North Yorkshire farmers urged to be more vigilant to prevent thefts
Police say criminals are targetting certain hotspots within the county
Farmers across North Yorkshire are being urged to be more vigilant so machinery and quadbikes are not being stolen by thieves.
Police are continuing its cross-border operation in Whitby and Ryedale areas with its colleagues in Cleveland, as suspected criminals are targetting farms in certain hotspots in recent months.
As well as working closely with Cleveland Police, specialist resources are being deployed to the area in the effort to detect and deter the travelling offenders.
This includes officers from the Rural Task Force, Roads Policing Groups, Operational Support Unit, Firearms Support Unit, the Dog Unit and the National Police Air Service.
They are working with the local Neighbourhood Policing Teams to help reassure worried members of the farming community, providing crime prevention support, and advice on how best to report such incidents to the police.
Detective Inspector Ryan Chapman, from the Scarborough Investigation Hub, said:
“Cross-border criminals are still targeting quadbikes and machinery from farms in the Whitby and Ryedale areas.
“Together with our colleagues at Cleveland Police, we are continuing to place specialist resources in and around the border to deter and disrupt criminal activity, as well as catching suspects in the act.
“There will be no let-up in our approach and suspects can expect to be arrested by North Yorkshire Police, or by Cleveland Police when they are pursued back over the border.”
A past incident includes the theft of a quadbike from a farm on the outskirts of Whitby just after 1am on Wednesday 28th June. Three people were caught after their vehicle was 'stung' by the police near Scaling Dam.
Two men, aged 59 and 25, and a 23 year-old woman from East Cleveland were arrested but they have been released on conditional bail.