WATCH: Shocking video captures moment car thieves ram into police vehicles during Ryedale pursuit

During the incident, burglary victims tried to block the road with a car but the criminals rammed into them, before running off. The victims ran after them and managed to catch one, but he got away.

Later, one of the criminals sped away as a police officer had his arm through the vehicle's open door. The criminal rammed another police vehicle so hard that it was too damaged to drive.

At York Crown Court yesterday, Charlie Maurice Dunn, 25, and Jack Setchell, aged 23, both of Hartlepool, were sentenced to four years and six months, and four years’ imprisonment, respectively.

Dunn pleaded guilty to one house burglary, three farm building burglaries, one theft of a quad bike, three aggravated taking of vehicles and assaulting an emergency worker, a police officer.

Setchell pleaded guilty to one house burglary, three farm building burglaries, one theft of a quad bike, and two aggravated taking of vehicles.

Kieran Connor, aged 19, of Wheatley Hill, County Durham, was also involved in the incidents. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced last month. The Judge acknowledged his low intelligence and that he had been encouraged to commit the crimes.

Connor was handed a three-year community order with 300 hours’ unpaid work and 50 days’ rehabilitative activities.

The four incidents and major police search and pursuit operation occurred in Amotherby, Great Habton, Little Habton, Kirby Misperton and Slingsby between 2.30am and 8.30am on Thursday June 2 2022.

A quadbike with a crop sprayer attached and Ford Fiesta were taken from the first property following a burglary.

The owners carried out their own search in another car while the police were alerted. They spotted the Fiesta at around 3am when it was being driven towards them. It rammed into their car when they attempted to block the road.

The Fiesta came to a halt and three men ran off towards the River Rye. The victims bravely ran after the suspects and managed to catch up with one of them, but he was able to get away.

At 5.45am, a report came in of a white Ford Transit being stolen from a property at Great Habton.

A traffic cop in an unmarked car spotted the stolen Transit at Kirby Misperton. It had three people inside, and was towing an orange wood-chipper which became detached when the van turned on to the A169 towards Pickering.

It transpired that the suspects had earlier broken into a compound at a local holiday park and made off with tools, machinery and the wood-chipper which had a defective tow hitch.

The Transit van turned around and stopped for the suspects to retrieve the machine. The officer approached the vehicle on foot and instructed Dunn, the driver, to get out.

However, Dunn started the engine and accelerated away while the officer was holding his arm through the open door.

A pursuit began and the officer’s unmarked vehicle was reverse rammed twice by Dunn. Another traffic cop joined the pursuit and the Transit van reversed into the marked police car which became too damaged to drive.

The van was abandoned, and foot tracks could be seen heading towards Little Habton.

A black BMW X3 with three people inside on Great Habton Lane was then followed. The BMW, driven by Setchell, failed to stop and both police vehicles were damaged after being reverse rammed.

Just before 8am, a report came in of a vehicle crashing in Slingsby and three men running off.

Connor was arrested after being found crouched in a bush. Moments later, the Dog Unit located Dunn and Setchell near Slingsby Village Hall where they were arrested at 8.30am.

Detective Constable Abbi Symes, from the Scarborough Investigation Hub, said: “The series of crimes committed by Dunn, Setchell and Connor are shocking and disgraceful.

"Not only did they ruthlessly target rural communities in Ryedale without any hint of remorse, they also endangered the lives of police officers who were called in to help the burglary and vehicle theft victims."