In these unprecedented times of self isolation and lockdown, police officers across Wales are on patrol making sure people are not out and about without good reason.
This has included setting up checkpoints across the country to make sure that people on the roads are only out of their homes for essential reasons, such as going shopping for food, caring for people in need, or if they are key workers going to work.
However, police in north Wales are having to clamp down on gold panning in what is the latest example of people venturing outside for ‘non-essential’ reasons.
North Wales Police say they have received reports of people carrying out this activity in the Dolgellau area in Gwynedd.
In response, officers have been sent to patrol specific areas, in particular in and around a river.
The reports centre around Coed y Brenin, a large area of forestry within Snowdonia National Park.
The forest is home to popular mountain bike trails and was the site of the former Tyddyn Gwladys gold mine.
It’s also the location of Gwynfynydd Gold Mine, which used to employ hundreds of people in the 19th century and closed in January 1999.
The area is still very popular with locals and tourists, but police say they are not welcome given the current advice and guidelines regarding the coronavirus outbreak.
A spokesman for North Wales Police’s rural crime team said: “We have been receiving reports of people taking advantage of the current situation by going gold panning in the Dolgellau area.
“We will be maintaining patrols throughout the pandemic.”
Elsewhere in Wales, police continue to stop vehicles and patrol tourist hotspots in order to make sure that people are adhering to the new guidelines.
On Saturday, a man from Bristol was turned away from Pen y Fan in Powys after travelling to the area intent of climbing the landmark.
That behaviour was described by Dyfed-Powys Police as “not acceptable”, with sergeant Hamish Nichols adding: “The message is clear – this is a lockdown, not a holiday, and anyone who ignores the current restrictions not only puts people’s lives in danger but also risks further action being taken against them.”
