Work by response officers in Maldon has led to 13 people arrested and stolen property and vehicles recovered in just four days.

Between February 15 and 18, the Local Policing Team carried out proactive activity, including in their own time and refusing to go off duty to ensure the arrests were made and stolen property could be returned to its rightful owner.

On February 15, one officer from the team managed to contain six hare coursing suspects in a field in Danbury to ensure they were contained while colleagues from the Rural Engagement Team and National Police Air Service responded.

At the time, the officer was due to go off-duty but their dedication to tackling crime led them to respond and ensure the suspects were detained and all six were arrested and a vulnerable animal was safeguarded.

A vulnerable animal was safeguarded after suspected hare coursing arrests. (Credit: Essex Police)

The following day, they identified a vehicle linked to thefts travelling through Essex. 

Laying in wait for the vehicle, they located it in Stock where it was searched and inside they found a large amount of goods we believed had been stolen.

One officer proactively contacted several stores they believed may have been affected, through which a number of offences were identified.

They then arrested the four people who had been in the vehicle.

On February 17, one of the team had spent their own time carrying out analysis work which identified a stolen vehicle running on cloned number plates.

The officer located the vehicle and brought it to a stop, leading to another suspect being arrested and the vehicle being recovered.

Then on February 18, working with our Road Policing Unit, an officer found a vehicle on cloned number plates travelling through the district.

When it was stopped it was established it had been stolen and the two people inside were arrested in connection with a series of burglaries in the north of the county.

Chief Inspector Paul Ballard, District Commander for Chelmsford and Maldon, said: "This is an extraordinary set of proactive work by officers dedicated to public service.

"The work involved showed a huge amount of dedication, persistence, and commitment to bring suspects into custody and recover stolen property.

"It matters to you, so it matters to us.

"It's down to work like this that Maldon is one of the safest districts in the county.

"In the last year we've seen both crime fall, with more than 200 fewer offences, and the number of crimes solved increase.

"People here are a third less likely to be a victim of crime than the average across the county."