Police arrest 70 suspects in blitz across Staffordshire

A raft of more than 70 suspected criminals were detained by Staffordshire Police in an arrests blitz.

Officers from its tactical support team, road crime team and dog support unit backed up local policing teams picked up suspects wanted for a raft of offences including theft, assault and failing to appear at court.

The 75 people arrested included people arrested in Rugeley and Stafford on Thursday.

A 20-year-old man was charged in connection with a theft in Rugeley and released on bail to appear at Cannock Magistrates' Court on November 2.

While a Stafford man, aged 42, was arrested and recalled to prison.

A Walsall man, 36, was charged with theft from a motor vehicle in Lichfield and was released to appear before magistrates in Burton on September 30.

The force said a significant number of those people arrested were suspects who have been arrested and charged but failed to attend court for a trial or a sentencing.

Superintendent Martin Brereton, who works for the local policing north team, said: "We are really pleased with the outcome of this operation, which was launched to target suspects who have proven difficult to locate.

"Unfortunately there will always be some people who put a great amount of effort into avoiding arrest after they have committed a crime.

"Some will often move from one address to another trying to keep their heads down or even move out of the county to try to prevent us from finding them, but we always do. The activity also targeted people recently identified through forensic or CCTV work."

"In total we located 75 suspects who are now in the justice process."

Other busts took place in Stoke, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tamworth and the Staffordshire Moorlands.