Police Rural Day Of Action Leads To Warrants

Kent Police officers have executed a series of warrants as part of their ongoing work to crackdown on rural crime across the borough.

The latest "Operation Nonagon" took place on Thursday 5th June and saw the Rural Partnership Team working alongside local officers from Sittingbourne Police Station. 

Inspector Andrew Judd, from the Ashford Neighbourhood Policing Team and lead officer in the operation, told SFM News: "This was just the latest in a series of days of action conducted between the four districts, known as Operation Nonagon. We know that burglary, vehicle crime, and fuel theft are the most common types of crime experienced in rural areas and we are committed to disrupting criminal activity and catching those responsible."

In Tonge a father and son were arrested after a warrant was carried out at a farm in Church Road, where 59 plants, believed to be cannabis plants, were found and seized. 53-year-old Stephen Parkinson, of Aerodrome Road in Hawkinge, and his 32-year-old son Steven Parkinson, from Agate Court in Sittingbourne, were charged with cannabis production and will appear at Maidstone Magistrates Court on Thursday 26th June.

A separate warrant was carried out at a property in Agate Court where plants believed to be cannabis were found in a bedroom.

In Willow Avenue, Faversham, a 38-year-old-man was arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis and was bailed until Monday 4th August.

Elsewhere, officers carried out additional patrols and intelligence checks in the Raspberry Hill Lane and Old Ferry Road areas of Iwade. Visits were made to local farms where landowners were given crime prevention advice.

Inspector Judd added: "This operation involved more than 50 officers in total, across several Kent boroughs and we will be conducting more days of action soon. In the meantime local officers will continue to patrol rural areas as part of their daily business, with every ward in the county having a named PCSO. If you see anything suspicious in your area call you can us on 101, or you can use 999 if a crime is in progress."

For more on what Kent Police is doing to curb rural crime visit:- www.kent.police.uk/rural and/or follow @kentpolicerural on Twitter.