A farmer called police after he saw a white transit van being driven suspiciously near his land - and it led to three crimes being solved.

A police officer searched for the vehicle after it was seen leaving the Marwood area, near Barnard Castle, and caught up with it eight miles away near Toft Hill.

The driver failed to stop after being signalled, but drove down the A68 towards West Auckland, where he got out and ran away.

Police said yesterday that the vehicle had been stolen some days earlier in the Bishop Auckland area, and had been fitted with false number plates.

Inside, police found two quad bikes worth a total of £5,000 which had been stolen from a farm in the Marwood area.

Sergeant Bill Dutton, of Barnard Castle police, said the operation was a success for a recent initiative by police all over the region to crack down on rural crime and encourage people to report anything suspicious.

He said a man was later arrested and has been released pending further inquiries.

The incident happened on Friday.