SIX rural and cross-border criminals have been arrested in Richmondshire in the last 24 hours as North Yorkshire Police's Operation Hawk continues.

Yesterday (January 6) three men from County Durham were arrested on suspicion of attempting to break into vehicles in Grinton and Reeth after being spotted by a member of the public.

Another vehicle that had been waiting for the suspects was shortly after tracked down in Scargill in County Durham and three men were arrested.

In another incident, at 1.45am in the early hours of today (January 7) police were alerted to intruders at a caravan sales business in Brompton on Swale.

Officers caught three men who were seen running away from the site and all three were arrested just after 2am in Station Hill, Brompton on Swale, on suspicion of burglary.

They include a 28-year-old man from Preston in Lancashire, a boy aged 16 and a man aged 22, both from Morcambe, Lancashire.

All three remain in police custody for questioning.

Operation Hawk was established at the end of July last year to protect North Yorkshire’s rural communities from the threat of travelling criminals.

Please report suspicious behaviour by calling North Yorkshire Police on 101.