Car reverses into stationary vehicle then drives off in Harrogate

Police are appealing for information after a car reversed into a stationary vehicle then drove off without stopping.

The incident happened at the temporary traffic lights on Harrogate’s Ripon Road at about 5pm on September 18.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today:

“Police are keen to trace the owner of a dark coloured vehicle that reversed into a stationary car before driving away.”

Anyone with information can call the force control room on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC 1211. Or email robert.howe@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

To report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The North Yorkshire Police reference number is 12210207408.

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Harrogate woman: ‘A hand grenade was found in my garden’

A woman from Harrogate has spoken of her shock at discovering there was a hand grenade in her garden today.

Sandra Warburton’s family home on Gordon Avenue, in Bilton, became the centre of a police operation today when the explosive device was found.

The house has been in Ms Warburton’s family for 60 years but it was only today, the day after she sold it to her daughter, that the grenade was discovered.

Ms Warburton, who received a call from her son-in-law this morning saying he’d found the device, said she was shocked and bewildered. She added:

“It could have been there when we were little”.

Her son-in-law contacted North Yorkshire Police, which quickly responded by placing a cordon on the street and giving nearby residents the option to evacuate.

Two bomb disposal experts arrived just after 1.15pm and were able to safely remove the device and leave, along with other police officers, about 30 minutes later.

Ms Warburton said:

“These things just don’t happen. My son-in-law that found it this morning, he just rang and said someone was on their way to deal with it. He was moving all sorts of things around and he found it in the garden.

“But they’ve found it and said it was fine now. I just can’t believe it.”

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Police cordoned off three streets in Bilton after the discovery on Gordon Avenue, just off Bilton Lane, late this morning.

A police statement said:

“Police evacuated a small number of houses whilst the Ministry of Defence made an assessment on the device.

“The MoD recovered the device and the cordon is now lifted.”

Police cordon lifted after hand grenade discovered in Harrogate

A Harrogate street has returned to normality after bomb squad officers dealt with a hand grenade in a garden.

Police cordoned off three streets in Bilton after the discovery on Gordon Avenue, just off Bilton Lane, late this morning.

A bomb disposal unit from the Ministry of Defence rushed to the street, which is between Richard Taylor Church of England Primary School and Bilton Cricket Club.

The team departed at about 1.40pm and the police cordon was lifted and people allowed to return to their homes.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said:

“An explosive device was found by a member of the public in their garden at a property on Gordon Avenue today.

“Police evacuated a small number of houses whilst the MOD made an assessment on the device.

“The MOD recovered the device and the cordon is now lifted.”

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A resident on Gordon Avenue told the Stray Ferret about the “mad moment” police knocked on their door.

The resident, who requested anonymity, was evacuated at around 12.30pm, said:

“This is obviously not something that happens everyday, it is quite mad really. Definitely rare for Harrogate.

“We saw that the police were on the street. The next minute the officers were knocking on my door.

“They said that they had called in the bomb squad because the neighbour had found a bomb.

“Not everyone was evacuated, just the residents who live quite close by. Police were quick to get people away.”

Two males plead guilty to Ripon robbery

A teenager and a 21-year-old man are to be sentenced after a robbery on Bondgate in Ripon.

John Paul Wilson, 21, pleaded guilty at York Crown Court. A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also pleaded guilty.

Both men were charged with robbery and possessing an offensive weapon.

The two men will appear for sentencing on October 19.

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Officers from North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today enquiries were ongoing into other suspects linked to the incident on Friday, August 13.

Police arrested five people after a teenager was robbed at knife point outside the former Ship Inn, Bondgate.

The force put out an appeal following a spate of anti-social behaviour in the city last month.

Calls for more police as anti-semitic graffiti remains in Knaresborough

Anti-semitic graffiti is still covering some of Knaresborough’s key monuments, amid calls for more police officers to patrol the streets.

The town’s 12th century castle and statues of Blind Jack and Mother Shipton on Market Place were defaced in an overnight attack on Saturday night.

Crude images and Nazi swastikas remain sprayed on the side of the castle and the bronze statues in the Market Place are still discoloured.

The castle graffiti is situated in full view of Knaresborough police station, which has cameras on top of the roof.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today:

“We have launched an investigation in to the graffiti from the Castlegate area of Knaresborough. All lines of enquiry are currently been pursued.

“North Yorkshire Police takes all reports of hate crime seriously. Anyone who is the victim of a hate crime is encouraged to report the incident to police via 101.”

Harrogate Borough Council said in a statement today it was aware of the vandalism and was looking into the best way for it to be removed but gave no timeframe.

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Councillor Andrew Paraskos, cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:

“It is incredibly disappointing that someone, or a group of individuals, have found it appropriate to deface the heritage of Knaresborough in this way and we will be doing what we can to identify those responsible.

“If any members of the public witnessed any of the damage being carried out, or if any businesses have their own CCTV in the area that has captured any relevant footage, I would encourage them to contact North Yorkshire Police as soon as possible.”

Steve Teggin, a local business owner and the chair of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, said anti-social behaviour was becoming a serious concern for local businesses.

He said further action needed to be taken, including more police officers in the town:

“The chamber and traders are getting quite concerned. Ninety per cent of people visiting Knaresborough are great and contribute to the economy but there are some letting us down. There just isn’t enough police presence and people thing they can get away with stuff.

“We need more police on the streets.”

Police release teenager after knife incident in Harrogate

Police said today they are taking no further action against a teenager arrested following reports of a man brandishing a knife outside the Odeon in Harrogate.

Pub chef Chloe Horner told the Stray Ferret she saw a man holding a “huge” knife outside the cinema after she got home from work at about midnight on Saturday night.

She said the man walked off in the direction of Asda after another man, who walked by and was threatened, called the police.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said today:

“I can confirm a 19-year-old man was arrested in relation to this incident on Saturday night. The man has since been released from police custody and faces no further action.

“We have nothing further to add at this time.”

According to Ms Horner, armed officers attended the scene. She said:

“It’s crazy. You don’t expect to see that in Harrogate”.

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Fraudsters offering £200 to fix TVs following Bilsdale fire

Fraudsters are offering to retune residents’ TVs for £200 in the wake of the Bilsdale mast fire.

Since fire damaged the mast in August, thousands of residents across the Harrogate district have been without a TV signal. Some have also experienced intermittent service.

This has prompted some opportunistic scammers to knock on doors in North Yorkshire and offer to fix TVs for a fee.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said:

“If anyone knocks on your door to offer this service, do not let them into your home and do not give them any money.

“If anyone approaches you at your home and you are concerned, do not let them in and call the police on 101 to report this.”

Arqiva, has said a temporary mast should be up by October 5, meaning local residents should finally see an improvement to their TV signal.

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Report of man wielding knife outside Harrogate Odeon

A woman has described seeing a man brandishing a “huge” knife outside the Odeon in Harrogate last night.

Pub chef Chloe Horner had just got home from work when her partner alerted her to a man with a blade several inches long outside the cinema at about midnight.

Ms Horner said she saw the incident clearly from her kitchen window and observed the man standing motionless holding the knife.

She said another man, who walked by and was threatened, called the police.

By the time the police arrived, the person with the knife had walked off in the direction of Asda, she added.

“It was scary. You don’t expect to see that outside your own window. I feel for anyone else who might have walked by him. The knife was huge.”

Ms Horner said police, including armed officers and officers with dogs, were at the scene for about an hour but she does not know if any arrests were made.

By the time they arrived the man, who she said was wearing a dirty brown hoodie and joggers, had walked off.

“It’s crazy. You don’t expect to see that in Harrogate”.

The Stray Ferret has approached North Yorkshire Police for details.

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Two new portable speed cameras to patrol Ripon

Ripon City Council has announced two speeding signs will be purchased for the city.

The initiative is in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council and will see two vehicle activated speed signs for the city.

The signs show the speed of the car as it approaches.

The council has identified a number of roads with cars often spotted going too fast. The roads are heavily used, often with children and families walking on pavements at peak hours.

These include:

The signs will move around these roads from next week.

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Inspector Alex Langley of North Yorkshire Police welcomed the initiative, commenting that the implementation of this new technology should remind the road users of Ripon about excess speed and hopefully educate and encourage them to slow down.

He said:

“North Yorkshire Police fully supports this campaign and we will continue to take positive action against those road users that continue to speed and commit driving offence.”

Charity donations set on fire behind Knaresborough shop

Stolen clothes that were left as donations to a charity shop have been set on fire behind a shop on Knaresborough high street.

The ashes from the fire were discovered at the back of The Clothing Store of Knaresborough on Saturday morning.

Shop owner Rebecca Lombardi later learned the clothing was taken from outside St Vincent’s charity shop, over the road on the high street.

It happened just weeks after Blind Jack’s pub, on Market Place, was damaged in an overnight fire.

Ms Lombardi posted about the incident on social media to warn other businesses and attempt to gather more information.

She said:

“It could have been really dangerous, it was close to the bins and if it had got out of control I would worry for the two flats upstairs.

“I was shocked initially but then I started thinking about Blind Jack’s a couple of weeks ago and lots of thoughts were rushing round my head.

“Hopefully it was just a one-off.”

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Ms Lombardi said police initially told her it was a civil matter because there wasn’t a witness but Knaresborough resident Philip Allott, who is North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner said he had escalated the investigation within North Yorkshire Police.

Mrs Lombardi said the police subsequently requested CCTV footage of the entrance to the back area.

She said she felt better after putting details of the incident social media because she knows other businesses are now aware.

North Yorkshire Police has not responded to requests for further information.