West Midlands Police seized a car in Birmingham after residents raised concerns about fly-tipping in the Handsworth area. The vehicle was suspected of being involved in illegal waste dumping on Laurel Road.
The Operation Fearless team was patrolling Handsworth when they spoke to residents who flagged the issue. Working with partners including Birmingham City Council, officers identified the car and seized it on Friday, August 28.
Community intelligence leads to seizure
Following intelligence from the community, officers located the vehicle and took it off the road. Birmingham City Council colleagues will now take over the ongoing investigation and any potential prosecution.
Operation Fearless had a busy day, with two more arrests made – one for recall to prison and another on suspicion of an offence in Scotland.
Police warning on environmental crime
DCI John Askew, who leads Operation Fearless, said: "We're working hard to address the concerns that are raised to us by local people, and this kind of anti-social behaviour will absolutely not be tolerated."
"We have the power to seize vehicle suspected of being involved in environmental crime, and anyone suspected of being involved in this can expect to be identified and potentially given a large fine."
Council to handle prosecution
Askew added: "We'll keep working with our partners at the city council to act on this."
The seizure highlights the ongoing partnership between police and the council in tackling environmental offences. Residents who report such issues can expect follow-up action, with potential fines for those involved.
