Suspects caught red-handed in a clampdown on opportunist burglars claimed to be wearing balaclavas as they were, “going to collect a vape from a friend”.

That was the explanation the two balaclava-clad teenagers gave to police when they were stopped in Newton Aycliffe, shortly after 2am, earlier this month.

It was an example of the success, so far, of a Durham Police operation to target opportunist burglars in the town during August.

Operation Quail was launched collectively by the force’s Newton Aycliffe Neighbourhood Policing Team, South Durham CID and response officers following concerns from the community that thieves were targeting homes in specific areas of the town.

The Northern Echo:

Plain clothes officers were deployed to those hotspot areas for patrols and, after a call from a resident reporting suspicious activity, they came across two teenagers in the garden of a property in Hallington Head, just after 2am, on August 11.

Read more: Ferryhill burglars and Newton Aycliffe arsonists locked up

The boys, aged 13 and 16, were found with two pairs of bolt croppers, balaclavas and gloves, but claimed they made the journey from Ferryhill so they could collect a vape from an associate.

They were subsequently arrested on suspicion of going equipped to steal and taken into custody.

The story changed again in interview when the older boy claimed he had been offered £30 to sell his bolt croppers and thought the best time to do this was in the middle of the night.

He would not tell officers to whom he was going to sell the bolt croppers.

Both suspects are now on police bail with conditions not to enter Newton Aycliffe.

Read more: Suspended sentence for Bowburn burglar for Aycliffe salon break-in

Police said “thankfully”, there have been no further burglary incidents reported in the area since that incident.

Inspector Sarah Honeyman praised residents for reporting suspicious activity that allowed the targeted operation to take place.

“I want to thank residents for their continued commitment to report any suspicious activity that allowed us to be so specific in this operation which helps us target our resources to any identified hotspot areas,” she said.

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“Thankfully since these arrests, we have had no further reports of burglaries this month and we will continue to pursue those who commit crime in our town.”

If anyone sees anything suspicious in their neighbourhood they are asked to report it by using the Durham Police Live Chat site: 101 Live Chat (durham.police.uk), or calling the 101 non-emergency number.

Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be called, anonymously, on (0800) 555111.