Drones used to fight crime from the skies

Lincolnshire Police drones are being used to catch criminals red-handed, to provide clear and reliable evidence at court, and secure convictions to help keep our communities safe.

The force has invested in drone technology in a bid to fight crime from the skies, complementing our existing operational officers on the ground.

Fines totalling more than £2,000 were handed out in recent weeks after a police drone was used to track two would-be burglars across open fields.  The pair made their way across fields for over 15 minutes, in an effort to escape the police, after attempting to break into a property near Spilsby.

The drones thermal imaging camera located and tracked the offenders while the drone pilot coordinated officers on the ground to the location ensuring the would-be burglars were detained.  The pair recently pleaded guilty to attempting to break into the premises when they appeared at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court at the end of September.

Kevin Taylor, Chief Drone Pilot, Lincolnshire Police, said: “This was a great result for the drone team where offenders were tracked for over 15 mins trying to hide, then outrun our police drone. This is just one of many recent convictions that are a direct result of the forces investment in cost effective drone technology to compliment officers on the ground”