Tackling Blue Badge Imposters
In a two-month operation, keeping watch on a Bexleyheath car park, police officers seized six disabled car-parking 'blue badges' being used illegally by unauthorised and able-bodied drivers.
After a joint operation with Bexley Council to identify car parks where blue car park badges for the disabled were being misused, officers from Christchurch Safer Neighbourhoods Policing Team monitored the car park for the disabled at the rear of the King's Head public house, Arnsberg Way.
They seized badges from six drivers who did not match the photographs on the badges they were displaying and arrested another driver for using a photocopy of a badge. He was charged with fraud and given an official caution.
Cllr Peter Craske, Bexley's Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "Misusing the blue badge, which is meant to make life a little easier for people who are physically impaired, is unacceptable. It is a criminal offence which we will encourage the police to prosecute."
Police Sergeant Simon Middleton said: "Once alerted to the abuse we kept this observation going with steady success. If we are not satisfied about the owner's identity we seize the blue badge and will continue to do so. People should know that it is an offence of fraud and that they face arrest."
