FOUR men have been arrested by police after a van was pulled over near York last night - which was found to have false plates.

North Yorkshire Police officers stopped a van in Green Hammerton, between York and Harrogate, at around 11.10pm yesterday.

The three men in the front were from Nottinghamshire, but they couldn’t explain to police why they were in the area and didn’t seem to know where they were going, officers have confirmed.

Officers checked the vehicle’s details only to find it was on false plates - and when they searched it they found a fourth man in the back of the van with power tools.

All four men, who are in their 30s, 40s and 50s, have been arrested on suspicion of going equipped to steal and theft of a motor vehicle.

The driver was further arrested on suspicion of driving while disqualified and possessing class-A drugs.

All four men remain in police custody while enquiries continue.