Officers will target ‘fatal four’ - speeding, drink and drug-driving, seat belts and mobile phone use

Sidmouth police have announced plans for a road safety operation to take place across East Devon this month, following a number of fatal crashes.

Sergeant Andy Squires revealed details of the combined exercise at a town council meeting this week and said officers will be targeting speeding, drink- and drug-driving, seat belts and mobile phone use.

He also reported a slight increase in crime figures for January 2017 – up to 30 from 27 in the same period last year.

This is partly due to a spike in incidents of violence causing injury, with cases up from one in January 2016 to six this year.

Sgt Squires said the statistics overall are pretty typical for the time of year.

Among the recorded crimes, were two burglaries from dwellings and one burglary from a non-dwelling.

Reported cases of violence without injury were down from four to two.

There were three incidents of criminal damage, three vehicle-related offences, three public order offences and three cases of shoplifting recorded in the town.

Of the four ‘other thefts’ reported, one saw a bench stolen from a garden only to be replaced with another one.

There was also one crime of drug possession.

Sgt Squires confirmed his team will be heavily involved in the road safety operation which will take place at the end of the month on East Devon’s main arterial roads