POLICE have seized £115,000-worth of suspected stolen goods and 76 vehicles, and issued £8,000 in fines during a major initiative.

Operation Tornado involved the four forces of Yorkshire and the Humber, along with six more from the north and British Transport Police. It led to 57 arrests in connection with metal thefts and driving offences.

Officers visited 215 scrap yards, and stopped and searched 3,546 vehicles, 76 of which were seized. £8,000 in fines were issued over the five days for vehicle-related offences such as illegally using red diesel, breaching waste carrier licences, not holding insurance and not wearing a seatbelt.

Superintendent Tim Innes, the lead Officer for the Yorkshire and Humber region, said: “This extensive operation covering Liverpool to Hull has taken a vast amount of planning and co-ordination and the results speak for themselves.” Temporary Chief Inspector Sarah Jane Sanderson, of North Yorkshire Police, said metal theft across the county had dropped, but said: “We are not complacent and will carry on targeting metal thieves until they no longer pose a threat to our communities and infrastructure.”