With the UK in lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, there are still opportunities for crime and the UK police have still got a task on their hands.

In Nottingham, a Covid-19 team is in place and has already caught criminals trying to break the law, particularly to fund drug habits.

On one call, the Covid-19 team are deployed to Gritley Mews in The Meadows, Nottinghamshire, to get a closer look at a suspicious man with a green rucksack strapped to his body picked up by CCTV.

He is stopped and his bag is searched, where a large amount of cannabis is discovered in a plastic sack. He tells officers: "I'm buying in bulk because you can't get out because of the lockdown."

Advert

It is an excuse that officers have heard many times before, so he is arrested on suspicion with intent to supply. Drugs are still a problem for police despite the lockdown, but those addicted to harder substances such as crack cocaine and heroin don't have the crime to commit to feed the habit.



Drugs are still a problem for police despite the lockdown. (Credit: BPM Media/ Matt Jarram)

Inspector James Walker leads a team of police constables, specials, community support officers and community protection officers as part of the new Covid-19 police task force.



He covers The Meadows, St Ann's and Clifton, and describes patrolling the area like "Christmas Day every day" as most people abide by the rules and have stayed indoors.

Advert

He said: "Acquisitive crime has gone down because people are at home, so there is less burglary and less people on the streets to commit robberies. Shops are shut so there are less shop thefts. Therefore, the people who use drugs have got less money to buy them.

"I don't think it's stopped but we are not seeing it in its usual guise. How it has changed? It is difficult to say yet but it is still happening."

Officers patrolling the local area describe it as like