Gwent Police unveil tuk-tuks as latest crime fighting tool

Gwent Police are using tuk-tuks in the fight against crime

Italian police have driven Ferraris, American officers Corvettes and in the United Arab Emirates the Bugatti Veyron has been used.

To this list Gwent Police have added their latest weapon in the fight against crime - the mighty tuk-tuk.

The force snapped up four of the three-wheelers to use in Newport and Abergavenny, in Monmouthshire.

It said officers will be using the motorised rickshaws to patrol parks, walkways and elsewhere.

The force has not said how much it spent on the vehicles, which have a top speed of about 55km/h (34 mph).

But one dealer was advertising them online from £10,995.

• Tuk-tuk taxi firm gets go-ahead in Cardiff

• How easy is it to drive across Wales in an electric car?

• British teachers break Tuk-Tuk world record

Gwent Police said they will be used as "safe spaces" where crimes can be reported, help sought and crime prevention advice given.

Ch Insp Damian Sowrey said: "They were on show at our Behind the Badge day, giving local residents the opportunity to see them up close and to hear more about how they will be used.

"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."

The force said "ambassadors" could also use them, which could include Newport Now staff. Newport Now oversees marketing and management of the city centre.

An agenda from One Newport - a partnership between Newport Council, Gwent Police and other organisations - last month dubbed the vehicles "novelty" and said they could be used by "community safety guardians".

According to that document: "The night ambassador scheme will allow these guardians to drive novelty tuk-tuks to deliver high visibility reassurance patrols within the city centre to make residents and visitors feel safer when walking around the city."

It said tuk-tuks and guardians could be used "across all organisations" which would increase their impact across the city to reduce crime.

• RUCK STARS: Two of the biggest teams in rugby go head to head

• CAREER CHANGE WITH A DIFFERENCE: Police new recruits adapt to life on the beat