An 11-year-old boy was stopped by police and arrested after towing a suspected stolen caravan on the M1.
North Yorkshire Police pulled the vehicle over on Thursday (7 March) afternoon and were shocked when they saw a child behind the wheel.
They arrested the boy on a number of offences, including theft, burglary and dangerous driving.
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Police were first called on Thursday after reports that a caravan had been stolen from a holiday site near Thirsk.
Officers managed to track a black BMW that they say was using cloned plates and within 45 minutes of the caravan being reported as stolen, they 'stopped the vehicle on the M1 after it left the A1 at Hook Moor Interchange near Garforth'.
After searching, police found a number of vehicle registration plates, as well as other equipment that's typically used to carry out thefts.
The young boy has now been released on conditional bail while an investigation into the suspected theft takes place.
Thankfully, no-one was injured in the incident and the owners were later informed that the missing caravan had been found.
A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: "Forty-five minutes after the caravan was reported stolen, we stopped the vehicle on the M1 after it left the A1 at Hook Moor Interchange near Garforth.
"But nothing prepared us for finding the school-boy sat at the wheel.
"A search of the car also revealed equipment typically used by suspects to carry out thefts and a selection of vehicle registration plates.
"The boy was arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including theft, burglary, going equipped for theft, and motoring offences including dangerous driving.
"He was questioned and has been released on conditional police bail to allow further enquiries to be carried out.
"Thanks to the quick work of our skilled roads policing officers, our control room and intelligence team working in the background, the rightful owners have been updated that their caravan had been found."
Meanwhile, road traffic officer Sgt Paul Cording posted on X: "Even after over 23 years' service, you come across things that you struggle to comprehend.
"Like yesterday when some great fast track work from the team identified a recently stolen caravan being towed by a vehicle on false plates, but then to find the driver was only 11 years old."
LADbible has contacted North Yorkshire Police for further comment.
Lucy Devine