A man has been arrested on suspicion of a series of motorcycle, scooter, car and van theft incidents in the North East.

Officers in Whitby arrested a 28-year-old Middlesbrough man during the early hours of Tuesday (June 28) on suspicion of a stealing several vehicles.

He is also under investigation for going equipped for theft after officers found bolt cutters in a rucksack.

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Police also found an offensive weapon in the form of knuckledusters, and a Class C drug.

The suspect was arrested in the West Cliff Car Park on Royal Crescent just after 4am.

This followed multiple reports to the police of suspicious activity and vehicle theft incidents in the town.

The first came at 3.21am when three men on two motorcycles, wearing rucksacks and carrying bolt cutters, were seen riding out of Larpool Lane Industrial Estate before heading down Church Street and over the Swing Bridge.

They then went the wrong way up Skinner Street.

At 3.26am a black Suzuki motorcycle was taken from Church Square, near St Hilda’s Church, on the West Cliff.

A Ford Focus car was then damaged in an attempted break-in and a grey hatchback car was spotted at the scene.

A black Honda scooter was stolen from Crescent Avenue at around 3.20am and the owner tracked it to the nearby Registry Office and takes it home.

A couple of hours later another black Honda scooter was stolen from Normanby Terrace and the owner tracked it and recovered it from the West Cliff Car Park.

At 8.13am a motorcycle was loaded into a white Ford Transit van, believed to have been stolen from Houghton-le-Spring, near the Beyond Housing site on Green Lane, East Side.

The van left the town on the A171 towards Guisborough and a moped was later found dumped at Whitby Rugby Club on White Leys Road.

It had been stolen overnight from East Way.

When the 28-year-old man was arrested, police recovered a black Suzuki motorcycle and a grey Ford Fiesta ST in the carpark and both vehicles are suspected of being stolen from the Darlington area.

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Enquiries are ongoing with Durham Constabulary regarding these thefts and with Northumbria Police about the stolen van from Houghton-le-Spring.

The owners have been contacted.

It has also been established that the arrested man is wanted by Cleveland Police for similar offences.

He has been transferred into their custody after receiving conditional bail for the Whitby offences.

Witnesses or anyone with information that could assist the investigation are urged to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1, and speak to the Force Control Room.

Quote reference number 12220111282 when providing details.

 

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