A CROSS-border police operation has seen a 17-year-old and three men arrested after a number of cars were reported stolen.

Three police forces were involved in the arrests after a Ford Fiesta and Mazda 6 were seen travelling in convoy by Cleveland, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire police officers.

The Fiesta, carrying suspected cloned number plates, was stopped by North Yorkshire’s Roads Policing Group on the A168 near Thirsk with the 23-year-old driver arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal a vehicle and driving without insurance.

Police pursued the driver of a Mazda which joined the A19 heading north before the car was dumped and the 17-year-old male driver was found on foot by PD Mario from Cleveland Police’s Dog Support Unit.

The man was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to steal a vehicle, dangerous driving, failure to stop, driving without insurance and driving without a licence during the incident in the early hours of Friday.

The Mazda had been reported stolen a week earlier from a property in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Cleveland Police have arrested a further two men in Middlesbrough in relation to another suspected stolen vehicle – a BMW reported stolen from Bradford – as part of the operation.

The four men were remanded in custody while investigations continue.