Ormskirk Advertiser

Police in new crackdown on hare coursing

- BY EMILIA BONA emilia.bona@trinitymir­ror.com @emiliabona­TM

ACRACKDOWN on illegal hare coursing in West Lancashire targeted hotspots where dog owners set their animals on wildlife.

Operation Checkpoint focused on criminals committing rural crime in the area.

The crackdown saw 22 vehicles being stopped with 12 searches carried out and three vehicle prohibitio­n notices given.

People in the community were asked to report any suspicious behaviour and patrols were deployed to respond to any informatio­n given.

Officers also patrolled areas known as hare coursing hotspots.

Lorraine Ellwood, rural crime and wildlife co-ordinator at Lancashire Police, said: “We are committed to tackling rural crime and protecting the diverse wildlife in Lancashire.

“Anyone who comes to Lancashire to commit rural crime will be targeted and where possible arrested, and any vehicles, dogs or poaching equipment with them seized and destroyed.

“We understand the impact rural crime can have on our communitie­s and we are determined to work together to stop offences in our rural communitie­s.

“Seventy-four per cent of Lancashire’s geographic­al area is classed as rural. We are keen to work with the residents living in these areas to clamp down on criminals wherever they are from, and wherever they are going.”

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commission­er, Clive Grunshaw, said: “These criminals will aim to trespass on private land to hunt hares with their dogs and will often make threats to landowners and damage property.

“Hare coursing is a major issue for Lancashire landowners and it will not be tolerated. Tackling crimes in the rural areas of Lancashire is equally as much of a priority for me as are the major incidents in the large towns.

“I am pleased to see that the police are clamping down on these gangs under Operation Checkpoint.

“To help prevent further cases of hare coursing I would encourage people to report any suspicions they may have to the police.”

 ?? Criminals often trespass on private land to hunt hares with dogs
Clive Grunshaw: ‘‘We won’t tolerate this’’ ??
Criminals often trespass on private land to hunt hares with dogs Clive Grunshaw: ‘‘We won’t tolerate this’’

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