Police in York have arrested two men on suspicion of stealing parking meters.
The arrests were thanks to the vigilance of residents.
At around 9.15pm on Thursday (July 13), police received a call from a member of the public reporting that a van had crashed into a parking meter on Wigginton Road – and the occupants had then loaded the meter into the van.
A short time later, officers received a further report of a similar incident in Carlisle Street car park.
Angle grinder recovered
Officers attended the scene in Carlisle Street and arrested two suspects following a short chase on foot.
They also recovered an angle grinder from the scene.
The arrested men include a 19-year-old man of no fixed address and a 22-year-old man from Doncaster. Both men have been released while under investigation.
Inspector Lee Pointon of York Neighbourhood Policing Team, said:
It’s a classic example of how police are supported by the public who act as our eyes and ears.