FIVE men have been arrested and a stolen car and cloning equipment seized following proactive work by police officers.

Officers were alerted to a Porsche Macan in the Pilgrims Lane area of North Stifford on Thursday afternoon (29 January).

They identified the vehicle was on false number plates and arrested the driver, a 34 year-old man.

A warrant was then carried out at a nearby address where equipment used to clone vehicle identities was located.

Cloning kit.

A further four men were arrested.

In total:

• A 28 year-old from Wolverhampton has been arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, handling stolen goods, and an offence under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981;
• A 34 year-old on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, handling stolen goods, and an offence under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981;
• A 55 year-old man from North Stifford on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, handling stolen goods, and an offence under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981;
• A 29 year-old man from North Stifford on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, handling stolen goods, and an offence under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981;
• A 23 year-old man from North Stifford on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, handling stolen goods, and an offence under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981.

All five men have been released on bail until dates in March.