“If left for a long period of time these sorts of vehicles can become an eyesore and can then become a focus for anti-social behaviour and suffer from criminal damage, all of which can have a big impact on the local community. They can also become a target for thieves.
“Most importantly, this kind of targeted operation can also severely disrupt the activities of criminals who often further their unlawful activities in low-value untaxed vehicles. Untaxed vehicles are an issue that concerns local residents and it is something they have raised with us at our Community Action Meetings. We want to show that we are listening to what they are saying and are taking positive action where necessary.”
While out on patrol officers regularly take details of any vehicles they see without tax discs, or with out-of-date or suspect discs, and pass them on to the DVLA.
Sergeant Stott added: “We hope this sends out a strong message to people who take vehicles out onto the road illegally – that they are likely to lose their vehicle and face prosecution through the courts. They need to understand that they cannot get away with this sort of behaviour.”