Latvian and Estonian police team up to catch cross border car thieves

Latvia's State Police on January 31 praised "excellent cooperation" with their Estonian counterparts as the two Baltic forces teamed up to catch a car thieves taking vehicles across the border.

On its Facebook page, the State Police said: "On the morning of January 30 this year, the State Police received information about the theft of two Lexus cars, in Tallinn and the village of Jarvekula, which were believed to have crossed the Latvian border. Responding promptly to the information received, a few hours later three men were arrested on suspcion of involvement with the crimes."

Patrol cars had been alerted and positioned across a wide geographic area in Rīga, Zemgale and Latgale regions to find and stop the cars, police said, which had been fitted with fake Latvian registration plates.

Maris Priednieks, Head of Unit 2 of the Criminal Investigation Board of the State Police's Main Criminal Police Department, said that as well as coperating with Estonian police, Latvia's officers have worked with their counterparts in Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Austria to crack down on well-organised international car thieves.