Wolverhampton fly tipper's van seized and crushed by the council after local filmed them dumping waste

Wolverhampton Council recently seized and crushed a van which dumped rubbish in the city, with the action taken as part of an ongoing investigation.

The distinctive sign-written vehicle has been destroyed after the registered keeper failed to claim the vehicle and failed to pay a fixed penalty notice issued by the council’s environmental crime team.

The council said that decisive action has been taken to prevent the vehicle being used in future waste crimes and said it hopes it will send a clear message to anyone thinking of spoiling the city in this way.

Officers first identified the van being used in an incident of fly tipping in the St Peter’s ward of the city last July, when building materials were dumped on land owned by Wolverhampton Homes. The incident was filmed by a resident and evidence was submitted to the council.

Although the vehicle was not seen at the registered keeper’s address, the environmental crime team continued to search, and it was eventually located in February this year in a different part of the city. Officers then seized the vehicle and investigations are currently ongoing.

The destruction of the vehicle comes as the Government has announced a crackdown on fly tipping which will include a focus on seizing and crushing vehicles of waste criminals as well as tougher penalties for waste operators who operate illegally.

Ministers say drones and mobile CCTV cameras will also be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly tippers so they can be destroyed.  

Wolverhampton Council already uses a drone and CCTV cameras in its on-going battle to tackle fly tipping and has previously crushed vehicles. 

In January this year, the council also increased the amount fly tippers can be fined, from £400 to £1,000.

These initiatives run alongside the city’s successful Shop a Tipper campaign. 

Under the campaign, anyone suspected of dumping rubbish has their images shared to appeal for information to help identify them.

Statistics from Defra show that over the past 10 years, the council has issued 330 Fixed Penalty Notices for fly tipping, carried out 58 prosecutions and seized 24 vehicles. 

In addition, Defra’s latest published statistics show that while fly tipping is on the rise nationally, incidents are reducing in Wolverhampton.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at Wolverhampton Council, said: “This isn’t the first time that we have used our powers to crush a vehicle used for fly tipping and we want people to know that we will not hesitate to do it again if such selfish and criminal acts continue.

“We welcome the announcement by the Government to focus on this crime and we are proud that the council is already using all of these interventions to identify and prosecute fly tippers and these include our drone, our CCTV cameras and track record of crushing vehicles.

“Fly tipping costs Wolverhampton taxpayers around £300,000 a year and we will not tolerate it. 

"This behaviour is anti-social, harmful to people and wildlife, and an eyesore. It's especially offensive to anyone who lives or works in the city and disposes of their waste responsibly.

“We work very hard in the city to tackle fly tipping, and our committed action means that while figures for fly tipping are increasing nationally, the latest published statistics from Defra show Wolverhampton has actually seen a reduction in fly tipping incidents.

“It is our clear message that anyone who is found to have fly tipped in Wolverhampton will face action, whether that is a fine, a criminal prosecution or having their vehicles seized and crushed. 

"We will not stand by and allow these criminals to spoil our city.”