Machete and drugs seized after dramatic police, helicopter and dog chases in Newcastle

Four suspected thieves were chased and arrested in Newcastle on Sunday night, with helicopters deployed in a night of attempted crime that saw a machete and drugs seized.

At about 8:30 pm on Sunday, officers were alerted to an attempted burglary in the Arthur’s Hill area of the city. Officers were immediately deployed to the area and supported by the National Police Air Service (NPAS), they tracked a black Audi A4 after the suspects had fled empty-handed.

With the net tightening around them, the occupants then abandoned the car in Newburn and attempted to make off on foot. Within minutes, officers had caught up with a 19-year-old suspect who was placed under arrest.

Inside the Audi, officers seized a stash of items including a machete, a battering ram and quantities of cannabis worth up to £10,000.

A short time later, at about 11 pm, police received various reports of suspicious males trying car doors near Ilford Road – with a white Volkswagen stolen from outside a nearby address. Officers from the Force’s Motor Patrols Department, Firearms Support Unit and Dog Section were deployed and scoured the area in a bid to locate the vehicle in question.

Perseverance soon paid off as they spotted a car matching its description – believed to be using suspected clone plates - travelling westbound along the Coast Road near Wallsend.

The occupants then jumped out of the car in a desperate bid for freedom, but fleet-footed officers successfully detained three suspects and placed them in handcuffs following a short chase.

Chief Inspector Ian Cutty, of Northumbria Police, said: “Both of these incidents were brought to quick and successful conclusions after outstanding, dedicated police work by the officers involved.

“It was a real team effort by everyone in the Operations Department, along with our colleagues elsewhere across the Force and partners at NPAS. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to everybody who played their part.

“To end the evening with four suspects in custody, as well as to locate and seize significant weapon and drug hauls, is an outstanding outcome and should send a strong warning out to criminals across our region.

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“This type of offence will not be tolerated and we will use every single tactic available to us in order to make sure you are pursued, located and brought to justice.”

All four suspects remain in police custody at this time.

If you see anything suspicious in your community, always report it to police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of their website or by calling 101.