A SUCCESSFUL police operation led to arrests and the seizure of several vehicles which were breaking the law.

Operation Time Machine saw officers stopping vehicles in Pitsea on the hunt for wanted criminals and drivers breaking the law.

Officers were also trying to catch criminals on the move in and out of the area to commit burglary and car crimes.

Pitsea-based Det Sgt Danny Walker said: “This was a pro-active operation involving officers from Pitsea CID, neighbourhood specialist officers and police community support officers targeting Pitsea’s prolific offenders and crime hotspots.

“It also provided high-visibility policing and public reassurance.

“The operation was aimed at reducing and detecting crime in those areas as well as arresting any persons who were discovered to be wanted for offences or on warrant.”

The operation ran for four days and, by the end of the third day, four people had been arrested.

One was charged with driving while disqualified and possession of cannabis and another was given a fixed penalty fine for public order offences.

Two vehicles were seized from breaches of traffic laws, one person was issued with a cannabis warning and several others have been reported and given fixed penalties for traffic offences.