Eighteen people were arrested, six charged and two jailed following a targeted operation by police into vehicle crime.

Over the weekend of April 8/9, there were several reports of stealing from motor vehicles in East Lancashire where insecure cars were targeted.

In addition, vans were targeted where drills were used to bypass the locks.

Following analysis, the division received some funding to pull together an operation (Pegasus) with a patrol plan targeting hotspots, targeting offenders and making arrests.

Operation Pegasus was partly about targeting offenders and partly about raising awareness of offenders targeting insecure vehicles and to remind members of the public not to leave items of value on display and ensure they lock and secure their vehicles.

Police circulated stills of suspects on social media, and actively pursued offenders involved.

Officers also appealed to the community to share any relevant footage from their ring doorbells and home CCTV systems.

Over the course of the operation, police arrested 18 people for theft from motor vehicle, unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle, vehicle interference, handling stolen goods and going equipped offences. 

Six of these offenders were charged (two are now serving prison sentences), and the remaining twelve suspects arrested are on police bail.

The operation showed how police are able to be flexible and respond to spikes in crimes when and where they happen.

As a result of the operation, Carl Poynton, 45, of Union House, St Peter Street, Blackburn was jailed for 20 weeks.  Poynton stole approximately £2,000 from the cab of a delivery vehicle on Whalley Banks, Blackburn.

Damon Fielding, 28, of Dyson Street, Blackburn was jailed for 12 weeks. He was charged with interfering with motor vehicle with intent to steal on Walton Crescent, Blackburn.