Resident’s suspicions lead to court case

Two suspected thieves are due to stand trial after an alert Hebburn resident spotted people behaving suspiciously and rang police.

Early in the morning on January 13, police officers were called by a member of the public who grew suspicious of two men in the Regent Drive area of Hebburn.

The neighbour reported that the men, who were dressed in black, were reported to be trying car doors in the area shortly after 2.15am.

Minutes later, police arrived at the scene and all seemed quiet, until officers saw an Audi driving out of the street.

The vehicle was shown as having no insurance, and after stopping the car, officers found a range of tools inside including a crow bar, bolt croppers and screwdrivers.

Two men were arrested at the scene and have now been charged with a string of offences, including going equipped for a burglary, driving whilst disqualified and possession of a controlled drug.

They are due to stand trial at Newcastle Crown Court in April.

Inspector Denise Easdon, of Northumbria Police, was delighted with the way that a member of the public and police had worked together in this instance.

She said: “This case was a great example of the public working with officers and being our eyes and ears in the community.

“By the resident picking up the phone and passing on detailed and accurate information to our control room, we were able to get officers to the scene quickly and try to locate anyone who matched the description provided.

“If you see something suspicious in your area, please give us a call.

“This particular resident in Hebburn did exactly that, which has allowed us to seek prosecution against two suspects who will be brought before the courts later this year.”