A specialist team setup to assist our takedown of serious and organised crime has now passed the milestone of 500 years in jail sentences. Operation Venetic was launched in 2020 with our officers working alongside international law enforcement agencies to clampdown on organised criminal networks by infiltrating the encrypted messagingContinue Reading

Local musicians have joined forces to raise more than £50,000 for a charity tackling child poverty in Sunderland. A large concert – involving more than 10 bands – was held at the Fire Station earlier this month. Organisers said £51,955 had been raised – more than any other single charityContinue Reading

A landlord has been forced to pay more than £25,000 for failing to get licences for six of his homes. Kamran Adil’s properties in Blackhall Colliery, near Peterlee in County Durham, had problems including electrical hazards and structural concerns. Durham County Council uses selective licences to regulate landlords and ensureContinue Reading

Officers are appealing to the public for their help to locate a missing teenage girl. Santana Hailstones, aged 13, was last seen in the Westgate Road area of Newcastle city centre at around 5pm on Friday (December 20). However, Santana has not been heard from since – and officers areContinue Reading

Workers at the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office in Newcastle are set to commence an eight-week strike on Monday. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) announced the strike to support three colleagues it claims were unfairly dismissed. A picket line is planned outside HMRC’s Benton Park offices, accordingContinue Reading

A new puppet theatre in Newcastle has been vandalised, just days after reaching its fundraising target to establish a permanent space. Moving Parts Arts, the organisation behind the popular Newcastle Puppetry Festival, was preparing to transform an abandoned AA call centre in Elswick into a creative hub for puppetry andContinue Reading

 new skate park and the transformation of a play area have been granted planning permission. Guisborough’s King George V playing fields in Howlbeck Road will undergo changes to benefit an area “which has been in sad decline”, ward councillor Bill Clarke said. The application described plans for “wheeled play provision”,Continue Reading

Holidaymakers who decide to drive under the influence once they touch down at the airport are being targeted as part of a new police operation. The first of its kind in the North East, Operation Take Off sees Durham officers team up with Northumbria Police to take dangerous drivers offContinue Reading

Arriva North East will implement fare changes starting January 1, 2025. In response to customer and stakeholder feedback regarding the complexity of the single fare structure, most single fares in the region will now be set at £1.60 or £1.70 for short trips, £2.30 for slightly longer journeys, and cappedContinue Reading

Police have launched a dedicated Retail Crime Squad to tackle shoplifting and anti-social behaviour over the festive period in Gateshead. Started on Monday (December 16), it brings together officers from Northumbria Police’s response and neighbourhood policing teams to address key issues in the town centre and Team Valley. Led byContinue Reading

The leader of Gateshead Council has urged commuters to avoid peak travel times on Monday, marking the first working day following the closure of the Gateshead Flyover. The flyover was shut down on Friday night after inspections revealed “serious concerns” about its structural integrity, prompting immediate action. Councillor Martin GannonContinue Reading

We know there are plenty of Christmas classics out there – but we’ve decided to pull together our very own festive wanted compilation. With just 7 days to go until the big day, we’re sharing the faces of some of those we want to speak to in connection with burglary, theft and shopliftingContinue Reading

The devastated family of an ‘amazing’ and beloved man who sadly died following a collision in Newcastle have paid a heartfelt tribute to him. Shortly after 11.30pm on November 28, officers received a report of a one-vehicle collision on the A69 close to Throckley. It was reported that a greyContinue Reading

Officers investigating a robbery in Newcastle have identified a man they would like to trace. At around 1am on Sunday, November 3, it was reported that an offender has approached a man on Grainger Street in Newcastle city centre. The offender punched the man, knocking him to the floor, andContinue Reading

A teenager has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in custody after he caused the tragic death of a boy in a road traffic collision.Billy Conroy, 17, was driving a silver Mazda on Stamfordham Road in Newcastle Shortly after 1am on June 10 when he left the road and collided with a post and railings. Despite theContinue Reading

A multi-agency project which aims to further improve a Tyneside community has seen drugs, and suspected illegal cash in the tens of thousands of pounds recovered.  EPiC (Empowering People in Community) West focuses on the West End of Newcastle, with the aim of identifying crime trends, arresting offenders and reducingContinue Reading

A paedophile has been jailed for offences committed more than 30 years ago – thanks to the bravery of his survivors. John Corby subjected three young victims to sexual offences in the Newcastle area. After a report was made by one of his victims in November 2021, officers in NorthumbriaContinue Reading

Families in Wideopen enjoy free High Kicks cooking and activity sessions thanks to community grant Families have been enjoying free High Kicks cooking and activity sessions at Greenfields school in Wideopen, thanks to a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The after-school sessions are designed to bring families together to makeContinue Reading

Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a man sadly died following a collision in Newcastle. Shortly after 11.30pm yesterday (Thursday), police received a report of a one-vehicle collision on the A69 close to Throckley. It was reported that a grey Ford Raptor car was travelling westbound when,Continue Reading

 group of primary schools across Teesside, Hartlepool and County Durham have teamed up with UNISONto acknowledge the fantastic work undertaken by school support staff. ‘Stars in our Schools’ is an annual UK-wide celebration, co-ordinated by UNISON, to recognise the invaluable contribution by the likes of teaching assistants, catering and adminContinue Reading