A dedicated team targeting rural and wildlife crime has conducted four warrants under the Animal Welfare Act and Wildlife and Countryside Act in Cumbria yesterday (5 Oct).

The Rural Crime Team which launched last month supported by officers from Whitehaven and Barrow Neighbourhood Policing Teams, North and West Tactical Support, Dog Handler and the RSPCA carried out warrants in the area of Tay Court, Barrow and Devonshire Road, Millom.

A 25-year-old man from Millom was arrested on suspicion of offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Police seized a number of dogs from two premises and placed them in the care of the RSPCA.

Chief Inspector Lee Skelton, Rural Crime Lead said, “We launched the Rural Crime Team two weeks ago and are already making Cumbria a hostile place for those committing rural and wildlife crime offences.”

Wildlife Crime PC, Samantha O’Key said, “Working in partnership with the RSPCA and other animal welfare agencies allows us to successfully carry out investigations into those that would cause animals to suffer, and we will continue to work in partnership to hold those individuals to account.

“We would encourage anyone with concerns for the welfare of animals to report it to police or the RSPCA, so we can investigate and bring those committing wildlife offences to account.”

Chief Inspector Ian Muttitt from the RSPCA said “The RSPCA Special Operations Unit, working alongside our uniformed colleagues continue to work alongside Cumbria Police rural crime team in pro actively investigating allegations of wildlife crime and animal cruelty.

“Yesterday’s warrants are another example of a longstanding partnership with Cumbria police in tackling allegations of these types of offences across Cumbria.”

You can report information online at www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit or you can call 101. In an emergency or if you witness a crime in action, please call 999.

To report information completely anonymously, contact the charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

Crimestoppers Rural Crime Hotline on 0800 783 0137 or visit 0 Rural crime | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org)

Operation Lantern is the constabulary’s dedicated operation to target rural crime within Cumbria. The operation aims to prevent and disrupt serious and organised rural acquisitive crime that occurs in our county.