Eagle Eyed Callers Thanked For Helping Thwart Batley Burglars

Thursday April 18, 2024

Eagle eyed residents have been urged to keep reporting crime after officers were able to intercept and foil a burglary in Batley.

Enquiries remain ongoing today after police were called to Challenge Way, Batley at about 10.45pm on Wednesday to a report of men loading a van with goods and behaving suspiciously on a building site.

Officers attended and intercepted a white van matching the suspect vehicle's description entering Owl Lane in Dewsbury.

A quantity of goods believed to be stolen were located inside the vehicle, and two men inside, one from Leeds and one from South Yorkshire, were arrested on suspicion of burglary.

File image of arrest on previous operation

Both remain in custody for questioning.

Inspector Charlotte Nicholls of the Batley and Spen NPT said: "These rapid arrests have come as a result of members of the public having the quick thinking to report suspicious ongoing activity to us.
"This allowed colleagues from our Roads Policing Unit to rapidly deploy to the scene, locate the suspect vehicle and recover stolen property."

She added: "Policing cannot be effective without such reporting from residents, and I want to thank everyone who contacts us with information day to day, or via 999 when appropriate for an ongoing offence, such as this one. Your diligence does make a difference."

West Yorkshire Police can be contacted via 999 for a crime in progress or 101 or the online reporting service can be found at www.westyorkshire.police.uk/livechat

Members of the public can pass information anonymously via the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.