LOCAL police have launched a new crime fighting team to round up missing offenders and hunt wanted criminals.

The Brent Marshalls will track down people in the borough who are wanted by police for a variety of reasons.

Sergeant Haydyn Tanner, who is leading the team, said: "We deal with people not turning up in court, not turning up at the police station when they are supposed to return for bail, and offenders who can't be found."

The dedicated team, which is made up of Sergeant Tanner and five PCs, works on cases throughout Brent, and has the power to chase suspected robbers and burglars who have fled outside the borough.

Sergeant Tanner said: "Some are suspects wanted for quite dangerous offences, and we will work anytime of day and night to catch these people."

The team which was set up a week ago, but has officially been launched today, has already visited 130 locations and arrested 27 people.

Its officers work in plain clothes and have unmarked cars, tracing people to their homes or places they regularly visit and arresting them.

But Sergeant Tanner said not all the people they track down are trying to evade the police.

He said: "Some people don't realise they are wanted, they have personal issues and don't turn up in court, or they miss an appointment for whatever reason and don't see the importance of it."

All the Marshalls have been hand-picked for the team, and Sergeant Tanner believes it is an important part of police work in the borough.

He said: "It's important to make sure victims in Brent aren't, in their eyes, being abandoned.

"And there is a big incentive for the officers, as they are doing what they joined the force to do, arrest people, take them off the streets, and stop offenders continuing to offend."