Police leads national campaign illegal detecting

[Puffin]

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/essex_police ... _1_4160315

Illegal metal detectorists who fail to declare historic finds are being targeted in a new national campaign being led by Essex Police.

Operation Chronos will see officers team up with Historic England and others to encourage land owners to report the practice, known as nighthawking.

As well as committing trespass, nighthawkers can steal artefacts for both their historical and financial value and often damage farmland, disturb wildlife and destroy archaeological sites at the same time.

Because objects taken are stolen property nighthawkers are unlikely to report their finds, leading to valuable historic data being lost for good.

Counties such as Essex are particularly vulnerable to the crime due to the combination of rich heritage and large amounts of arable land in these areas.

[Old Git John]

It is to be hoped that the police can find time to pay enough attention to the matter, however I fear not.

[dug-a-hole]

It is to be hoped that the police can find time to pay enough attention to the matter, however I fear not.

Give it time and they will be saying we've not got the resources and it's not a priority

[allan75]

if you are night hawking in north Nottingham shire the police WILL approach you. they are good like that round here.

[coreservers]

bedforshire police have been very pro-active too, littlebloke and myself were observed 3 times on a permission early one sunday morning. and a number of locals have asked us who we have permission from... happy to answer, and happy they are that observant