POLICE and rural watch volunteers visited farms and remote areas of North Yorkshire during an operation to crackdown on travelling criminals.

North Yorkshire Police took part in the multi-force operation over Thursday night and into the early hours of Friday, when they were joined by 39 Rural Watch volunteers and patrolled in 19 vehicles across the Hambleton and Richmondshire areas, including the northern border of North Yorkshire, the A1 and A19 corridors and into the Dales.

The 14th Operation Checkpoint was led by Cleveland Police, with their officers joined by colleagues from North Yorkshire, Durham, Northumbria, Lancashire and Cumbria.

They visited farms and remote areas with the aim of catching travelling criminals, gathering intelligence and providing reassurance to those living in rural communities.

The forces already share intelligence on people suspected of travelling from county to county committing thefts and burglaries and passing on stolen goods.

North Yorkshire Police said rural wildlife offences are an issue for a number of forces and they were committed to creating a hostile environment for travelling criminals who often have an extensive knowledge of the road networks and use minor roads in a bid to avoid detection.

Checks were conducted on more than 80 vehicles in North Yorkshire, and although there were no arrests, a number of fixed penalty notices were issued for a variety of offences. In particular, a suspicious vehicle was spotted in the Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe and South Kilvington area, and seen driving through fields. It was stopped and searched, and although no offences were identified, its occupants may have been deterred, and the vehicle left the area.

Superintendent Jason Dickson, of Cleveland Police, said: “County borders mean nothing to organised criminals who are intent on targeting our more remote communities. Last night saw a number of vehicles which could be involved in crime being taken out of circulation.”

North Yorkshire Police’s Sergeant Stuart Grainger said: “Our watch teams are an invaluable asset, patrolling our rural areas across Hambleton, Richmondshire, and the Dales. As always we are grateful to them for their support.”

To find out more about Rural Watch schemes, contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team, or Rural Taskforce officer, on 101.