TWO suspected thieves accused of siphoning fuel from plant machinery at a quarry were arrested following a foot chase.

Shortly before 2pm yesterday (Sunday) officers were called to Red Barnes Quarry in Hebburn following a report of a theft in progress.

It was alleged that a group of men had entered the site and were siphoning fuel from the plant machinery.

Response officers supported by Northumbria Police's Operations Department and Dog Section were deployed to the scene and began an area search for their suspects.

Within minutes, the PCs were chasing two suspects, who matched the description of the offenders.

They proved little match for the fleet-footed officers, who swiftly caught up and arrested the men, aged 41 and 35.. 

Quantities of suspected stolen fuel were also seized after they were found to have been discarded near the site.

Chief Inspector Nicola Wearing, of Northumbria Police, said: “This was an outstanding outcome which involved superb teamwork between a number of officers.

“Upon being alerted to the theft, we were able to get officers down to the scene and quite quickly we had two suspects – who matched the description of the offenders witnessed on CCTV – within our sights.

“It was then only a matter of time before we chased down two males, while colleagues from our Operations Department and Dog Section were able to help locate the suspected stolen fuel.

“Thefts such as this can have a significant impact on our communities and businesses, and I want to reiterate that it simply will not be tolerated.

"Thieves and burglars – who look to prey on others – can expect to be dealt with robustly and we will use every tactic at our disposal to seek effective justice.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in this job who contributed to this positive result. It was a real team effort and one I hope sends a reassuring message to all who live, work and visit the North East.”

One man who was arrested has been released on police bail. The other remains in police custody with enquiries ongoing.

If you are passionate about fighting crime and want to pursue a career in policing, why not consider joining #TeamNP? Our police officer recruitment programme is now open – for more information, visit https://careers.northumbria.police.uk/

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