Fifty vehicles stopped in rogue trader week

Around 50 vehicles were stopped in a joint police/Leicestershire Trading Standards operation in the town.

The initiative was part of National Rogue Traders Awareness Week, in which police across the country worked with a range of other agencies, targeting works vehicles.

Police stopped the vehicles on Monday morning in Leicester Road, Lutterworth,

As a result of the police action, 12 motorists got tickets for different offences ranging from cannabis possession to a seat belt offence.

A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said the Lutterworth operation was linked to a national initiative.

They said more details about the operation would be issued later in the week.

Previous Rogue Trader weeks have targeted work vans and other vehicles in roadside checks.

Police and other agencies combine these roadside inspections with others aimed at local employers, recovering property and delivering crime prevention messages.

While most traders spoken to are legitimate, others are warned about their trading practices and advised how to trade within the law.

A national trading standards spokesman said: “Operation Rogue Trader is a fantastic initiative that brings together trading standards officers and police officers in order to tackle the menace of criminals who can cause enormous emotional distress.”