A MAN has been charged after a boat was spotted acting suspiciously in Whitby Harbour at the weekend.

Police were alerted by a member of public at about 4am on Sunday, (August 27) who had seen a man and a woman on a passenger pleasure boat in suspicious circumstances.

Officers attended the scene and found a man on board the boat.

They arrested the 41-year-old man from Middlesbrough on suspicion of burglary.

He was questioned by police and later charged with the offence. He is now due to appear at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court on September 14.

Detective Constable David Adams of Scarborough Investigation Hub, said: “I would like to thank the vigilant member of the public who acted on their instincts and called this incident into the police as it was in progress. Officers were able to attend the scene and swiftly arrest the suspect and recover suspected stolen property.

“Their quick thinking in alerting the police also meant that the risk to the people who'd clambered on board the vessel in the darkness was minimised."