Five arrested by police at Great Ayton Esso garage

On Monday (October 28), police were deployed in North Yorkshire as part of an operation to tackle cross-border criminality, when officers saw a suspect vehicle travelling with a motorcycle ridden by two masked men

The vehicles split, and the officers pursued the motorcycle into Middlesbrough, where it was abandoned, and the suspects fled.

Police footage of the car at the Esso garage in Great Ayton (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE) Cleveland Police reported the bike stolen earlier that day. Although North Yorkshire Police managed to recover the motorcycle, the car escaped.

But, on Tuesday (October 29) at around 5.30pm in Great Ayton, police tracked the same car to a petrol station, suspecting an intent to fuel up and flee.

The car was boxed in on the forecourt, but not before it attempted to escape, forcing one of the police officers into one of the petrol pumps.

Police attempting to arrest the occupants of the car (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE POLICE) All five occupants, including the driver, were arrested and police recovered face coverings, a hammer, bolt cutters, and quantities of cocaine and cannabis from inside the car.

They were arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, going equipped for theft and burglary, and possession of class A and class B drugs.

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The driver was further arrested for driving without a license, no insurance, and dangerous driving.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "Thankfully, none of our officers were injured during the incident and the group remains in our cells for questioning.

"Our team’s determination paid off, potentially preventing further criminality, and sending a strong message to those intent on carrying our crime in our area."