North Yorkshire Police Conduct Major Operation, With Arrests in Scarborough and Eastfield

North Yorkshire Police carried out a major county-wide operation on Wednesday, 15 October 2025, dubbed the ‘Super Tornado’

The initiative was an enhanced day of action, providing focused areas with additional resources aimed at intercepting individuals involved in organised crime, particularly retail crime. North Yorkshire Police stated that the purpose of the operation was to send a "simple robust message that this illegal activity won’t be tolerated in North Yorkshire".

The focused activity led to multiple arrests across the Scarborough area.

In Scarborough town centre, simultaneous police warrants were executed, leading to the arrests of three individuals suspected of drug offences. A 62-year-old man, a 55-year-old woman, and a 43-year-old woman were detained on suspicion of possession with intent to supply controlled drugs after Class A, B and C drugs were located during the searches.

Retail crime was a key focus of the day, with officers proactively intercepting shoplifters. Two suspected shoplifters were arrested in Scarborough. This included a 48-year-old man arrested in connection with thefts earlier in the month from a supermarket on Falsgrave Road. Additionally, a 29-year-old woman was arrested following the theft of alcohol from a shop located in the Balmoral Centre.

In the Eastfield area, patrol officers stopped a 34-year-old man. He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of drug driving and driving while disqualified.

As part of the wider operation, officers from the Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement team conducted 18 enforcement visits, including those carried out in Scarborough. This activity resulted in seven arrests for illegal working. Four businesses were issued with Civil Penalty Referral Notices, meaning employers could face fines of up to £60,000 per worker if found liable.

Immigration Enforcement Inspector for the North East, Yorkshire and Humber, Tim Gallacher, commented that it was “great to join our partners in North Yorkshire to support this day of action, with my officers targeting illegal working”. Mr Gallacher asserted that “Operations like this show there is no hiding place from the rules and those involved in any form of immigration crime will face the full force of the law”.

Operation Success and Partnership

The ‘Super Tornado’ operation saw North Yorkshire Police working alongside key partners including British Transport Police, Border Force, and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Across all areas of the county where the operation took place, police reported achieving 36 arrests and executing 12 warrants in just 12 hours.

Deputy Chief Constable Scott Bisset from North Yorkshire Police highlighted the scale of the operation, stating: “This operation has been one of the biggest that the force has ever seen and I’m pleased to say it was a huge success”.

Mr Bisset maintained that the action had not only “disrupted and dismantled a significant amount of organised criminality, but it has reinforced the message to the public that we are on their side”. He also confirmed the force’s commitment to working closely with partner agencies to “relentlessly pursue and disrupt those who attempt to use North Yorkshire as a base for their criminal intentions”.

Superintendent Lisa Maslen, from the National Business Crime Centre, praised the efforts to combat retail theft: “North Yorkshire Police’s Super Tornado is a great example of police, businesses, and partner agencies working together to keep retail crime on the agenda and deliver positive outcomes to those experiencing retail crime in their communities”. Superintendent Maslen concluded that intercepting shoplifters and engaging with retailers on keeping staff, stock, and stores safe is "community policing at its best”.