Four arrested over house ramming & caravan arson attack in Middlesbrough organised crime crackdown after A66 crash

FOUR men have been arrested on suspicion of ramming into a house and an arson attack on a caravan. This comes during a recent crackdown on organised crime in Middlesbrough following the fatal A66 crash on Saturday that left seven dead, with the total number of arrests now at 24. Four men – aged 35, 25, 40, 21 – are currently in police custodyCredit: Refer to source A wall was demolished at a property in Middlesbrough on Thursday morningCredit: Refer to source Cleveland Police have arrested four men aged 35, 25, 40, and 21. The men are currently in custody and are being questioned by police on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life, arson and possession with intent to supply class A drugs. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The group were all inside a Mercedes vehicle when they were stopped by police at around 10.30pm on Thursday in Grangetown. Class A drugs were discovered in the vehicle, which were seized along with the Mercedes. A house in Ruskin Avenue, Middlesbrough, after being rammed by a car Credit: PA Emergency services at the scene on the A66 in South Bank Credit: NNP The suspected arson charge relates to an incident on Wednesday night when a caravan was set alight at 5.30am. The cops also said the suspected charge of criminal damage with intent to endanger life follows reports of a vehicle crashing into a wall at an address on Steele Crescent in South Bank on Thursday. Cleveland Police responded to a number of calls after a car repeatedly rammed into a house in the early hours of the morning, locals say. A further three men – aged 23, 42 and 30 – have also been arrested, with £15,000 in cash seized. Most read in The Sun A balloon release in memory of A66 crash victims Makai Saddington, Theo Rae and Cole Worthy was held near the Middlebeck Social Club in Middlesbrough on Wednesday Credit: NNP PC Tom Clough (left) and PC Matthew Blades, who died when a car going in the wrong direction hit a police car on the A66 near Middlesbrough Credit: PA The 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of threats to kill, and the 42-year-old was arrested on suspicion of threats to kill and possession of criminal property. The 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of criminal property. Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox said: “This latest disruptive activity now brings the total number of arrests to 24 since the investigation commenced. “Several suspects arrested throughout the course of this week have been charged with serious offences and a number of offenders have been recalled to prison. “This robust approach demonstrates our commitment and determination to pursue those who we believe are intent on causing serious violence and harm to our communities. “Be assured, our relentless pursuit of suspected organised criminals will not waver. “I want to encourage anyone who believes serious violence and organised crime is taking place in their neighbourhood to report it so we can keep on taking action.” These arrests come after joyriders had driven the wrong way down the dual carriageway in Middlesbrough at around 3.40am last Saturday. Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, and 17-year-olds Theo Rae and Cole Robert Worthy crashed into a police car, killing PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38. The five young men driving the wrong way also died. A taskforce of 200 specialist police officers, including firearms cops and detectives, have been deployed in the area in an attempt to restore order after gang warfare has caused chaos in Middlesbrough. One terrified resident said tonight: “It’s like living in the Bronx.” Another local said: “The problem is that once you’re here, you can’t get out. “The gangsters can do what they want to each other, but now we’ve got innocent people being killed who have nothing to do with their drug-dealing and bullying.” And another said: “It’s scary. You wonder what’s going to happen next.” Police have urged anyone with information to either call 101 or visit the website. You can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or by visiting their website.