POLICE in North Yorkshire recovered four stolen vehicles in 48 hours this week.

On Monday morning, police were told a flat-bed truck had been stolen from Nelson in Lancashire, and the vehicle's tracker showed it was in the Harrogate area.

Officers intercepted the vehicle at a service station in Harrogate Road, Ripon, and found it was travelling with another flat-bed truck carrying a car.

Officers stopped the second truck, and found all three vehicles were using false number plates. The second truck had been stolen from Greater Manchester, and the Vauxhall Astra it was carrying was stolen from the Cleveland area.

Both drivers were arrested at the scene. A 27-year-old man from North Shields was arrested on suspicion of theft, going equipped for theft and driving while disqualified, and a 33-year-old man from Wallsend was arrested on suspicion of theft and driving while disqualified. Both have been released under investigation.

On Tuesday night, West Yorkshire Police reported a black Audi S5 - stolen from Leeds - was heading into North Yorkshire on the A1 using false number plates, and North Yorkshire Police officers pursued it and stopped it near Ripon.

The driver, a 34-year-old man from Bradford, was arrested on suspicion of burglary and theft, then passed into the custody of West Yorkshire Police.

Chief Inspector Fiona Willey said: "These two cases are further evidence that travelling criminals are not welcome in North Yorkshire and we’ll do everything we can to intercept those who think they can use our roads to carry on their criminal lifestyle."