Police have issued a reminder to the public after drones were spotted flying over the airspace of a Midlands prison. HMP Stoke Heath, a men's prison and young offender institution located near Market Drayton in Shropshire, has become a focus of concern following these incidents.
Plans in Place to Tackle Drone Activity
Authorities have now implemented plans to respond to sightings of drones and any suspicious activity near the prison. Drones are frequently used to drop illegal contraband into prisons, exacerbating issues within facilities and supporting organised crime groups outside.
Regular communication between police and the prison ensures that intelligence, information, and prevention tactics are shared among partners, including HMP Stoke Heath.
Public Urged to Report Sightings
West Mercia Police are calling on the public to report any drone sightings to officers. PC Iain Mcintosh emphasised the importance of community assistance: “As always, our local communities are our eyes and ears on the ground, and the intelligence we gather from them is invaluable.
“Information which has previously been reported to us in relation to drone sightings has been investigated thoroughly, and we ask our communities to continue to report information to us.
“We also want to know about any suspicious acting vehicles; offenders may repeatedly drive around the areas surrounding the prison to find a location where they can fly a drone from.
“If you witness any suspicious activity or see a drone in the airspace near to the prison, call us immediately.
“We will not stop in our pursuit of these criminals, to tear down the organised crime groups behind the operations, and to put a stop to the activity fuelling organised crime and impacting our communities.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact West Mercia Police. If there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@birminghammail.co.uk to get in contact with a reporter.
