Burglary victim hit with bottle and stolen car crashed into Sunderland pub during spate of crimes

Two men have been arrested following a spate of early-morning theft and burglaries in Sunderland - and two crashes involving stolen cars.

Shortly before 3.30am on Monday, June 26, police were alerted to a suspected hit-and-run collision in Side Cliff Road.

It was reported that a black Volvo had collided with a parked car on the street and made off from the scene, before the vehicle was found abandoned in Merryfield Gardens.

Moments later, a second collision was reported on Fulwell Road which saw a bronze Toyota Yaris collide with The Cambridge pub, before driving away from the scene.

Police said the incident 'caused significant damage to the premises'.

Officers were swiftly deployed to the area to investigate the reports and locate those involved.

Vehicle checks soon revealed that both the Volvo and Yaris had been reported as stolen from an address on Grantham Road in the early hours, with suspects forcing entry to the property and taking the keys.

A short time later, after 4.10am, officers received two reports of aggravated burglary which occurred at separate addresses on Chester Terrace North, with the stolen Yaris spotted nearby.

One of the victims was assaulted with a glass bottle before offenders made off with two watches, while at the second address, cash was stolen after the occupants were threatened and left understandably shaken.

A full investigation was immediately launched into the spate of offences, which police are treating as linked, and officers have since arrested two men – aged 20 and 26 – on suspicion of aggravated burglary. They remain in police custody at this time.

Detective Inspector Neal Craig, of Northumbria Police, said: “This was an appalling crime spree and our immediate priority was to locate those believed to have been involved and bring them into custody.

“Thankfully that was possible due to the amazing bravery of the victims involved, as well as the teams of response officers who were quickly deployed to the scene to carry out enquiries.

“We now have two suspects in custody and we will continue to question them in connection with this troubling crime spate.

“Violence and disorder of any kind is not welcome anywhere in our communities, and we are committed to using all tactics at our disposal in order to bring justice against those responsible.

“I would like to commend the bravery of the victims involved and we will continue to provide support to them.”

Det Insp Craig added: “Today marks the start of National Response Policing Week where forces across the UK are celebrating and acknowledging the outstanding contribution that response officers make in their community.

“There's no doubt that the response officers involved in this job played a crucial role in the swift apprehension of two suspected burglars. I'd like to thank everyone involved who contributed to this swift outcome.”

If you see anyone acting suspiciously in your community, or have any information about local crime, you can report it using the ‘Tell Us Something’ page on our website or by calling 101. In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, always ring 999.