TWO “wet through and dishevelled” suspects were arrested after an unsuccessful attempt to steal a quad bike in North Yorkshire.

The owner of the quad bike, who lives in Ellerton, near Catterick, was alerted via text message from his tracker that the vehicle was moving just after 7pm on Thursday.

He approached two men taking the bike out of a barn, who ran off empty-handed.

Damage had been caused to the vehicle’s ignition.

Officers deployed immediately to the area, and began an extensive search, including with the NPAS police helicopter, while a warning and a description of the suspects was sent out on Facebook, Twitter, North Yorkshire Community Messaging and to local Rural Watch volunteers. However, no one was located.

At about 7am on Friday, a motorist on her way to work noticed two men, whom she described as looking “rather dishevelled and wet through”, walking near Kiplin along the B6271, towards Northallerton.

North Yorkshire Police officers drove towards Kiplin, where they stopped and arrested two men, aged 19 and 28.

 Both were arrested on suspicion of burglary with intent to steal.

One of the men has been released under investigation while enquiries continue. The other remains in custody.

At 3.50am on Thursday, a 22-year-old man was arrested in Danby Wiske, near Northallerton, on suspicion of stealing a quad bike. Two other men seen riding on the suspected stolen quad bike ran off into fields and were not located at the time.

However, the two men arrested near Kiplin have both been further arrested in connection with this incident as well.