A police officer was left with glass in his eye after a suspected thief smashed the windscreen of his patrol car with a hammer.

The shocking incident happened on Monday (September 26) when police chased a vehicle suspected to have been used in a spate of thefts in the Craven area of North Yorkshire.

A Black Mitsubishi L200, registration VK56UBU, was stolen around 2.25pm from premises between Hellifield and Otterburn.

The Northern Echo: A Black Mitsubishi L200 was stolen Picture: NYPA Black Mitsubishi L200 was stolen Picture: NYP (Image: NYP)

At around 4.15pm, the same offenders stole a number of Makita tools from a van in Main Street, Rathmell, Settle.

Officers attended the scene and pursued the offender’s vehicle, a Grey VW Passat registration OW15HDN, which was heading in the direction of Wigglesworth. 

Read more: Window fitter who conned elderly couple of £4,500 appears in court

During the pursuit, the VW driver rammed the police car and one of the offenders smashed the windscreen with a hammer, causing significant damage and resulting in an officer getting glass in his eye.

The Northern Echo: Police want to indentify these men in a Grey VW Passat Picture: NYP Police want to indentify these men in a Grey VW Passat Picture: NYP (Image: NYP)

The vehicle made off out of North Yorkshire towards Lancashire.

The same offenders also attempted to steal vehicles at Halton West and West Marton earlier the same day.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, saw any suspicious activity in the area at the time or has any information about where the stolen tools might be, is asked to all police on 101, quoting reference number NYP-26092002-0296 when passing on any information.

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