A crackdown by Warwickshire police on unsafe towing in the Midlands in June and August has found a number of abnormal loads contravening STGO regulations.
One vehicle transporting a train carriage was not displaying any STGO plates despite being 42 tonnes overweight. Another vehicle carrying quarry machinery also failed to display STGO plates and was found to be 35 tonnes overweight. Police said the load was also insecure due to perished straps.
Operation Homberg, on the M6 and M40, involved officers from the commercial vehicle unit working with the rural crime team, Highways England and Navcis.
In the operation, three stolen trailers were identified, as well as a stolen Land Rover. In addition, officers seized a mini-digger identified as stolen from Nottingham in 2014.
Seven vehicles were found to have defective illegal tyres and traffic offence reports were issued to the drivers. There were also eight insecure loads, leading to the vehicles being prohibited from continuing their journey until they were made safe.
Two vehicles were found to have excessively tinted windows, meanwhile, and the drivers were made to remove their tints before allowed to continue on their journey.
