Op Vermont: Seven arrests, two vehicles and drugs seized in Kirkby

We arrested seven people and seized drugs and two vehicles during a day of action in Kirkby yesterday, Wednesday, 15 June.

The day’s activities under Operation Vermont involved officers from across the force coming together to prevent crime and reassure the public on community issues, as well as proactively targeting criminals.

The action was a direct response to recent reports of criminality in Westvale in the last week, including a shooting that damaged a house on Springvale Close and anti-social behaviour.

Uniformed police patrolled the streets and a mobile police station is on James Holt Ave in Westvale, and will be based there until the end of the week. Officers also conducted a roadside operation to disrupt the activity of criminals using the road network.

Letters have also been sent to residents in Westvale to reassure of the police work being carried out and that we will take action from information we receive.

Those arrested were:

• Two woman, a 39-year-old from Wolverhampton and a 38-year-old from Walsall, were arrested on suspicion of possession with Intent to Supply Class B drugs (cannabis) on Valley Road following a vehicle stop. Three large bags of cannabis were recovered from the car. The two suspects have been released under investigation.
• A 30-year-old man from Halewood and a 32-year-old man from Prescot were arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, drug driving and other driving offences following a vehicle stop on Knowsley Lane. They have been released following further enquiries.
• A man, 28 years from Westvale, was arrested on suspicion of drug driving after being stopped on Newick Road. He has been released under investigation
• A 37-year-old man from Norris Green was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a controlled drug (cannabis) following a stop and search in Northwood. He was given a community resolution
• A 39-year-old woman from Northwood was arrested on suspicion of shoplifting eight blocks of cheese at Morrisons in Kirkby. She will be further investigated

Officers also seized two vehicles, a white transit van and a silver Ford S-Max, carried out 11 stop searches, searched two properties and searched open land at James Holt Avenue for concealed weapons hidden by criminals.

Sergeant Simon McEvoy, Targeted Policing for Knowsley, said: “It was a successful day of action carried out by officers to disrupt criminality in the area.

“We received positive feedback from the community about the proactive police work being carried out to tackle crime, and our officers chatted to residents about community issues which they might not have told us about.

“The operation supports the work we do every day of the year to tackle offending in our communities. Stop checks warrants, land searches and arrests take place all year round across Merseyside, often in those areas the public tell us there are issues.”

Anyone who has information about drug dealing in the community or knows where weapons are being stored or who is using them can contact us by sending a DM to @MerPolCC, calling 101 or contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Alternatively talk in confidence to Knowsley Council’s Crime and Communities Team by emailing [email protected]