Teenage boy arrested after stolen dumper truck crashes into food bank charity's base

Demand for support from the project run by East Durham Trust has rocketed in recent weeks as more people claim universal credit and schools close to children, with those who are self-isolating being supported by the Peterlee-based organisation.

On Sunday, just after 1pm, Durham Constabulary was alerted by residents living close its headquarters in Yoden Road after they spotted suspicious activity outside the Community House building.

The charity has said it lost stock being stored in a shipping container ready to be distributed, with jars of food and eggs amount the items damaged when a dumper truck was crashed into the box.

Now police have confirmed an arrest as been made in connection to the incident.

A spokesperson for the force said: “It is believed the suspect broke through the secure fence and once inside managed to start a site digger.

“They then used the digger to tip over a large metal container which caused damage to its side.

“A 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of theft and has since been released under investigation.”

Chief executive of the trust, Malcolm Fallow, said after the incident: “It beggars belief that anyone could stoop so low, we are in the middle of supporting hundreds of vulnerable people at such a critical time and this is the last thing we needed.”