North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and information about a group of youths who were reported to be throwing objects at vehicles in the Bilton Lane area of Harrogate – including a six-foot plastic drainpipe which smashed a rear passenger door window on a police car which attended the scene to investigate.
The police car incident occurred at around 8.40pm on Saturday (6 January 2018) outside St John’s Church.
Two Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) in a marked Vauxhall Astra had just got back into the vehicle after speaking to potential witnesses about the original complaint reported at 8.10pm.
As the PCSOs were about to set off, a teenage boy ran past the police car and smashed the rear driver’s-side door window with the black plastic drainpipe.
One of the PCSOs gave chase on foot as the suspect – and the group of youths he was with – ran off into the neighbourhood in different directions.
Despite back-up arriving and extensive house-to-house enquiries being carried out, the suspects have so far not been located and arrested.
The PCSO who was driving the police car initially stayed with the vehicle to ensure forensic evidence was captured as part of the investigation. He then joined the search for the suspects.
The PCSOs, who are both men, were not injured in the incident.
The teenage boy who damaged the police car is described as having a slim build and about 5ft 6 to 5ft 7in tall. He was wearing a black or dark-coloured coat with the hood up, and black Adidas tracksuit bottoms with white stripes down to the knees.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said:
This is clearly a deeply disturbing and potentially very dangerous incident, and it is important that the suspects are located and arrested as soon as possible.
If you know who was responsible, please do the right thing and come forward to help the investigation.”
If you can help to identify those involved in the incident or have any information that could assist the investigation, please call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1, and speak to the Force Control Room.
Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Please quote reference number 12180003428 when providing details about this incident.
