FOUR men were arrested following the reported theft of a quad bike from Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales. 

At 10.50pm on Wednesday, January 22, a member of the public reported a group of men trying to steal a quad bike from a property.

Police said she shouted at the men and they ran off. However, she was able to give police a description of the vehicle they left in.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said these details were circulated to police officers in the area, as well as to mobile rural watch volunteers. At about 11.35pm the same day, the volunteers spotted a vehicle matching its description in Buckdon, Wharefedale.

Police attended and arrested four men in connection with the attempted theft of the quad bike. The men - aged 19, 20, 25 and 27 and all from the Bradford area - have been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

To help tackle these kinds of incidents, police have urged people to: 

- Park quad bikes as close to their premises as possible, ideally in a locked outbuilding with CCTV and security lighting, and preferably out of sight from nearby roads.

- Remove keys when not in use, and avoid leaving them near the bike.

- Fit wheel clamps and/or locking posts, and consider an alarm.

- Mark or customise bikes so they are easily identifiable.

- Consider fitting GPS tracking devices for high-value bikes.

- Keep a record of all vehicles, including photographs and serial numbers.

PCSO Bryan Tongue, of North Yorkshire Police’s Rural Taskforce, said: “I would urge anyone who owns a quad bike, particularly if they live in a rural or isolated area, to take extra steps to ensure their vehicles are always left safe and secure.

"It’s far better to spend some time and money now on high-quality security measures, rather than have to go through the inconvenience and upset of having your quad bike stolen.”