POLICE blitzed the streets of Boscombe on Tuesday, removing abandoned vehicles and cars used by criminals.

The operation was a joint initiative between Dorset Police and Bournemouth Borough Council in a bid to clean up the town's streets.

All those vehicles picked up in the operation that are known to be used by criminals will be crushed immediately, while any abandoned cars will be kept for one or two weeks, to see if someone comes forward, and then destroyed.

PC Gordon Wallis, beat officer for Boscombe town centre, was co-ordinating the day.

He said: "We went out with two of the council officers from the cleansing and waste department looking at abandoned vehicles, or what we call community vehicles which are vehicles being used by the criminal fraternity and have no tax and no insurance."

PC Wallis said the police receive intelligence from the public and the council about abandoned vehicles and the police runs similar operations throughout the year.

"We have done operations with the DVLA before as they have a lot more powers.

"They can take away untaxed vehicles, we can only take abandoned vehicles or community vehicles."

Sue Warr, community involvement officer at Boscombe and Springbourne Neighbourhood Management, said: "Obviously it does help the area and fits in very much with everything else that's going on within the Neighbourhood Management areas such as the Safe and Clean project."

The project involves the clearing of bulky items such as abandoned vehicles and fly tipping and sees additional litter picks.

"There are also local residents who act as street reps and make sure the area is clean.

Sue added: "It all helps, it's all part of a very big picture to make Boscombe and Springbourne environmentally a much better place to live."

First published: May 11