NewsBeat
Two released on bail amid Cleveland Police crack down
Two men, aged 19 and 24, were arrested in Middlesbrough on August 31, on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, after a vehicle rammed another on Derwentwater Road, shortly after 11pm on Sunday (August 30).
The 24-year-old was arrested shortly before 11.30pm in Burns Road, while the 19-year-old was arrested at a property on the same road at around 12.20am as armed officers carried out checks in the area.
Both remained in custody on Bank Holiday Monday while enquiries continued and have since been released on conditional bail today (September 1).
It takes the number of arrests to 27 since officers began investigating a series of incidents in the early hours of Saturday, August 22.
ACC Wayne Fox previously stated: “We have said previously Cleveland Police will not stop pursuing those involved in serious and organised crime, and I hope these arrests further demonstrate that.
“Our commitment to tackling criminal gangs whose intent is to harm people in our communities is, and will continue to be, a persistent focus for us.
“These latest developments now take the total number of arrests since we started investigating the incidents in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, to 27 and I can assure the public that they will not be the last.
“We are investigating around the clock and we thank the public, not only for their support and patience while we conduct numerous enquiries, but also for the information we are receiving.
“We will always act on this information in our unwavering commitment to dismantle serious and organised crime in our area”.
The large-scale operation began after the head-on crash on the A66 at South Bank in the early hours of Saturday, August 22.
Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38 (Image: CLEVELAND POLICE)
Police later said they were investigating criminal activity which took place before the collision, including reports of vehicles being driven dangerously in Middlesbrough.
A separate murder investigation was launched after a devastating house fire on Birchington Avenue, Grangetown, which killed Natalie McDonald, 34, and seven-year-old Valentina Foster.
Police have stressed that the fatal fire is not being linked to the A66 crash.
Two men were arrested on suspicion of murder as part of that investigation, with one since released and one charged.
From left to right: Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Michael Robert Cahill, 23 (Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)
There was also disorder at a memorial gathering in Haswell, County Durham, for A66 crash victim Michael Cahill, where five vehicles were set on fire as a crowd gathered to release balloons, flares and fireworks.
Durham Constabulary described the behaviour as “completely unacceptable”.
Hundreds of additional officers have been drafted in to support Cleveland Police during the wider operation.
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