How covert CCTV is helping crack down on fly-tipping

Secret cameras hidden in trees and hedges have helped catch 26 people illegally dumping rubbish in the countryside.

Wiltshire Council has installed 19 covert CCTV cameras at known fly-tipping hotspots along rural roads. The cameras are small and discreet, making them difficult for offenders to spot.

In May alone, four people were caught and handed fines totalling £3,000, along with an 18-month community order and 150 hours of unpaid work.

Council leader Ian Thorn said: "For anyone thinking of taking the risk, let this be a warning: we are watching, and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action."

Councils across the UK are increasingly using covert cameras and even drones to tackle rural crime.

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of household, commercial or industrial waste instead of using an authorised method such as kerbside collection.

Officials say people can still be fined or taken to court if their waste is dumped illegally - even if someone else disposed of it for them.

Everyone has a legal duty of care to ensure their household or business waste is disposed of correctly.

If you are considering using a waste clearance service, make sure you:

• Check they have a valid upper-tier waste carrier licence
• Note their vehicle registration, make and model
• Get a receipt or waste transfer note

"Fly-tipping is a deliberate criminal act that damages our environment, blights communities and costs taxpayers thousands of pounds every year and we are determined to stamp it out," Thorn said.

"For anyone thinking of taking the risk, let this be a warning: we are watching, and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action, including prosecution, substantial fines and, where appropriate, seizure of vehicles. It simply is not worth it.

"We are committed to protecting Wiltshire's towns, villages and countryside, and we will continue to use every tool available to track down and prosecute offenders.

"The message is simple: dispose of your waste responsibly or face the consequences."

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