Lancaster and Morecambe takeaway bosses found tampering with gas meters during police crackdown

The operation, named Op Pigeon, is a multi-agency approach and was also attended by Immigration Officers, licensing teams from Lancaster Council, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, British Gas and Environmental Health.

Three premises were found to have tampered with their gas meters, and one premises employed a male who could not legally work in the UK.

Other premises involved environmental health and council licensing issues.

Licensing officer Andrew Taylor from Lancaster Police said: “Operations like this are really worthwhile, as it allows all agencies to check compliance on a range of matters such as licensing, immigration, food standards, illegal use of gas and electric and modern slavery.

“Rest assured any premises that found to be committing offences are dealt with through the various agencies with possible prosecutions and, in some cases, a licence review.”

Coun Colin Hartley, chair of Lancaster City Council’s Licensing Committee, said: “Operation Pigeon involved the inspection of numerous premises with a late night refreshment licence (hot food served between 11pm and 5am) across the Lancaster City Council district.

“Our teams visited premises to ensure that they were aware of their responsibilities under the Licensing Act, that they were adhering to legal requirements and compliant with the conditions of their individual licence.

“Minor breaches were found, and our officers have since made returned visits to premises which were found to be non-compliant.”

If anyone has any information relating to any of these matters in takeaways, you can contact Crimestoppers in confidence by calling 0800 555 111, or email [email protected]