North Yorkshire Police has arrested two men following an attempted car theft in Harrogate, thanks to the quick actions of a member of the public.

Just before midnight on Tuesday (November 11), a vigilant neighbour reported seeing two masked men wearing balaclavas attempting to break into a vehicle parked on Woodlands Drive.

The suspects fled when they heard police sirens approaching, but officers shortly after stopped a van nearby and discovered a blowtorch and a GPS jammer inside.

Two men, a 35-year-old from Rochdale and 38-year-old from Manchester, were arrested on suspicion of attempted theft of a motor vehicle and going equipped.

The police have arrested two men following an attempted car theft on Woodlands Drive in Harrogate, thanks to the quick actions of a member of the public

placeholder image — The police have arrested two men following an attempted car theft on Woodlands Drive in Harrogate, thanks to the quick actions of a member of the public

They both remain in custody for questioning.

A spokesperson at North Yorkshire Police said: “A big thanks to the member of the public who dialled 999 and enabled us to respond so quickly – your actions made a real difference.”

“If you live in the Woodlands Drive area and have any CCTV or dashcam footage which may have captured anything suspicious, please get in touch.”

If you can help, you should email [email protected]

You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101.

Alternatively if you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or by visiting https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

You should quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12250213534 when providing any details regarding the incident.