24 hours in the fast lane… the work of our specialist operations unit never stops

It has been another busy 24 hours for us with pursuits in Selby and Harrogate as we fight back at the criminals who use our road network.

At 12.30pm yesterday lunchtime (Tuesday 03 December 2024) a member of the public reported that their Land Rover Defender had been stolen from an address in the Cliffe area of Selby.

Our roads policing officers immediately deployed to the area and the team’s Sergeant sighted the vehicle on the A19 southbound travelling towards the M62. The blue lights were activated but the Defender made off at speed, over taking and travelling onto the opposite side of the road on a single carriageway.

It continued towards Whitley before it was abandoned, and the suspect ran into fields. An area search commenced which led us to a person who matched the description of the occupant on a train station platform. The man in his 20s who is from the Doncaster area was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop for the police, dangerous driving, and theft of a motor vehicle. He was later interviewed and released under investigation.

If that wasn’t enough for one day, later that evening at approximately 7.30pm we were made aware of a vehicle that possibly contained a wanted person that was heading towards Harrogate. Our specialist operations officers flooded the area and it wasn’t long before an unmarked car spotted the subject vehicle travelling at speed on John Metcalfe Way.

A stinger site was set up in Starbeck where officers successfully stung its tyres, but it continued along the High Street. A short pursuit commenced at speed as it began to overtake members of the public whilst travelling on the wrong side of the road before it entered Hookstone Wood road car park. It deviated off road into a wooded area and slowly hit a tree before coming to a stop.

Two passengers were arrested in the vehicle but the third ran into woodland. Our officers searched the area and a short time later a man was found in the grounds of St. John Fisher School.

A search of the vehicle found £505 in cash.

An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop for the police, dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, theft of a vehicle and being concerned in the supply of a class – A drug.

The other two occupants, an 18-year-old man and a 19-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of taking a vehicle without consent and being concerned in the supply of a class – A drug.

All three currently remain in police custody.

Our sights are firmly focused on intercepting those who think that it’s acceptable to use our road network for criminality, including the distribution of drugs and taking other people’s property. As usual, we will be back out in force this afternoon and tonight across the 6,000 miles of roads, relentlessly looking to disrupt criminal activity.