‘Don’t treat Merton like a dump’ is the message from Merton Council, the Environment Agency and the Police, who worked together to catch a suspected fly-tipper in the Borough.

Merton Council’s enforcement team have been clamping down on fly-tippers in an effort to stop illegal dumping of waste in the Borough. A recent success against this type of crime was a direct result of teamwork between the Council, the Environment Agency and the Police.

Recently a local resident alerted the enforcement team to a potential fly tipping suspect when he noticed a truck full of builders’ rubble parked in a road that had been subject to frequent fly tipping. The resident passed the vehicle registration and a description to the enforcement team and the Environment Agency were involved to identify the registered owner. Further investigation revealed that the owner of the vehicle had given a false address.

The Environment Agency has powers to seize vehicles involved in criminal activity and it is illegal to give false information when registering a vehicle. The Environment Agency obtained a court warrant, and circulated it to the Metropolitan Police. Shortly after this Mitcham Police seized the vehicle.

The Environment Agency and officers from the enforcement team have questioned two men about the vehicle and the fly tipping incident. The Environment Agency is requesting the real registered keeper of the vehicle to come forward. The vehicle will be destroyed if the owner fails to show.

Merton Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Quality, Councillor Linda Kirby, said: “This is an excellent example of a local resident helping the community by reporting suspected fly tipping, and of the Council, Environment Agency and police working successfully together to tackle the problem. I encourage all residents to help us to fight back against the fly tippers who try to blight our borough, by reporting any suspicious behaviour to the Council’s enforcement team.

Co-operation with the Environment Agency and the Police is essential as they have the powers to confiscate property. The enforcement team are hopeful that working together will achieve the right results when tackling fly tipping. Three more vehicles are currently under investigation.

To report suspected fly tipping in the borough contact Merton Council’s enforcement team on 020 8545 4157.