FOUR people have been arrested after a spate of attacks on cars and property in the Clifton area of York, police have revealed.

Two of the four were subsequently accused of violent behaviour in a police station, said a spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police.

She said that police received a number of reports in the early hours of last Monday that a group of people were breaking into vehicles and damaging property in various streets in the Clifton area.

She said police attended the scene and arrested four people:

*A 44-year-old woman,who was arrested on suspicion of attempted theft of a motor vehicle and possessing a knife or blade

*A 19-year-old man,who was arrested on suspicion of attempted theft from a motor vehicle, criminal damage and vehicle interference

*A 16-year-old boy, who was arrested on suspicion of attempted theft of a motor vehicle, going equipped for theft, theft of a pedal cycle and criminal damage

*A 21-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of attempted theft of a motor vehicle and criminal damage.

She said all four were released while under investigation but two of them - the 21-year-old man and the19-year-old man -were also charged with violent behaviour in a police station, and would appear at court on August 9 over this matter.

The incidents only came to light after an eyewitness contacted The Press to tell how a number of cars had been damaged late on the Sunday evening and early on the Monday morning in streets such as Ratcliffe Street, Haughton Road and Allan Street.

The witness said three windows were smashed on one vehicle and wires were ripped out from under the steering wheel of another vehicle.