Suspected copper thieves thwarted on A1(M)

Not so fast!

In the early hours of this morning, a call came in reporting an ongoing burglary at a scrap metal site in Birtley.

The suspects appear to have cut the lock off the site’s gates before loading a skip full of scrap copper worth £21,000 onto the back of a wagon and driven off.

Durham Roads and Armed Police officers attended and quickly traced the vehicle heading southbound on the A1(M).

A sting was set up and successfully executed. A man in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of theft and drug driving.

A further vehicle believed to be in convoy with the truck was helpfully stopped on the same road by our colleagues at North Yorkshire Police and the driver arrested on suspicion of theft.

Both suspects are currently in custody while enquiries continue.