Additional stop search powers given to officers in Wellingborough for second night

Officers responding to a number of incidents in Wellingborough over the Bank Holiday weekend have been granted additional stop search powers for a second night.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th May 2018, 17:57 BST
Updated 19th Jun 2018, 10:26 BST
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Police News

Between 6pm and midnight today (Wednesday), officers will be able to stop any pedestrian or vehicle without any cause for suspicion, and conduct a search for offensive weapons.

A spokesman for Northants Police said the powers have been granted in light of two recent incidents - reports of a person being seen with a firearm at Irchester Country Park on Monday and a serious assault on a 19-year-old by a gang in Bassett’s Park in Wellingborough on Saturday.

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The additional powers have been granted under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

It is a power that allows officers to conduct searches without ‘reasonable suspicion’ but only when a chief officer believes serious violence could occur.

A police spokesman said the views of the community in the area were sought before the powers were implemented to ensure transparency as part of the best use of stop and search scheme.

The powers were also in force from 9pm yesterday (Tuesday, May 29) and 3am today with good results achieved in that time including a car stopped, a firearm located and seized with three people in custody, cars seized for having no insurance, and a man found in possession of drugs.

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The order is in place for the following areas of Wellingborough:

- Inside the perimeter of Northen Way and the A5193 including Gainsborough Drive, Bacon Road and the surrounding areas

- Inside the perimeter of Oxford Street, the A5193 and Westfield Road

- High visibility patrols have also been taking place in Queensway, Kingsway, the Hemmingwell and the Bassett’s Park area

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For more information about the incident at Irchester Country Park, click here

To read more about the incident at Bassett’s Park, click here

The police spokesman said officers are continuing to investigate the incidents that took place over the weekend.

Anyone with information or anyone who witnesses suspicious activity is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Related topics:WellingboroughOxford Street