Quad stolen from Hambleton farm recovered thanks to tracker

A quad bike stolen from a Hambleton farm in the middle of the night was pursued and successfully recovered by police, thanks to its tracker.

At about 2.15am on Saturday 8, a farmer near Appleton Wiske, north of Northallerton, called North Yorkshire Police on 999.

He had just been notified by a vehicle tracking company that his quad bike had been stolen and was on the move.

Force Control Room staff immediately contacted the tracking company, and were able to pass live updates on the quad’s whereabouts to police officers nearby.

The quad was tracked to Saltergill Lane, Yarm, in Cleveland. A short time later, at about 2.30am, as officers arrived at the scene, the quad was driven directly towards them, and was pursued over paths into bushes.

The quad was later found abandoned in a field, and despite an area search by a police dog and a police drone, no suspects were located.

The quad bike, a red Honda, has been returned to its rightful owner.

It had been stolen by forcing open a locked shutter door. Forensic enquiries are underway as the investigation into the burglary continues.

Police in North Yorkshire are urging quad bike owners to invest in trackers to protect their vehicles.

Inspector Matt Hagen, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, said: “Quite apart from their monetary value, the loss of a quad can have a really significant impact on farms and other rural business. The good news is security measures, in particular vehicle trackers, can be extremely effective.”

In light of the theft, people who own quad bikes are urged to check the security of their vehicles:

• Fit a GPS tracking device.
• Park as close to your premises as possible, ideally in a locked outbuilding with CCTV and security lighting, preferably out of sight from nearby roads.
• Remove keys when not in use, and do not leave them near the quad.
• Secure with wheel clamps and/or locking posts, and consider an alarm.
• Mark or customise your quad so it is easily identifiable.
• Keep a record of all vehicles, including photographs and serial numbers.

Officers are asking for anyone who saw suspicious activity in or near Saltergill Lane in Yarm at around 2.30am in the early hours of Saturday 8 August to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting reference 12200136187.