North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after four items of machinery were stolen from a worksite near Harrogate.
The force said in a statement today the “high value” commercial burglary happened at Nidd Gorge, near Bilton Lane, between Friday evening (May 17) and Monday morning (May 20).
One digger and three smaller tracked barrows were stolen.
The statement said:
“We’re appealing for information about any suspicious 4×4 vehicles sighted leaving Bilton Lane over the weekend, potentially with a trailer carrying the stolen equipment.
“Please email ben.wheatley@northyorkshire.police.uk if you have any information that could help our investigation.
“Alternatively, you can call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Ben Wheatley, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.”
Quote reference number 12240088312 when passing on information.
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Two arrested after man stabbed in Harrogate
A man was stabbed in the Mayfield Grove area of Harrogate last night (May 12).
North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today it received reports that a man had suffered stab wounds just before 7.30pm last night.
The statement added:
“Officers attended and found a man had suffered an injury to his hand.
“A short time later two men were arrested in connection with the incident. A 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery and a 32-year-old man was arrested for wounding with intent. Both currently remain in police custody.
“Following the incident, the victim received treatment in hospital for minor injuries.
Police reassured residents today by describing it as an “isolated incident”.
Superintendent Teresa Lam, senior commander for the Harrogate district, said:
“Thankfully incidents of this nature are extremely rare in Harrogate, and they will not be tolerated. An investigation is now underway to establish the full circumstances.
“I would like to stress that we are treating this as an isolated incident and do not believe that there is any ongoing wider threat to the general public.”
Mayfield Grove
However, it is not the first serious incident in the Mayfield Grove area in recent years.
Vitalijus Koreiva, 37, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court in 2022 for murdering Gracijus Balciauskas in a flat on the road.
In the previous year Daniel Ainsley was sentenced to 22 years in prison for murdering 48-year-old Mark Wolsey at a bedsit on the road.
Police urged anyone with information about the latest incident or doorbell footage to call them on 101 and quote incident number 12240083406 or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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Police stop driver with ‘insecure load’ in Harrogate
Police stopped a vehicle piled high with pallets on the outskirts of Harrogate yesterday (May 9).
Sargent Paul Cording from the roads policing team at North Yorkshire Police, shared details on X, formerly Twitter.
He said:
“A little bit of digging showed the vehicle to be on false plates along with the obvious insecure load.
“As often happens though one thing leads to another, and the driver tested positive for cannabis on a drug wipe.”
Sgt Cording said further inspection revealed the vehicle had false registration plates.
He added:
“The driver was arrested and an evidential blood sample has been obtained which will be sent of for analysis.”
One from yesterday when we stopped this on the outskirts of #Harrogate A little bit of digging showed the vehicle to be on false plates along with the obvious insecure load. As often happens though #OneThingLeadsToAnother & the driver tested positive for cannabis on a @DrugWipeUK pic.twitter.com/FjpEALmxz4
— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) May 10, 2024
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Prolific Harrogate drug dealer jailed
A drug dealer who brought cocaine, ketamine and cannabis to the streets of Harrogate has been jailed for four years and 10 months.
Donovan Tanaka Mkutchwa, 24, who was already remanded in prison but previously lived in Keswick and Harrogate, was sentenced at York Crown Court today (May 9).
According to a North Yorkshire Police media release today, officers received information on Friday, May 5 last year that Mkutchwa was supplying drugs in Harrogate.
He was already the subject of two separate investigations into his involvement in the supply of cannabis and was under a suspended sentence due to being previously found in possession of a large quantity of cannabis.
North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite drugs team spotted him getting into a car that they later intercepted on King’s Road, Harrogate.
The vehicle contained three occupants including Mkutchwa, who was a passenger. Following a search of him, officers recovered multiple deal bags of white powder, which when tested were found to be 13 bags of cocaine and 10 bags of suspected ketamine.
Mkutchwa was arrested and taken into custody. During a further search of a property where he was staying in Harrogate, officers found more bags containing cocaine and ketamine and a set of scales. The total value of all drugs seized was approximately £2,250.
He was subsequently charged with possessing cocaine and ketamine with intent to supply and remanded into custody. He appeared at York Crown Court on June 13 where he pleaded guilty to both offences from May 2023.
On December 19, he appeared at York Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing cannabis with intent to supply. For these two offences, Mkutchwa was in possession of cannabis which when sold on the streets would have a value of up to £11,035. He also had cash to the value of £1,085.
Drugs recovered by police.
‘One less person spreading misery in Harrogate’
Investigating officer PC Michael Haydock of the Operation Expedite team, said:
“Mkutchwa has been dealing illegal substances for many years and has used others to assist in his criminal activity, putting himself above them in an attempt to distance himself from street level drug dealing. Not only that, he has continued to offend despite being given a suspended sentence and whilst under investigation for identical offences.
“For Mkutchwa, this has now come to an end and he is one less person who spreads misery on the streets of Harrogate. His actions, and that of anyone else involved in supplying illegal substances, are the cause of so many other crimes which are often committed by those desperate to fund a drug habit that he facilitates.
“He now has a significant period of time to reflect on his criminal behaviour and hopefully he will see the error of his ways.”
No drugs were found on the other two occupants of the car and no further was taken against them.
The sentencing judge commended the three officers who worked on the investigation, including PC Haydock, for their “utmost professionalism and integrity” and for “overcoming an array of difficulties to secure conviction”, as well as their “outstanding investigative skills and attention to detail to ensure this case was brought to conviction”.
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Police issue appeal to find wanted Harrogate man
North Yorkshire Police has issued an appeal this afternoon to locate a wanted man from Harrogate.
Police said the man, Matthew Tuck, is believed to be staying in the Harrogate area.
Tuck, 29, was jailed for 18 months last year for spitting at a police officer after being arrested for wielding a knife in Harrogate town centre.
He took out the blade during an argument with two men outside a pizza shop on Station Parade.
In a statement today, police said he is “wanted on prison recall”, adding:
“We have carried out extensive enquiries to locate him and are now appealing to anyone who has seen him or knows where he is now to get in touch.”
Officers have urged people with an immediate sighting of Tuck or those that know where is to call 999.
Police added:
“You can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website. Or you can call us on 101 and pass information to the North Yorkshire Police Force Control Room.”
Quote reference number 12240029930 when passing on information.
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Person hospitalised after industrial accident near Boroughbridge
A person was taken to hospital following an industrial accident near Boroughbridge on Tuesday.
Yorkshire Ambulance Service today said the incident was reported just after 10pm on April 30.
A spokesperson said the ambulance was dispatched to a unit in the Becklands Close area of Roecliffe.
One patient was “conveyed to hospital”, they added.
The Stray Ferret also contacted North Yorkshire Police about the incident.
A police spokesperson said it received reports of an “industrial” incident but added it was not believed anyone suffered “life-threatening injuries”.
The spokesperson said a police investigation has not been launched.
We also approached the Health and Safety Executive for further information. A spokesperson said:
“At this stage, HSE does not have an active role as the incident has not been officially reported to us through the reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations (RIDDOR)”.
The incident comes just over a month after a man died in an industrial accident at the Macadam garage in Ripon.
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