Two arrests after "thousands of pounds worth" of cables recovered from vehicles on M4
Police stopped two vans suspected of being significantly overweight and being driven in a dangerous condition on the motorway this morning (18 June)
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of theft after "thousands of pounds" worth of heavy duty power cables were recovered from vehicles on the M4.
The arrests were made this morning (18 June) after Roads Policing officers stopped two vans suspected of being significantly overweight and being driven in a dangerous condition.
Wiltshire Police say the vans were brought into Badbury Weighbridge near Swindon, where it was discovered that both contained significant quantities of heavy duty cables believed to be stolen.
The force added that the two drivers were arrested on suspicion of theft after being unable to account for where the cables had come from.
One of the drivers was further arrested for driving without insurance, driving while disqualified and using a vehicle in a dangerous condition.
They remain in custody for questioning and police have seized the vehicles.
Roads Policing Inspector Neil Duffin said: “This is excellent policing work which demonstrates how proactively investigating driving offences can and often does lead to the discovery of other offending.
“Not only is the theft of power cables financially damaging to the victim who then has to replace them, there could also be substantial danger placed on the sites where the cables have been removed from.
“There is also the significant risk to other road users that overweight vehicles pose. Overloading vehicles like these means their steering or brakes are likely to be impaired, potentially leading to serious or fatal collisions.
“We will continue to be robust with those found to be breaking the law on our roads.”