Appeal after burglar targets home in Knaresborough

Police are appealing for information after a burglary in Knaresborough on Saturday evening.

A suspect tried to enter a home on Manor Road around 7pm.

North Yorkshire Police is now asking for help from the public to establish the full details. A spokesperson said:

“In particular, we are appealing for information about a male who was wearing all black clothing with a hood around Manor Road at the time of the offence.”

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two, and ask for Geeta Maharjan, or email geeta.maharjan2@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

To report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200221213.

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Police appeal for help identifying man after Nidd Gorge theft

Police are appealing for help to identify a man after a car window was smashed and a handbag stolen at Nidd Gorge car park.

North Yorkshire Police released a CCTV image of the man yesterday and said it wanted to speak to him.

The man is described as bald and around 5ft 8ins to 5ft 10ins tall. He was captured on camera wearing a green jacket, possibly a wax/Barbour style, and black trousers.

Nidd Gorge is a popular beauty spot often frequented by dog walkers.

A woman’s car rear window was smashed while she was walking her dog between 9am and 10.10am on November 3.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement it wanted the public to “help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident”. It added:

“In particular, we are appealing for information about any suspects that might have been seen in the car park on the morning of the incident.”

Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Daniel Fawkes or email daniel.fawkes@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200193289

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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