The big picture: The incident occurred during Operation Drive Insured, a national week-long campaign that began on Monday 11 November. The campaign is organised by the Motor Insurers' Bureau (MIB), which protects people from uninsured and hit-and-run drivers.
How it happened:
Officers stopped the BMW on Crown Street after spotting the driver wasn't wearing a seat belt.
The driver showed police an insurance certificate on his phone.
Police checks revealed the certificate belonged to another person and had expired in July.
The driver had edited the document to show his name and current dates.
Making matters worse: While officers were verifying the documents, the driver attempted to take out a new temporary policy at the roadside using incorrect details to get a cheaper premium.
The outcome: Police seized the vehicle and issued the driver with a Traffic Offence Report for driving without insurance and driving without a seat belt.
What they're saying: PC Will Hudson of the Joint Norfolk & Suffolk Roads & Armed Policing Team said: "Driving without insurance is not a trivial matter – just ask someone who has had their car damaged, written-off, or worse they have been injured in a collision with an uninsured driver."
The bottom line: The case highlights the lengths some drivers go to avoid insurance. Uninsured drivers not only risk having their vehicles seized but also leave other road users vulnerable to financial losses if accidents occur.
