Police target missing offenders

Mar 20 2008 by Gerry Holt, South Wales Echo

“GIVE yourself up before we get to you” – that’s the message from police targeting people wanted on warrant who fail to appear in court.

Police officers from across South Wales went to about 200 addresses and arrested 49 people as part of the first day of action under Operation Bluebottle.

Those arrested had previously been arrested or reported for varying offences including burglary, theft, assault and motoring offences.

They will now go before the courts for the original offence and a second offence of failing to appear in court.

Bridgend-based Chief Inspector Paul Murphy, who is leading the operation, said: “We generally trace and arrest the person very quickly and then detain them so that we can place them before the next court.

“However, there are obviously some people who think that they can dodge the police and they prove more difficult to find.

“The purpose of Operation Bluebottle is to focus our resources on these individuals, some of whom have committed serious offences.

“The police are authorised to take whatever steps are necessary to arrest them which includes contacting other government agencies to establish their whereabouts and circulating their photos in local newspapers appealing for information.”