The Welsh police are using tuk-tuks to fight against crime

Welsh police have implemented a unique mode of transport to help them fight crime – in the form of tuk-tuks.

Gwent police plan to roll out the initiative to local parks, walkways and public spaces across Newport and Abergavenny.

Officers and ambassadors will drive the electric tuk-tuks day and night to provide locals with "safe spaces" for locals to report incidents or to seek out crime prevention advice.

Chief Inspector Damian Sowrey said the vehicles had been well-received in the neighbourhood.

He said: "The feedback was overwhelmingly positive with parents telling officers that they would feel safer knowing that there was support for young people out at night, and from women who could think of an occasion when the tuk-tuk would have been a welcome sight."

Speaking about Gwent police's use of the tuk-tuk, Mahindra Electric said, "Autos have been used as public transportation, but Gwent police has different plans for them. They want e-autos to be used as "safe spaces" where crimes can be reported, help sought, and crime prevention advice can be given. We're proud to be a part of such a noble initiative."

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Their new incentive has garnered a mixed response, with one person writing on Facebook, "Good luck chasing some young scallywag churning up the cricket pitch in it."

Another joked: "Look forward to that being upside down in ditch along with half of Asda’s trolleys on a Sunday morning."

A third humoured, "You know one of them is definitely going to be rolled over in a police chase."

Others, however, weren't so keen. "If they are brave enough to drive one of these around certain parts of Newport, it’ll be burnt out and thrown in the Usk within the first week," one person wrote.

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