Four men arrested and 14 vehicles taken off the road in West Midlands market town

Four men were arrested and 14 vehicles were taken off the road during a day of intensive policing in a West Midlands market town.

West Midlands Police carried out the operation on Thursday, October 22, targeting driving offences, suspected thefts and the sale of illegal goods.

During the operation, officers arrested a 37-year-old man in Chelmsley Wood after spotting him riding an off-road bike on a street.

He was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle and assault on police officers, and his vehicle was seized.

The man was subsequently charged with driving without insurance, driving while his licence was medically revoked and two counts of assault on an emergency worker.

He is due to appear at Coventry Magistrates' Court on November 11. Police said enquiries into the suspected vehicle theft are continuing.

A 29-year-old man was also arrested in Chelmsley Wood on suspicion of theft from a shop.

Meanwhile, officers from the force's Road Harm Prevention Team carried out a multi-agency road safety operation in Shirley, working alongside the DVSA, DVLA, Solihull Council and other partners.

A total of 27 vehicles were brought to a site off Stratford Road for checks, with 14 drivers reported for offences including driving without insurance, driving outside the terms of a licence, having tinted windows and seatbelt offences.

Seven vehicles were seized for having no insurance, while a further seven were prohibited by the DVSA.

Four men were arrested during the road safety operation, including one on suspicion of drug-driving and another who was wanted by police.

Elsewhere in Shirley, officers assisted Solihull Council's trading standards team during visits to retailers on Stratford Road following concerns from residents about the sale of illicit and potentially harmful goods.

A total of 1,380 cigarettes being sold illegally were seized from two shops.

The operation, known as Op Advance, also involved high-visibility patrols in Solihull town centre, a knife arch at a local school and safety advice for passengers using public transport.

Police said no knives or other bladed articles were found during the school activity.

The force said Op Advance involves dedicated days of action tackling issues affecting communities across the West Midlands, with officers from specialist teams, including the mounted unit, drone team, off-road bike team and Guardian Taskforce, taking part.

Chief Inspector Lucy Wilson from Solihull Police, said: "It’s important to stress that we work day in and day out to keep people safe across the borough and to respond to and investigate crimes when they do occur.

"But through Op Advance we can bring in specially trained officers and other resources to bolster our efforts. We had some really positive results from Thursday's exercise, but of course our work is ongoing.”

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Jenny Willets added: “Enforcement activities were obviously a big part of the day, but it was also about education and engagement.

"We’re always keen to get out and meet with members of the community to listen to their concerns about crime and to let them know how we can help.”