Six Arrests And Stolen Car Recovered As Police Flood Romford And Harold Hill In Special Two Day Operation.

12th August 202612th August 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments East Area, Harold Hill, Police, Romford, Special Operation min read

Six people were arrested, a stolen vehicle was recovered and 39 stop and searches were carried out as police launched a major two-day operation targeting crime and anti-social behaviour across Romford and Havering.

Operation Collard took place on 10 and 11 August, bringing together officers from across the Metropolitan Police in a coordinated operation aimed at tackling crime and ASB in the community.

East Area Street Duties officers worked alongside Safer Neighbourhoods Teams, the Romford Town Centre Team and the Havering Joint Task Force, with officers from the MPS Dog Section and British Transport Police also joining the operation, including at Romford British Rail station.

Officers used a mixture of plain-clothes deployments, mobile patrols and high-visibility foot patrols as they targeted offenders and carried out proactive policing across the area.

And the results were significant.

One stolen vehicle was recovered during the operation and was found to be displaying cloned registration plates.

Six arrests were made, including arrests for GBH, breach of police bail, handling stolen goods and disqualified driving, while three wanted offenders were also arrested.

Officers carried out 39 stop and searches, with 12 producing positive results.

Ten community resolutions were issued and one Penalty Notice for Disorder was handed out.

Police also carried out two weapon sweeps in Central Park and Bosworth Field in Harold Hill, searching areas where weapons could potentially have been hidden.

Three people also accepted Project Adder referrals, giving them voluntary access to local substance misuse treatment services relating to drugs and alcohol.

The operation brought together officers with different areas of expertise, allowing them to share intelligence and target individuals and offences affecting local communities.

PS Lewis, who helped organise the operation, said:

“This has been a valuable learning experience for these new officers who are in their first three weeks of the course. They have benefited from working with other experienced officers from different units to tackle the crimes and offenders that affect the community.”

He added:

“The feedback from members of the public overall was very positive.”

For residents, the highly visible operation meant officers were out on the streets, at transport hubs and in areas where crime and anti-social behaviour can have a significant impact on communities.

The operation also provided valuable practical experience for new officers, who were able to work alongside experienced colleagues and specialist teams while dealing with live policing situations.

With six arrests, a stolen vehicle recovered, dozens of stop and searches and weapons sweeps carried out, Operation Collard demonstrated the impact that partnership working can have when multiple policing teams come together.

And for residents, the message from police is clear.

The streets are being patrolled, offenders are being targeted and officers are continuing to take action against crime and anti-social behaviour..

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