Two arrests after vehicle keys stolen in Harrogate

Two men were arrested after vehicle keys were stolen from a home in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened between 2am and 2.30am on Saturday morning.

The suspects are believed to have entered the home between Ripon Road and Coppice Street and taken the keys.

The police have released the two men but are appealing for witnesses to “establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident”.

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Anyone with information about the incident should call 101, select option two and ask for PC 855.

For those who wish to remain anonymous they can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200220750.

No action taken against Harrogate district venues in tier checks

The police and council have taken no formal action against any of the 100 or so pubs and restaurants they visited over the weekend to check they were complying with tier two restrictions.

However, Harrogate Borough Council has said it will continue to follow-up any complaints about non-compliance.

Council staff accompanied officers from North Yorkshire Police on spot checks at venues on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, amid fears some might not be enforcing restrictions.

A spokesman for the council said today:

“Most businesses understood the new rules. We have given those who haven’t further information to ensure customers have a safe and enjoyable visit.

“We also want to ensure all businesses are operating on a level playing field and no-one is gaining an unfair advantage by breaking the current rules.

“We are pleased to say all businesses have been very willing to make any necessary adjustments.”

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Latest coronavirus numbers

The Harrogate district recorded a further 21 coronavirus cases today, taking the total number up to 3,725.

Harrogate District Hospital has not recorded any further coronavirus deaths. The total remains at 104.

The seven-day infection rate for the district is now 93 cases per 100,000 people. This is for the seven days to December 4.

Harrogate dirt bike champion is also police off-road motorcyclist

A British dirt bike champion from Harrogate is part of a beefed-up team of off-road motorcycle police officers tackling rural crime in North Yorkshire.

PC Ellie Cooke is the 2019 British Enduro Champion, which is a form of off-road motorcycle racing. She is also the 2019 and 2020 British Sprint Champion.

PC Cooke’s riding talent is also helping North Yorkshire Police combat rural and wildlife crime, search for missing people and deter cross-border criminality.

Four new riders recently passed the College of Policing training, bringing to seven the total number of officers operating Honda CRF250L motorbikes in the county.

North Yorkshire Police increased the size of the team in response to rising levels of anti-social behaviour and crime associated with motorcycles.

The force received more than 100 calls about incidents linked to off-road bikes between April and July this year.

NYP off-road motorcycle team

The off-road motorcycle team.

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PC Cooke, who will will combine her role in the motorcycle team with her job as a response officer in Harrogate, said:

“When I heard about the off-road motorcycle team, I knew that this would be the perfect role me, as I could transfer my off-road riding skills into work.

“I knew from a young age I wanted to be a police officer, and there is nothing better than being able to do the job I love while riding a motorbike.”

Inspector Kevin Kelly, who developed and implemented the team, said:

“I’m immensely proud of the team. This is arguably one of the most physically demanding roles in policing, and the officers have put a huge amount of work in to develop their skills and resilience.

“The team is now in a position to support a range of policing operations in urban and rural areas – from busy town centres to remote national parks. I know they will make a real difference in our communities.”

Two arrested in Harrogate police drugs swoop

Police have seized drugs from a house in Harrogate and arrested two people.

Officers based in Harrogate entered a flat on Knaresborough Road on Friday and recovered drugs, including edible cannabis, and other drug paraphernalia.

A 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug and an 18-year-old woman was also arrested for being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug.

Both were later released. Enquires are ongoing.

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PC Nicholas Woods, of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Drugs have a negative impact on our communities, and I encourage everyone to look out for common signs of drug dealing and to report it.

“Harrogate Police will continue to proactively disrupt drug activity and help make Harrogate a safer place to live and work.”

North Yorkshire Police urged anyone noticing suspicious drug activity to report it using the non-emergency number 101, or pass information on anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

 

Six arrests after spate of burglaries in Harrogate

Police have made six arrests after a spate of overnight burglaries in Harrogate.

Thieves broke into four homes in the Rossett, Oatlands, High Harrogate and Pannal Ash areas in the last week alone.

Homeowners reported that jewellery, cash and electronic devices had all been stolen.

North Yorkshire Police arrested six men aged in their 20s to their 50s. The police released them all under investigation.

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As a result of the burglaries the police have warned residents to be vigilant in the run up to Christmas.

Detective Sergeant Tom Barker, from Harrogate’s proactive team, said:

“It’s a common trend that during the lead up to Christmas we have a spate in burglaries.

“As a result, we have a dedicated team of officers out in the areas we know that are being targeted.”

The force has put out advice asking people to lock doors and windows, leave a light on when heading out and never leave valuables on show.

Starbeck cash machine explosion: two males sentenced

A 16-year-old teenager and a man aged 38 who caused an explosion at a cash machine in Starbeck were sentenced today.

Frederick Squires, of Castleacre Road, Swaffham, Norfolk and the teenager from Doncaster, who cannot be named, targeted cash machines across Yorkshire and Leicestershire whilst driving a stolen vehicle.

Squires was sentenced to eight years and six months in prison at York Crown Court and was disqualified from driving for seven years and three months.

The 16-year-old received a two-year detention and training order.

Both men were charged with conspiracy to commit burglaries and conspiracy to cause explosions. Squires was also charged with aggravated vehicle taking.

Lit a fuse

The offences, which began on March 4, were caught on CCTV, which showed them driving the stolen vehicle using cloned registration plates.

The men pumped gas into a cash machine at the post office in Shepshed, Leicestershire at 12.30am and then lit a fuse to cause an explosion.

This attempt was unsuccessful so they moved on to the Jet garage in Adwick, near Doncaster at about 3.15am. Using the same tactics they stole £35,130 in cash cassettes.

Two days later they targeted the cash machine at the Co-op on the High Street in Starbeck shortly after 1am. This attempt was unsuccessful.

At about 2am on March 10, North Yorkshire Police officers spotted the stolen vehicle near York.

100mph chase

In a 100mph chase, the vehicle drove the wrong way round a roundabout before travelling along the wrong side of the A64 dual carriageway and shortly after crashed into the car park barriers at the York Designer Outlet.

Officers were unable to locate the suspects until a helicopter spotted a heat source close to the River Ouse. Officers located the suspects hiding in a tree trunk and they were subsequently arrested.

Squires pleaded guilty to all charges and the 16-year-old youth was found guilty following trial. A third man, who cannot currently be named for legal reasons, plead guilty to all charges but will be sentenced at a later date.

Detective superintendent Fran Naughton, of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“The sentences given to these two individuals today are a clear demonstration that this type of crime will not be tolerated, either in North Yorkshire or across the country.

“Setting off an explosion inside an ATM is extremely dangerous, particularly one on a fuel station forecourt, and showed no regard for the safety of local residents in the properties nearby.

“Added to all of this are the highly irresponsible actions of the driver as they fled from the police, endangering the lives of many road users and causing further damage.”

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Sarah Staff, head of SaferCash, the security initiative hosted by the British Security Industry Association, said: “This series of ATM attacks were potentially extremely dangerous to the public and had a significant impact on local communities that rely upon these services and their access to cash.

“The outcome of today’s sentences will be a strong deterrent to those involved in similar offending.”

 

Hijab becomes part of North Yorkshire Police uniform

North Yorkshire Police has made the hijab part of its uniform for officers who wish to wear it.

PC Uzma Amireddy, who designed the Muslim headscarf with her colleague PC Arfan Rahouf, wore the force’s new official hijab on Monday for the first time.

Officers have been able to wear their own hijabs until now. PC Amireddy was the first in North Yorkshire Police to wear one in 2019.

But this is the first time it has been incorporated into the county’s police uniform.

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PC Amireddy tweeted:

“I was afraid when I started wearing hijab. I feared that this may hinder me in policing, especially proactive roles.

“Finally it is now part of North Yorkshire Police’s uniform. Let’s hope the future is optimistic.”

PC Rahouf added it had taken many months to design the hijab and he was pleased to hear it was comfortable.

PC Uzma Amireddy

North Yorkshire Police commended the two officers.

A spokesperson said:

“We need to be more representative of the communities we serve, in order for us to be an inclusive work force and deliver a better service.

“We need to listen to the needs of our existing workforce and ensure there is an avenue by which issues such as this can be raised and resolved.”

North Yorkshire’s move to incorporate the hijab follows the example set by Metropolitan Police and Police Scotland in the UK.

Police record 64 speeders in an hour in Harrogate operation

Police recorded more than one speeder per minute in an operation in Harrogate this month.

The camera was deployed on Leeds Road as part of a crackdown on speeding during the second lockdown, and its operator recorded 64 people exceeding the 30mph speed limit.

A deployment in Killinghall, meanwhile, captured more than 40 offences in 45 minutes, including one driver doing 56mph in the 30mph zone.

North Yorkshire Police said speeding has increased during lockdown, posing a greater risk because of the higher number of pedestrians, and they are taking “robust” action to deal with drivers. Criminal justice manager Andy Tooke said:

“Since lockdown two began, we’ve seen a marked increase in the number of motoring offences we’ve captured. We’ve also seen some terrible driving, particularly in our communities.

“These are places where children are going to school, and residents are going on walks – yet some motorists are barreling through these towns and villages at lethal speeds.

“At a time when communities are doing everything they can to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, driving through 30mph areas at twice the speed limit is sheer stupidity.

“It’s also illegal and we are responding robustly to enforce the law and keep residents and road users safe.”

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Harrogate is the cannabis hotspot of North Yorkshire

Police have raided more cannabis farms in the Harrogate district in the last three years than any other area of North Yorkshire.

A Freedom of Information request by the Stray Ferret to North Yorkshire Police revealed that 25 or more cannabis plants had been seized on 13 occasions in the district since 2017.

The district has also seen the most police activity this year, with 11 cannabis raids compared with just four in all the other districts combined.

In total, police have raided 43 cannabis farms across the county since January 2017.

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Officers also made 22 arrests relating to cannabis farms, though the figure includes people who may have been arrested for more than one offence.

North Yorkshire Police have been approached for comment, but did not respond by time of publication.

Figures on the number of cannabis farms seized across North Yorkshire. Data: North Yorkshire Police.

Figures on the number of cannabis farms seized across North Yorkshire broken down by Safer Neighbourhood Command. Data: North Yorkshire Police.

‘Sophisticated’ cannabis farms

Police were called to a cannabis farm in the district just two months ago.

In September, officers launched an investigation after a large cannabis farm was found in a former Ripon nightclub.

Officers were called to the former Matrix nightclub on Kirkgage when two people were reportedly seen running away away after being disturbed during a routine building check.

Despite an extensive search, including the use of a police drone, the two people were not found but a search of the building found a “large scale, sophisticated” cannabis farm.

Patrolling Harrogate’s streets during lockdown

Being a police traffic sergeant and father to a young child, Sergeant Paul Cording is used to being busy. Some nights he is the only traffic sergeant patrolling North Yorkshire’s 6,000 miles of roads.

But although the first lockdown decimated the volume of traffic on the roads, the second one has been far busier — and more challenging in some ways. He says:

“We’ve seen more high end speeding. That could be a result of less traffic on the road and people thinking they can use it as a race track.”

Sgt Cording, 49, who lives in Harrogate, said there have also been more incidents involving drink and drug drivers and more domestic incidents. But late night alcohol disturbances are down.

14,000 Twitter followers

Sgt Cording’s sometimes shocking tweets about life on the frontline have brought him a near-14,000 following,

North Yorkshire Police trust him to communicate directly with journalists and the wider public in his warm, engaging manner.

He weaves personal anecdotes, such as cannabis drivers, chasing suspected poachers and a colleague being bitten by a person with covid, with more serious messages, such as promoting the charity Brake’s road safety week.

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He says there were “some issues” within the force when he started tweeting in 2011 but increasingly the police recognise the value of officers engaging directly with the public and showing a bit of personality rather than parroting corporate lines.

“You have to be engaging otherwise there’s no point.”

A former RAF man, he works from 7am to 7pm for two consecutive days, then from 7pm to 7am for two consecutive nights then has four days off. What has been his most distressing incident?

“Being first on the scene of a fatal road traffic accident involving one of my colleagues. She was hit by a speeding drink and drug driver.”

Likes a beer

Since joining the police in 2001, Sgt Cording says there has been “huge progress” in looking after officers’ mental health by providing welfare meetings, incident briefings and trauma incident management. But some things are never forgotten.

To unwind, he spends time with his wife and three-year-old son, plays hockey, runs and “likes a beer”.

He tries to answer every direct message he receives on Twitter.

“I’ve only ever had to block two people and that’s because I didn’t want to buy any Raybans and because I’m a happily married man. Read into that what you will!”