Police spotted suspected burglars walking on the hard shoulder following alleged Jarrow crime spree

Police were alerted to “suspicious activity” at three Jarrow properties in the last month.

At about 1.30am on June 25, a householder reported a bedroom of their home in Pine Avenue had been ransacked, with a mobile phone, bank card and drawer containing jewellery and watches missing.

Shortly after 3am the same day, intruders were reported at a property in Gloucester Way who fled when confronted, although several items were reported missing, including jewellery.

Then, shortly before 6am, it was claimed a suspect accessed a property in The Crescent, taking car keys and escaping in a Nissan Juke parked outside.

However, just hours after the alarm was raised, officers from Northumbria Police and Durham Constabulary spotted two men walking on the hard shoulder westbound on the A19 and found a Nissan Juke nearby.

The pair were later arrested in connection with the incidents.

Peter Hughes Atkinson, 40, of Brook House Close, in Sheffield, was charged with three counts of burglary (dwelling) and one count of theft of a motor vehicle (joint).

Jack Bush, 32, of Lamb Drive, also Sheffield, was charged with three counts of burglary (dwelling), one count of theft of a motor vehicle (joint) and one count of temporarily released prisoner failed to comply with recall.

They are due to appear at Newcastle Crown Court later this month.

Detective Inspector Ed Hollingsworth, of Northumbria Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, said: “This was a fantastic response with officers acting swiftly on the concerns of the community.

“Thanks to some brilliant teamwork between both Northumbria and Durham, where we were able to share intelligence and quickly locate two suspects.

“As a result of these collaborative efforts, we interviewed two men in custody, and they have since been charged in connection with the three incidents that spanned over just a short few hours.

“We would always encourage anybody who sees anything they believe to be suspicious to get in touch as soon as possible. That way, we can continue to work together to ensure our region remains as safe as it possibly can be.”