POLICE have seized a car after it was being driven in an anti-social manner. Shortly after midnight today (Thursday, 12 January) Sgt Darren Ryder was patrolling the Bobbing area when he received a complaint that cars were being driven at excess speeds and paying no consideration to pedestrians in the area.

Concerned for public safety Sgt Ryder located a number of vehicles in the car park of a fast food restaurant.

He warned the people present of the dangers of speeding and driving anti-socially. However, as they were parked no further action could be taken.

He then patrolled the High Street where he witnessed a Fiat Cinquecento which had been in the Bobbing area, being driven at excessive speeds, paying no regard to the night-time revellers coming out of pubs.

He stopped the car and took the driver to Sittingbourne Police Station.

After researching the vehicle history he noticed that the car had previously been given a warning by the Sittingbourne Neighbourhood Team. As a result of this Sgt Ryder then used the power available to him to seize the car.

He said: “I hope this action sends a message to motorists that we will take action if they use their vehicles anti-socially. The Section 59 power is most often used on nuisance motorcycles.

However, it does apply to any vehicle, and we take full advantage of this power to tackle the anti-social use of cars as well.

“By using this legislation we are taking steps to making Swale a safer place for our law abiding residents.”

The Sittingbourne Special Officers were also doing their part to make the roads of Swale safer last night and issued two section 59 warnings to two motorists in Newnham Drive, Kemsley.

Sgt Ryder currently works as a patrol sergeant at Sittingbourne. But he will be taking over from Sgt Noel Stanley as head of the Sittingbourne Neighbourhood Team on 2 February 2. He is keen to build on the teams current successes in dealing with nuisance motorists.