THREE youths were arrested after officers hunting a stolen motorbike traced it to a field in South Ockendon.
After receiving a call reporting the theft, members of Thurrock neighbourhood and local policing teams surrounded an area north of the A13, with support from the National Police Air Service helicopter.
The three youths were seen with a motorbike matching the one reported stolen, a moped believed to have been taken the previous day, and a Surron e-bike.
Aware they were being monitored, the trio made their way back towards a residential area and attempted to hide before they were cornered.
The boys – aged 16, 15 and 15 – were arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. One of the 15-year-olds was subsequently also arrested for the assault of two emergency workers, a public order offence and attempted criminal damage.
All three were taken to custody in Harlow and have since been released on bail as officers continue their investigation.
Inspector Dan Selby of Thurrock Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
“Vehicle theft is a priority for our team and we are doing all we can to arrest individuals who are targeting cars, vans and motorbikes across the district.
“People rely on their vehicles for their work or to take their children to school and we fully appreciate how upsetting it is to look out the front of your house and discover your car or bike has been stolen.
“There were fewer vehicle thefts in Thurrock in the past 12 months than there were the year before, and we have been working hard to combat the anti-social behaviour related to bikes being used off-road in this area, but this work is very much ongoing, and we are aiming to continue reducing levels of offending.”
