Shop ram-raids may be linked, police say

Three shops were driven into by a car on the same night, Cleveland Police said

An investigation has been launched into a series of ram-raids which police believe may be linked.

Cleveland Police said three incidents that happened on Saturday in Middlesbrough may be connected to two similar ones in Acklam Road in the previous days.

The force said the latest started at JD Sports at Cleveland Retail Park at about 22:00 GMT, when three people ran into the shop and grabbed a "large amount" of goods.

A shop worker who tried to stop them was assaulted, police said.

That evening, at about 22:40, the Premier Store on Ayresome Road was ram-rammed by a silver Audi.

Nothing was taken but both the shop and stock were damaged.

A spokesman for the force said "moments later" someone attempted to drive a silver Audi into the Anglers Choice store on Cumberland Road.

The force is asking anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to contact them.