CCTV camera operators have been praised by police after alerting them to suspected shoplifters on a spree.

Police arrested two women, aged 43 and 24, and two men, aged 37 and 31, in Northallerton on Saturday (January 3) after being alerted about suspicious activities by staff working from the Hambleton District Council control room.

When police caught up with the suspects, who came from Darlington and have since been bailed, they found a large amount of property allegedly stolen from shops, which is believed to have included clothes.

Hambleton District Council director Dave Goodwin said: "It is just one of the cases the team has been involved in over the festive season – while we have been enjoying the holidays they have been watching the streets of our market towns in a bid to keep them safe.”

The authority has 44 cameras monitoring the towns of Thirsk, Bedale, Northallerton and Stokesley, which are operated from the authority’s Civic Centre headquarters.

Inspector Chris Galley said: “The police cannot work in isolation and having this great working relationship with our colleagues at Hambleton District Council really helps us to keep the area as safe as possible.

“CCTV is an extremely valuable tool for the police, not only in detecting and preventing crime, but it also provides vital information that assists with other police incidents such as searches for missing people and antisocial behaviour."