North Yorkshire Police has published images of two men they would like to speak to regarding the theft of 30 bottles of alcohol and some packets of crisps in two Ripon stores.
According to police, the men entered a local convenience store together on Elm Road. One man distracted staff at the till while the other stole eight bottles of gin and put them in a shopping bag.
Neither man made any attempt to pay before leaving.
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Shortly after on the same afternoon, at about 4.30pm, the same men went to a supermarket on Marshall Way.
Again, one man distracted staff while the other stuffed a pram full with 22 bottles of alcohol and some packets of crisps.
Both thefts happened on January 13.
Police have not named the stores but the locations suggest the incidents occurred in Costcutter and Booths.
North Yorkshire Police has released CCTV images in connection with its investigation and asked anyone who recognises the men pictured to get in touch.
Quote reference numbers 12210019882 and 12210035275 if you pass on information.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Police move into new Pateley Bridge stationNorth Yorkshire Police today officially moved out of its station in Pateley Bridge and into a new home across the road.
Officers from Harrogate outer neighbourhood policing team will now share space with Harrogate Borough Council on King Street.
North Yorkshire Police said there will be no change to its counter service at the Nidderdale Plus Hub on Station Square.
The counter service is open to the public on Mondays 10am – 6pm, Tuesdays to Fridays 10am – 4pm, and at weekends from 10am – 1pm.
According to the police, the move is expected to save £19,000 per year.
The former police building on King Street will go on the market next month, at an asking price of £142,000.
Read more:
- Building works underway at Pateley Playhouse
- ‘Nobody need go hungry’ in lockdown, say Nidderdale churches
Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, agreed to sell the former site after consulting with Lisa Winward, the chief constable, before Christmas.
North Yorkshire Police said Pateley Bridge would copy the “successful principles of co-location” that already exist in Ripon, Thirsk, Selby, Bedale and Masham.
The current Pateley Bridge police station on King Street in the town. Picture: Nidderdale AONB.
Inspector Alex Langley said today the proximity of the new and old buildings would make it easy for people to adjust. He added:
“Importantly, we are also continuing to run our front counter services at the Nidderdale Plus office as before.
“Our new facilities ensure an effective, efficient and sustainable neighbourhood policing service is provided to Pateley Bridge.”
Ms Mulligan added:
Penny Pot Lane near Harrogate reopens after serious collision“By co-locating North Yorkshire Police with Harrogate Borough Council in Pateley Bridge we will achieve value for money for the taxpayer.
“There will be no change to the access available for Nidderdale residents to our policing teams in the area.
“Selling the police station will also reduce the amount we have to spend on upkeep of a large and underused property and the proceeds will be reinvested in frontline, visible policing which I know is the priority of most people in and around Pateley Bridge and across North Yorkshire.”
Penny Pot Lane near Harrogate has reopened after a serious traffic accident this afternoon.
A woman in her 60s who was driving a car was taken to Leeds General Infirmary with serious injuries, although they are not thought to be life-threatening.
Emergency services were called to the scene near New Acre Farm shortly after 1pm.
Fire, ambulance and police vehicles were all in attendance.
North Yorkshire Police urged drivers to avoid the road in a tweet at 2.17pm this afternoon.
Harrogate traffic sergeant Paul Cording also used his Twitter account to alert people to the situation.
Penny Pot Lane in #Harrogate remains closed whilst we deal with a serious RTC. Please avoid the area whilst emergency services deal #JESIP pic.twitter.com/F6DhuMQV4I
— Sgt Paul Cording BEM (@OscarRomeo1268) February 16, 2021
Sgt Cording later alerted the Stray Ferret to the road reopening at about 3pm.
Penny Pot Lane is a popular route for people in Harrogate travelling to Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs.
It is also the location of the West Harrogate Household Waste Recycling Centre run by North Yorkshire County Council, and traffic queueing to enter the site frequently backs up.
Witnesses can contact North Yorkshire Police by dialling 101, pressing 1 and speaking to the force control room. Quote reference number 0148 of 16 February.
Read more:
- Parents launch petition for more police in Ripon
- Crown court trial for Bishop Monkton man accused of attacking police
Force ‘took its eye off the ball’ on Ripon policing
Julia Mulligan, North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, faced a barrage of questions from Ripon city councillors last night.
In a virtual meeting that was not open to the public, Ms Mulligan said there are a number of issues impacting on policing in the city.
Council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:
“The commissioner accepted that there had been a time when the force had taken its eye off the ball on policing in Ripon.”
He added:
“I appreciate her frankness and also the way she listened to what we had to say.
“She didn’t duck councillors’ questions and provided both answers and potential solutions.”
The 90-minute online meeting was attended by the majority of city councillors.
Also attending virtually, were North Yorkshire Police Chief Inspector Andrew Colbourne and Inspector Alex Langley.
Insp Langley, has recently been appointed as the officer with responsibility for neighbourhood policing in Ripon.
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Last week, following a three-hour crime spree in the Bondgate area of the city, he asked local residents to report anything they had seen by calling 101.
However, the response time to people calling 101, was brought into question last night and has been at previous city council meetings.
Commissioner Mulligan agreed the need to improve on response time and said that North Yorkshire would shortly be rolling out an online 101 service, offering a more rapid response.
Police in Ripon have to share space with the fire brigade and there is no room for interview on the site
She also reported that police numbers had ‘significantly increased’ and further officers would be added to tackle the city’s ongoing issues of violent and anti-social behaviour.
Councillor Williams pointed out:
“There can be no doubt that the commissioner and senior officers are taking our concerns seriously and acting upon them.
“We stated last year and do so again, that we will do all that we can to work with the police to address the city’s crime problems.”
One issue that will be more difficult to resolve, is the fact that police have to share space at Ripon fire station, where there is no interview room.
People who are arrested have to be taken to Harrogate Police Station for interview, resulting in a consequential temporary loss of officers on the city patch.
Swinsty Reservoir dog walker finds ‘nail board trap’ near carA dog walker claims that someone is deliberately trying to damage cars near to Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs.
Derek Johnson parked his car on the grass verges near the woods to the south of the reservoirs on Sunday.
After returning from a walk with his gun dogs, a jogger warned him that she had found a nail board near her car.
He checked around and found two of the boards in close proximity to his car, so took the picture you can see above.
While he did not report the incident to the police, a nearby farmer said that he had called the police earlier that day.
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There has been a longstanding issue with the number of cars parking at the reservoirs since the first lockdown when many flocked to the area for their daily exercise.
We approached North Yorkshire Police for comment but received no reply by the time of publication.
Mr Johnson told the Stray Ferret:
“My dogs need to have a lot of space to run around so come to the reservoirs quite regularly and haven’t had an issue before.
“After the walk someone told me they found one of these nail boards so I checked around. I found one under my tyre and another a few yards away.
“It’s such a stupid thing to do. If someone has an issue with us using the reservoirs to exercise then they should tell us, not do something like this.”
Graham Hebblethwaite, the chairman of Washburn Parish Council, told the Stray Ferret:
Ripon teen robber in balaclava steals moped“If someone is doing this to try and trap cars then that is horrendous. At first I thought it could be discarded bits of pallets but it looks like freshly cut pieces.
“This is not the message we want to send out to people who come here. We are asking people to keep an eye out for these nail boards.”
A group of teenage boys reportedly threatened a 17-year-old with weapons before taking his scooter in Ripon yesterday.
It is the latest robbery in the city, which is currently in the grip of an anti-social behaviour crisis which has led to demands for more police.
This robbery happened in the Hell Wath Grove area. The alleged victims told police a group of teenagers approached him just before 5pm.
He claimed that they threatened him with weapons before he handed over the keys for his moped, which was parked nearby.
Read more:
- Police appeal after man punched and spat at in Ripon
- Ripon residents ‘scared to go out’ as crime fears grow
One of the teens rode off on the scooter after the incident and the others all made off on foot.
Police say the boy who rode off on the scooter is around 16 or 17 years old. He was also wearing a black jacket, grey trousers, black trainers and a black balaclava.
The other suspects have been described as 16 or 17 years old, all dressed in dark clothing.
Later that evening police say the scooter was found abandoned on Long Meadows, a short while away from the incident.
Inspector Alex Langley said patrols are increasing in areas described as hotspots for anti-social behaviour. He added:
“We believe these crimes and incidents of anti-social behaviour are being committed by local youths and we are conducting a number of enquires in order to identify these individuals.
“We would also ask parents of teenagers to pass on any information you think could assist. Do you know where your child was yesterday evening? Were they out in Ripon? Were they part of a bigger group? Do your children know anything?
“The information provided by the public is key to helping us target our patrols, identify those responsible and prevent this criminal activity in the future.”
Anyone with information should contact the police on 101 and quote reference number 12210054979.
Serious collision halts traffic on Harrogate’s Wetherby RoadPolice and ambulances are responding after a pedestrian was involved in a collision near the Woodlands pub on Wetherby Road in Harrogate.
The Esso filling station at the junction with Hookstone Drive has been cordoned off and traffic is unable to head out of town on Wetherby Road.
A car has also been cordoned off.
North Yorkshire Police tweeted minutes ago to say the collision, involving a pedestrian, occurred just before 5pm.
TRAFFIC ALERT: Emergency services are currently dealing with a serious collision involving a pedestrian on Hookstone Chase at #Harrogate, near to the Esso garage on Wetherby Road. It happened just before 5pm. Please follow diversions and avoid area until further notice. pic.twitter.com/dTeuhtdvna
— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) February 4, 2021
Numerous police and ambulance vehicles are present and traffic diversions are in place.
North Yorkshire Police has asked witnesses or anyone with dash-cam footage to call on 101, select option 1, and speak to the force control room. Quote reference number NYP-04022021-0279.
Police officer guilty of dangerous driving over Harrogate crash
A police officer who drove through a red light in Harrogate at 50 miles per hour and then crashed into a car carrying two elderly women has been found guilty of dangerous driving.
DC Quita Passmore, 38, was driving an undercover police vehicle when she went through the red light at the junction of Otley Road and Cold Bath Road.
She was responding to reports of an officer in distress at 10pm on May 5, 2018 when the incident occurred.
Bradford Crown Court heard how Patricia Bulmer and Janet Roberton sustained severe injuries, including broken bones and a punctured lung.
Read more:
- Police officer ‘very sorry’ after high speed crash with Harrogate women
- Harrogate elderly women ‘thought they would die’ in police crash
The jury of 12 people retired for deliberations at about 1pm today and returned with a guilty verdict on two counts of dangerous driving at about 4.30pm.
DC Passmore, who pleaded not guilty, said in a statement that was read out during the trial:
“I was aware that I needed to give way for the red light. But I thought it was unlikely that anything would emerge as my colleague had passed through seconds before.
“As I went through the junction a red car emerged. My evasive action was not enough to avoid the collision.
“I am glad to hear that the two other people involved are making a recovery. I am very sorry this happened, it was never my intention.”
Patricia Bulmer, who was driving the vehicle that was hit, told police in hospital:
“We had spent the day at a friend’s house and left around 10pm. I had driven up Cold Bath Road and turned onto the junction with Otley Road.
“Then there was an almighty smash and bang. The airbag flew into me. My friend was then making moaning noises at the side of me.”
Janet Roberton, who was a passenger, told police:
“I heard a loud siren-type noise and saw lights to the right of the car. I just remember one of us shouting ‘oh my god, oh my god’.
“Then there was a loud bang, it was the most awful noise I have ever heard. My first thought was the we were going to die, it felt terrible.”
Judge Burn adjourned the court until tomorrow morning, when he will sentence DC Passmore for dangerous driving.
Robbery, thefts and man with machete in three-hour Ripon crimewavePolice are investigating a three-hour spate of crimes in Ripon on Sunday that included a man carrying a machete, a robbery, thefts and gangs gathering.
The incidents, which occurred from 6.30pm until 9.30pm, are the latest in a series of crimes and anti-social behaviour blighting the city.
A 23-year-old man became the first victim at 6.30pm on King Street when he was robbed by two or three males who had his phone and watch stolen and suffered facial injuries.
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Then at about 8.30pm, North Yorkshire Police said four teenage boys and one teenage girl stole alcohol from McColl’s on Bondgate.
At 9.10pm a group of some 15 teenagers on Southgate reportedly shouted at local residents who asked them to move away from parked cars.
Just 20 minutes later, police received two reports about Bondgate.
The first was of a “male with a machete.” The second was of a man “threatened by another male with a knife.”
Throughout the rest of the evening police received “a number of other reports” of large groups of “youths” in various places around Ripon.
A police statement said:
“There were also a number of other reports of large groups of youths at various locations received throughout the evening which police responded to.”
Last month Ripon City Council called for more support from police amid concerns of rising crime.
Alex Langley, neighbourhood policing inspector, said:
“I’d like to reassure the local community that we are investigating all of these reports, which we are taking very seriously.
“I can assure people that we will be taking robust action against those responsible.
“Our extensive enquiries are ongoing.
“It includes officers trawling through CCTV footage and speaking to local businesses and we have also stepped up our patrols.”
Anyone with information about the investigation can call the police on 101 or send an email to lucymills@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.
Please quote the following North Yorkshire Police reference numbers:
- 12210049512 – King Street robbery
- 12210049541 – theft at McColls
- 12210049572 – reports of machete
- 12210049669 – man threatened with knife
- 12210049571 – 15 teenagers on Southgate
Police are searching for up to three robbers who reportedly attacked a young man for his phone and watch.
The robbery happened at about 6.30pm on Sunday on King Street in Ripon.
A 23-year-old man told police he had been attacked by two or three suspects. He described them as “young males”.
He reported that as well as stealing his phone and watch, they hit him in the face, leaving him with injuries.
Read more:
- Have you seen this Ripon man? Police appeal for help
- Julia Mulligan pledges to visit Ripon to hear crime fears
Officers are appealing for any information or CCTV footage relating to the incident.
You can email PC Lucy Mills by clicking or tapping here. If you wish to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Ripon City Council called for additional police last month to tackle an increase in crime.