Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Police have asked people to check their CCTV and doorbell cameras for footage of anyone acting suspiciously around parked cars in Cramlington.

Police recently increased their patrols in the town after reports would-be thieves had been spotted randomly trying car doors and trying to break into parked vehicles.

Shortly after 3am on Friday, officers saw someone acting suspiciously close to a car but when confronted, he ran off.

Police therefore gave chase and managed to catch up with the 17-year-old, who was subsequently arrested on suspicion of vehicle interference.

A teenager has been arrested in Cramlington following a spate of attempted car thefts.

He remains in police custody while investigations continue.

Chief Inspector Ian Cutty, of Northumbria Police, said: “This arrest has come as a result of proactive patrols by our officers in response to an increase in reports of offending, and I am pleased that a suspect has now been detained and will be interviewed in connection with these.

“Inquiries are ongoing to trace anybody else suspected to have been involved, and we are today asking for the public’s help.

“If you live in Cramlington, please check your CCTV footage or doorbell cameras from this week and let us know if you see anybody acting suspiciously. Any footage can be uploaded directly to our website.

“We will continue to carry out increased patrols in the area over the coming days in order to both prevent incidents of this nature and pursue suspects.”

Ch Insp Cutty added people should try to ensure they do not become a victim of crime in the first place by taking simple safety precautions.

He said: “As ever, we’d ask everyone to take an extra second to help reduce the risk of them becoming a victim of crime.

“Please double check that your doors are locked and any valuables left out of sight. Quite often, opportunistic offenders can go street to street hoping for a quick win – and if a door is locked, they simply move on to the next.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the force’s website or by calling 101 quoting log NP-20230224-0018. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

As always, if a crime is taking place, dial 999.

Suspect arrested following spate of attempted car break-ins in Cramlington