Police pursuit crash criminal back in prison after rural theft

A criminal is back in prison after leading a police pursuit that ended when the car he was in crashed into a hedge in the North York Moors.
Leigh Jones
By Leigh Jones
Published 15th Jul 2023, 06:00 BST

Lewis Hutchinson, 25, from Eston, near Middlesbrough, was handed a four month prison sentence at York Magistrates Court yesterday after being arrested with another man on suspicion of burglary.

He was previously imprisoned in November 2019 when CCTV at a farm near Gisborough caught him removing his balaclava as he took part in a burglary with a "professional team of travelling burglars".

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At the time of his sentencing in 2019 he had 25 convictions for 52 offences.

Police said of the pursuit of Hutchinson and his accomplice: "A stinger was deployed, but the vehicle continued driving on wheel rims, on the wrong side of the road, until it finally left the road while trying to make a turn, and came to a stop in hedges at the side of the A171.”Police said of the pursuit of Hutchinson and his accomplice: "A stinger was deployed, but the vehicle continued driving on wheel rims, on the wrong side of the road, until it finally left the road while trying to make a turn, and came to a stop in hedges at the side of the A171.”
Police said of the pursuit of Hutchinson and his accomplice: "A stinger was deployed, but the vehicle continued driving on wheel rims, on the wrong side of the road, until it finally left the road while trying to make a turn, and came to a stop in hedges at the side of the A171.”

Hutchinson’s arrest this week echoed his previous arrest in 2019, as a dangerous pursuit on the A171 came to an end after police deployed a stinger.

His accomplice, a 19-year-old from Stokesley, has been released on conditional bail while enquiries are ongoing.

Their arrest came as North Yorkshire and Cleveland police forces continue to work together to tackle rural crime in the Whitby and Ryedale areas following thefts of machinery and quad bikes.

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Would-be thieves from Cleveland Police’s area are travelling to farms in North Yorkshire Police’s jurisdiction to commit crimes, according to North Yorkshire Police. “Cross-border criminals are still targeting quadbikes and machinery from farms in the Whitby and Ryedale areas,” said Detective Inspector Ryan Chapman, from the Scarborough Investigation Hub.

Increased patrols at night-time have led to arrests related to rural crime.

Three people from East Cleveland, two men aged 59 and 25, and a 23-year old woman, were arrested in June after a police operation on the outskirts of Whitby saw a stinger device once again deployed, this time after the theft of a quad bike from a farm.

The trio were released on conditional bail.

Specialist resources are being deployed in the North York Moors to detect and deter offenders from Teesside, including officers from the Rural Task Force, Roads Policing Groups, Operational Support Unit, Firearms Support Unit, the Dog Unit and the National Police Air Service.

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Neighbourhood Policing Teams are also active in reassuring worried members of the farming community and providing support in preventing crime and how to report incidents to the police.

Hutchinson was caught after police received a report from a farmer who had caught him and his accomplice in the act of stealing tools and scrap metal.

“Together with our colleagues at Cleveland Police,” adds DI Chapman, “we are continuing to place specialist resources in and around the border to deter and disrupt criminal activity, as well as catching suspects in the act.

“There will be no let-up in our approach and suspects can expect to be arrested by North Yorkshire Police, or by Cleveland Police when they are pursued back over the border.”

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Police say to always dial 999 if an incident has just happened or is ongoing.

DI Chapman said: “Dialling 999 gives us the best chance of catching suspects before they leave the area.

“For safety, always leave it to the police to deal with suspects. Please do not take matters into your own hands.”

Non-emergency reports can also be made by calling 101, or via North Yorkshire Police’s website.