North Yorkshire Police has released a CCTV image of a man they wish to speak to regarding a Harrogate shop theft.

The incident happened on March 17 at approximately 6pm at the One Stop Shop on Knaresborough Road.

Officers said around £140 worth of goods were stolen, including coffee and body sprays.

The force added:

“Please contact us if you recognise the man on CCTV, as he may have information that will assist our investigation.”

To contact the police email hazel.simms-willimson@northyorkshire.police.uk, call 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via their website.

Please quote reference 12240047925 when passing on information.

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A Harrogate businessman is to face trial by jury after denying allegations of stalking and breaching a restraining order.

Jason Shaw, 55, of Rutland Drive, appeared at York Crown Court via video link today when he pleaded not guilty to the two allegations.

The prosecution alleges that Mr Shaw – who owns Pineheath, the historic, 12-bedroom mansion on Cornwall Road – stalked a woman named in court between November 2023 and March this year, causing her to fear that violence would be used against her, in that he drove past her, turned up at her workplace and her home, and sent notes to her and left her a gift.

He is also accused of breaching a restraining order by entering the woman’s home in February this year.

Judge Simon Hickey set a trial date of September 2. It is due to last three days.

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A couple have handed themselves into the police following a CCTV appeal issued on Monday (April 15).

North Yorkshire Police released a set of CCTV images at the time to appeal for information following a theft at TK Maxx, in Harrogate‘s Victoria Shopping Centre, on February 25.

Police said on Monday “a woman and a man bagged various of items including sandals, trainers and T-shirts, leaving the store without making payment.

However, the force today (April 17) issued an updated statement, which said a local couple in their 50s “saw the appeal and came forward to the police to admit the theft”.

It added:

“With agreement from the store manager, a Community Resolution Disposal was applied which involved the couple paying for the goods valued over £100 within 24 hours.”

We have updated our coverage to anonymise the details of those involved.

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CCTV appeal after Harrogate M&S theft

North Yorkshire Police has issued a CCTV image of a woman it wants to speak to following a theft in Harrogate.

The incident happened at M&S Simply Food at Beech Avenue, at about 2pm on Friday, February 23.

According to a police statement today (Monday, April 15), a woman stole large amounts of alcohol in her bag.

The statement said:

“Please contact us if you recognise the women pictured on CCTV, as she may have information that will assist our investigation.”

Police would like to speak to the woman in the picture.

Anyone with information can email katie.hicks@northyorkshire.police.uk or call 101, quoting reference 12240033400.

To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A Harrogate woman has pleaded guilty to being in possession of a dog whilst disqualified.

Holly Jones, of St John’s Crescent, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday.

According to court documents, the 30-year-old was handed a court order by magistrates in 2019, which banned her from having custody of a dog.

However, she was found to possess one on March 15 this year.

Jones pleaded guilty to the offence.

She was ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 in prosecution costs and a £48 surcharge as a result.

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A group of Harrogate and Ripon men linked to serious and organised crime have been jailed today (Monday, April 8) for a collective 25 years and 11 months.

The court heard how the following gang members were linked to an organised crime group who’d been involved in a dispute with a rival group.

• Rivers Lee Wilson, 23, of St Johns Walk, Bridlington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon. He has been jailed for 10 years and two months.
• William Fuller McMillan, 24, of HMP Hull, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a prohibited weapon. He has been jailed for 10 years and eight months.
• William Henley Davy, 20, of HMP Hull, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery. He has been jailed for three years and six months.
• Philip Dean Wilson, 45, of Nora Avenue, Knaresborough, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. He has been jailed for 19 months.

Between Friday 6 and Monday January 9 2023,  North Yorkshire Police organised crime unit carried out an investigation into a suspected organised crime group that was active in the Harrogate district.

Image from footage captured during the arrest

According to a North Yorkshire Police media release today, police gathered intelligence suggesting a man had been kidnapped and held against his will.

It was established Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan were preparing to kidnap the victim and extort him for money, believing that he had a large amount of cash stashed in two addresses in Harrogate.

Information was obtained that Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan were planning to use force against the victim. At the time Rivers Wilson, Fuller McMillan, Philip Wilson and two other gang members had located and taken the victim using force. William Davy visited the two addresses and recovered cash from where the victim had it stored.

Philip Wilson allowed his vehicle to be used to kidnap the victim and commit the offence.  Following the kidnap Philip Wilson arranged for the disposal of his vehicle to destroy any forensic evidence.

After recovering the cash, William Davy communicated the news with Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan and the victim was then released. Intelligence indicated that the amount of cash stolen from the victim was approximately £70,000.

The investigation found evidence to show that Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan subsequently and unknowingly at the time had robbed a rival organised crime group from West Yorkshire.

Further intelligence led officers to believe that Rivers Wilson, Fuller McMillan and another gang member were arranging to source a sawn-off shotgun and live ammunition. They then jointly sourced the firearm and ammunition in order to cause fear to those who sought retribution having had their cash stolen by the gang.

The shotgun found by North Yorkshire Police

A police helicopter was deployed and used to track the gang as they were travelling with the firearm and live ammunition and believed they were getting their ‘crew’ together in readiness to confront the rival gang.

At this point, armed response officers actioned a hard stop of one of the vehicles and detained three members of the gang which included Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan and recovered both their vehicles.

Rivers Wilson, Fuller McMillan and another gang member were ordered to get out the vehicle at gun point and were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to kidnap.

Both Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan’s vehicles were forensically examined, and a long package was recovered in the back seat of Fuller McMillan’s vehicle. Examination of this package showed that it contained a sawn-off shotgun, with four live shotgun cartridges.

The shotgun was heavily wrapped in a bin bag and paper. In a further search, seven more shotgun cartridges were found wrapped in a balaclava within a boxing glove in the vehicle.

NPAS police helicopter footage

Detective constable Helen Quaife, of North Yorkshire Police’s serious and organised crime unit, said:

“We have seen nationally how the use of weapons used by feuding gang members can devastate families and communities. This type of crime will not be tolerated in North Yorkshire.

“The sawn-off shotgun was viable and along with its ammunition was intended to be used.

“This investigation was conducted meticulously with a large number of enquiries conducted dealing with witnesses, forensics, CCTV and specialist expert evidence. The sentences imposed on these gang members illustrates just how serious these offences are taken. I hope this will be a warning to others who think the use of weapons will be tolerated within our communities.  We will intervene, and people will be punished, to keep our communities safe.”

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Harrogate International Festivals has announced its final special guest for the 2024 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

Peter James is a globally bestselling author and the creator of the much-loved Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, now an ITV drama starring John Simm.

He joins authors Chris Carter, Jane Casey, Elly Griffiths, Erin Kelly, Vaseem Khan, Dorothy Koomson, Shari Lapena, Abir Mukherjee, Liz Nugent and Richard Osman in an all-star lineup of special guest headliners.

Mr James will be celebrating his milestone twentieth Roy Grace book at the Festival with an exclusive preview of One Of Us Is Dead, published by Pan Macmillan in September 2024.

He will discuss his new standalone novel, They Thought I Was Dead, with a long-awaited reveal of what happened to Roy Grace’s missing wife Sandy in conversation with TV presenter Louise Minchin.

This will be his eighth appearance, having been a special guest twice before and programming chair in 2016.

Mr James said:

“This year I am celebrating my 20th Roy Grace novel and where better to do this than at Harrogate, the jewel in the crime festival crown. I had a wonderful time as Programming Chair in 2016 and I look forward to returning as a Special Guest this year, spending a delightful summer’s evening with my fans and fellow authors.

“I’ve no doubt a pint or two of Theakston Old Peculier might be involved.”

Returning to Harrogate for its 21st year it offers fans from around the world a unique opportunity to hear from the biggest stars of the genre, discover exciting new talent and enjoy a packed programme of panels, talks and inspiring creative workshops.

Simon Theakston, chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd, said:

“Peter James has been hugely popular with the Festival audience over the years, and we can’t wait to welcome him back to hear more about his twentieth Roy Grace book.

“Peter completes a stellar line up of Special Guests in a stunning programme that truly reflects the strength, breadth and diversity of the genre.”

The three day festival curated by 2024 Festival Chair Ruth Ware, is set to take place July 18-21. The full programme for this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival will be announced on May 14, 2024.

Tickets are on general release on 15th April. More information about tickets and packages can be found here.

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A Ripon man has admitted impersonating a police constable to steal an electric scooter in Harrogate.

Harley Stacey, 18, of Cedar Close, denied impersonating a police constable when he appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court on October 27 last year.

But he changed his plea to guilty at York Magistrates Court on Tuesday (April 2) this week.

Stacey also this week admitted falsely claiming to be a police officer to steal an electric scooter for himself on the same date — a charge he had also previously denied.

In a statement at the time, North Yorkshire Police said the incident happened in Bilton.

He was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months and pay £200 compensation.

According to court documents, his guilty plea was taken into account on sentencing.

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North Yorkshire Police has issued a CCTV appeal following a high-value theft at a shop in Harrogate.

The theft took place at Cotswold Outdoors on West Park on Saturday, March 16 at around 11am, according to a statement by the constabulary today.

It said nine Garmin devices, valued at about £4,470, were stolen from a display cabinet.

Garmin is a company specialising in sports devices and activity tracker watches aimed at activities such as running, water sports, golf and cycling.

The statement added:

“We’re appealing for information about the two men pictured who we believe may have information that could assist us in our investigation.”

Anyone with information can email Helen.James@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101. Quote NYP reference 12240046885 when passing on information.

To remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

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