Police track down and arrest 33 people who failed to appear at court
33 people have been arrested by Thames Valley Police after evading justice and failing to appear at court.
The arrests, part of Operation Reaper, took place between Monday 2nd October 2017 and Friday 13th October 2017. The arrests followed 194 arrest attempts made by a team of officers early in the morning and late at night.
A total 8 women and 25 men aged between 19 and 66 were located. Those arrested were facing a variety of offences, the largest number of which were for breaching court orders, then for driving related offences and theft. One of the men was arrested on suspicion of assault.
Detective Sergeant Granville Williams, leading the operation, said: ‘Every day officers work really hard to safeguard victims and bring those that offend against them to justice.
It is disheartening to see that many offenders deny justice being served by failing to appear at court and going on the run as fugitives.
Thames Valley Police has recognised this growing problem and this two week operation is part of the measures put in place both locally and regionally to bring wanted fugitives to justice and achieve satisfactory closure for victims. I expect this successful initiative will continue.‘
The number of arrests broken down per area is as follows :
- Aylesbury : 1
- Buckingham : 1
- Cherwell : 3
- Oxford : 11
- Milton Keynes : 1
- Reading : 1
- Slough : 2
- South Bucks : 3
- South and Vale : 2
- Windsor and Maidenhead : 2
- Wycombe : 6
