TWO suspected burglars have been arrested during a dramatic police operation.

The arrests followed a seven-mile police pursuit which ended when the suspect car crashed into a barrier at a multi-storey car park in Durham and the occupants fled into streets busy with lunchtime city centre shoppers.

As the police helicopter buzzed overhead of startled onlookers, at least four police vehicles halted in the city’s Market Place while officers cornered the suspects on foot.

The arrests follow an investigation into a series of burglaries across North Yorkshire, including one which took place in Whitby on Monday.

During that incident, a large amount of jewellery and a white Mercedes were stolen during a burglary on High Street in the seaside town.

In a joint operation with Durham Police, a 40-year-old man was arrested in the Brandon area of County Durham at around 1am this morning (Tuesday, December 30) in connection with the burglary.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: “He was released on conditional police bail following questioning to allow for further enquiries to be completed”.

As the investigation continued, officers from North Yorkshire Police attempted to stop a Vauxhall Vectra at around 12.50pm in the Wheatley Hill area of County Durham.

When it failed to stop, officers from the joint Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit joined the pursuit and followed the suspect car as it drove through the Easington Lane area, then into Pittington and West Rainton.

The car then headed along the A690 into Durham, where a BMW police vehicle was damaged as the pursuit went through Gilesgate roundabout, although there were no injuries.

The pursuit came to an end in the Walkergate multi-storey car park, where it crashed into a barrier and collided with a parked car, which was unattended at the time.

The occupants then abandoned the vehicle and made off on foot. Two men, a 33-year-old from Easington and a 42-year-old from Peterlee, were subsequently arrested in the city centre.

Unconfirmed witness reports say one man was arrested close to the Premier Inn Hotel in Freemans Place at around 1.15pm, while a second was detained close to the rear entrance of the city’s Indoor Market in Fowlers Yard.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: “They have been detained on suspicion of burglary and are in custody presently in Durham. Enquiries are ongoing to trace other possible occupants of the car”.