Police step up patrols in flood-hit area amid looting fears

Police have stepped up patrols overnight amid fears that looters in white vans were targeting flooding victims.

West Yorkshire Police said they had received "a handful" of reports from the Calderdale area that the people in the vans were "taking dry goods left outside flooded homes".

A spokesman said: "The matter was investigated by officers in the area and no evidence was found of vans in situ in the area, or of looting offences taking place. No arrests were made, but to reassure residents patrols were stepped up overnight."

The Cycle Factory of Todmorden, a recently-opened Calderdale bike shop which was hit by the Boxing Day floods, has had a number of bikes stolen.

In a Facebook post, it said: "Struggling for words here we got flooded on Saturday as did a lot of people. Last night we were robbed by the scum of the earth praying (sic) on flood victims."

Motorcycle clubs have offered to help police in the Calderdale Valleys area to clamp down on the thieves but West Yorkshire Police said that patrols, aimed at reassuring flood victims, have been carried out by police and army personnel.