A stolen quad bike was found by police minutes after it was stolen from a Hambleton farm – and a suspect was arrested a short time later.
The quad bike will be returned to its rightful owners, and the man remains in custody, where he is also being investigated for a number of other non-residential burglaries.
Police have warned that quad bike thieves entering North Yorkshire will face an “immediate and robust” response to their offending.
Just after 1.50am today, North Yorkshire Police received a report that a quad bike had just been stolen from a farm north of Northallerton.
The caller reported seeing the John Deere Gator being driven off at speed down their driveway.
Officers based at Northallerton and Stokesley responded immediately, and at 2.10am they found the quad abandoned just off the A67 at Kirklevington, south of Yarm, with its engine still running.
Knowing that any suspects were likely to be nearby, officers contained the area and began a search.
At 2.30am, they found a man covered in mud, in a bus shelter a few hundred metres away from where the quad was abandoned.
The man, aged 24 and from Stockton-on-Tees, was arrested on suspicion of burglary, vehicle theft and vehicle interference. He remains in custody at this time.
The stolen quad was recovered for forensic analysis, and will then be returned to its owners.
Inspector Sarah Sanderson, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Quads are frequently targeted by thieves in rural areas as they are small, expensive and easy to transport. Their loss can have a big economic impact on farms and other rural businesses – at a time when farmers can ill-afford any further disruption.
“However, quad bike thieves are now finding it increasingly difficult to enter and leave North Yorkshire undetected. Instead, they will face an immediate and robust police response to their offending, followed by likely arrest and prosecution.
“If you see or hear a quad bike being driven in suspicious circumstances – for example, in an unusual place, late at night, or without lights – contact the police. Call 101 to pass information, or 999 if a crime is in progress.”
Police are reminding all quad bike owners in North Yorkshire to take security precautions:
- Fit a GPS tracking device.
- Park as close to your premises as possible, ideally in a locked outbuilding with CCTV and security lighting, preferably out of sight from nearby roads.
- Remove keys when not in use, and do not leave them near the quad.
- Secure with wheel clamps and/or locking posts.
- Mark or customise your quad so it is easily identifiable, and keep a record, including photographs and serial numbers.
Anyone with information about the theft of the quad overnight should call North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting reference number 12200213059.
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