Tip-off leads to arrests (From The Northern Echo)

Tip-off leads to arrests

6:09pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in Crook & Weardale News

AN eagle-eyed member of the public helped police catch three suspected burglars thought to have carried out an early morning break in at a rural store, yesterday Shortly before 1.30am yesterday (FEB 14) police received a call from a resident in Stanhope, Weardale, reporting a car being driven in a suspicious manner.

Officers were in the area following up on the report when they were contacted about an intruder alarm having been activated at the Co-op store on Stanhope's Front Street.

The police helicopter and the dog section were called and little more than an hour later three men were arrested nearby.

The three suspects– all from the Sunderland area and aged 30, 30 and 25 – were arrested on suspicion of burglary and were last night in custody at Darlington police station.

A police spokesman said: "A number of bottles of spirits, cigarettes and lottery scratchcards have also been recovered, enquiries are still being made to establish how much property was stolen from the store."

Police have also seized a Toyota Avensis car which is suspected to be the vehicle used by the burglars.