Teenagers are arrested for alleged moped theft

TWO teenagers found hiding in a garden have been arrested for allegedly stealing a moped.

Police received a report of two people wearing dark clothes and balaclavas stealing a Piaggo moped in the South Terrace area of Wallsend, North Tyneside, by trying to lift it over a fence at 9.30pm on March 20.

Officers were deployed to the scene, alongside those with the Dog Section and local Response Policing Team (RPT). The force’s drone was also used to trace the suspects, with one spotted jumping over a fence.

Just 20 minutes later, two boys aged 13 were found trying to hide in a nearby garden. Both were arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, with the moped recovered nearby.

The two boys have now been released on police bail pending further enquiries. The moped has now been returned to its rightful owner.

Operation Capio is Northumbria’s force-wide crackdown on motorcycle criminality in which police join urge members of the public to report vehicle thefts as well as nuisance riders and share information in our efforts to tackle the issue.

Insp Craig Cook, of Northumbria Police, said: “This is another excellent win for Operation Capio, as we continue to disrupt motorcycle-related crime and retrieve property.

“Our officers worked quickly to respond to the victim’s report and set about chasing down the suspects.”

Insp Cook added: “We are well aware of the detrimental impact that this kind of criminality can have on those in our communities.

“Members of the public should rest assured that we will keep up our efforts in this area.”