Arrest made in connection with Prudhoe theft
Police investigating a series of smash-and-grab robberies at ATM machines across the region staged a series of dawn raids yesterday.
A convoy of vehicles ferrying 100 officers from the Northumbria and Durham forces left Bishop Auckland police station shortly after 7am targeting seven suspects.
The men they were after are also suspected of carrying out a break-in at a Spar store in Station Road, Bedlington, in June, when more than £20,000 worth of cash and cigarettes were stolen.
And one man was arrested on suspicion of stealing a tractor from Prudhoe in July.
Police used battering rams to smash down the doors of houses in Witton Park, Escomb, West Auckland and Tindale Crescent, all villages on the periphery of Bishop Auckland.
At a house in Saxon Green, Escomb, opposite a historic Saxon church, a man, 29, was led away in handcuffs.
He had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary and also on suspicion of the theft of the tractor from Prudhoe.
Inspector Martin Peace of Bishop Auckland police said five men, aged between 27 and 32, had been arrested in the operation which was led by officers from the Northumbrian force.
Durham's Deputy Chief Constable Mike Barton said: "Today's raids are targeting an organised crime gang suspected of being involved in the robbing of ATM cash machines across the region, using heavy goods JCBs to smash them open. They are involved in organised crime including the supply of drugs.
"People like this are the carrion crows of society, feeding off decent people and contributing nothing themselves."
At a stone-built terraced house in Park Road, Witton Park, curious neighbours opened their doors to watch as police used a metal battering ram to smash down a wooden front door. Officers also raced around to the back entrance.
The sound of an angry woman's voice could be heard inside the house, but Insp Peace said the man they were targeting at that particular house was not at home.
One woman neighbour said in amazement as she surveyed the scene: " Witton Park used to be such a quiet village." Police sniffer dogs were also used to search the properties.
Yesterday morning Northumbria Police issued the following statement: "Five people have today been arrested in connection with a burglary in Northumberland.
"A quantity of cash was stolen from the Spar Shop on Station Road, Bedlington, during the incident on June 15. Alcohol and cigarettes were also stolen from the shop. Nobody was hurt in the incident which happened while the shop was closed.
"Officers from Northumbria and Durham police forces acted on intelligence and raided a number of properties in the Bishop Auckland area of Durham.
"Five people, aged 32, 31, 29, 28, and 27 were arrested."
Detective Inspector Paul Knox said: "This was a pre-planned operation and we attended a number of properties in the Bishop Auckland area at 7am today.
"The arrests have been made in connection with the June 15 incident, and inquiries are ongoing.
"'This clearly demonstrates that offences of this nature are taken very seriously.
"During the raids, a 29-year-old man was arrested in connection with the theft of a tractor from the Prudhoe area, which happened between July 17 and July 18."
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