RIPA STATISTICS 2003-2008

Sixty Five (65) cases of surveillance have been authorised since 2003:

2003: 5

2004: 26

2005: 14

2006: 7

2007: 8

2008: 5

A break down of the reasons the surveillance was carried out is shown below:

Benefit fraud: 31

Overcharging by taxi drivers: 12

Internal theft/fraud: 6

Vehicles acting as Hackney Carriages and plying for business: 4

Illegal street trading: 4

Offences under Video Recordings Act 1984: 2

Rogue traders: 2

Illegal employment of school children: 1

Offences under Trade Descriptions Act: 1

Noise Complaints: 1

Under age sales contrary to Licensing Act and Children & Young Persons (sale of tobacco etc) Order: 1

In all the cases listed above the type of surveillance used was directed covert surveillance.

The Council has not processed any authorisations for the acquisition of communications data in 2008.