Cambridgeshire police recover £700,000 of stolen property in rural crime crackdown
Specialist team makes arrests and recovers high-value items across the county
Cambridgeshire's Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) has made impressive strides in recovering stolen property, valued at nearly £700,000, over the past six months.
Between April and September of this year, the team recovered 48 stolen vehicles, trailers, plant machinery, and other assets in efforts to disrupt organised criminal activities across the region.
In addition to asset recovery, RCAT officers conducted 12 vehicle pursuits, resulting in 26 arrests, and dealt with 107 driving offences. They also seized 39 uninsured vehicles, identified 12 cases of drug possession, and arrested two individuals on suspicion of drink-driving.
Notable recoveries include 11 cars valued at over £120,000, 13 pick-up vehicles worth nearly £217,000, and five items of plant machinery valued at £206,000.
Specialist support was provided to the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service during summer woodland fires, where RCAT deployed drones with thermal imaging to assist firefighters in evaluating hotspots and managing fire behaviour.
Sergeant Tom Nuttall, who leads the team, said: “Many people know RCAT as the force's hare coursing team, but that is only one aspect of what we do.
“Every day, our officers provide specialist support across Cambridgeshire, from pursuing dangerous offenders and recovering stolen property to locating missing people and assisting with major incidents.
“These results highlight the breadth of work undertaken by the team and our continued commitment to protecting rural communities, disrupting organised criminality and supporting the wider policing response across the county.”