Police
revealed they will be using the "Al Capone approach" in a major
crackdown against criminals in Coventry.
West
Midlands Police have sent out a warning to crooks that if they cannot catch
them for serious offences then officers will be after them for more minor
crimes.
The
force intends to catch the city's villains by any means they can, even for
crimes such as non-payment of Council Tax or not having a TV licence.
Police
are referring to the crackdown as using the 'Al Capone approach' after the way
the infamous Chicago gangster was jailed after being convicted of tax evasion
in 1931.
Now
police in Coventry feel they have already made an impact on a number of gangs
in the city using the same method.
In
the last 12 months leading members of one Coventry gang were jailed for their
roles in a drugs conspiracy.
Superintendent
Nick Walton said: "We'll be working with the Department of Work and
Pensions, probation, educators, HMRC and others. We want to explore every way
possible at reducing criminality.
"It's
the Al Capone approach. A gang member may think they're untouchable from
traditional policing methods but does the tax man know about their income? Is
their TV licence up to date?
"It's
a sideways look at it. It might be non-payment of Council Tax or even mortgage
fraud. For some people there is no other option but to put them behind bars.
"We
know there are people who are close to families involved in criminality - they
might only be 12 or 13 at the moment - who might be propelled into that world.
"What
we want to show people is these people trying to drive youngsters from urban
street gangs into organised criminal gangs are negative role models."
"Maybe
there's a person on your street who is living a lavish lifestyle and they're
not doing anything to justify that."