AN OUTRAGED farmer who chased a thief for 37 miles in a jeep after catching him stealing from his barn, claims police failed to come to his aid - because he was not in their area.

Richard Longthorp, 48, who runs a pig farm in Howden, near Selby, also claims officers asked him whether he was using a "hands-free" phone.

The farmer had used his mobile phone to keep in contact with Humberside Police control room during the chase, which took him along country roads and motorways at speeds of up to 70mph.

But despite promises of immediate assistance he said he was told that the pursuit had moved into another force's jurisdiction.

After a 40-minute chase the thief eventually got away near Castleford.

Mr Longthorp told the Evening Press: "Humberside police said they would send someone straight away, but no one came.

"If I had told them I'd just seen a burglar and was going after him with my shotgun, they would have had armed response units there in five minutes."

Now Mr Longthorp has made an official complaint to two chief constables about the failure of the Humberside and West Yorkshire forces to come to his assistance.

Mr Longthorp started chasing the thief after he caught him trying to steal tools from his barn at about 5.30am.

The thickset man, who was in his 50s, drove off in a Land Rover Defender with a trailer in tow, but was followed by Mr Longthorp in his Jeep Cherokee, from the A614 in Howden to junction 37 of the M62.

The pursuit then turned on to the M18, where the thief tried to throw Mr Longthorp off course with some "fancy driving".

Mr Longthorp said as the chase continued between Thorne and Snaith, the Humberside control room said it would have to contact North Yorkshire police to assist him as the area was beyond its jurisdiction.

"I couldn't believe what I was hearing," said Mr Longthorp, "I was given the same story when we entered West Yorkshire - it was so frustrating.

"I eventually lost him down the A645 towards Castleford. I just can't believe the lack of response."

A spokesman for Humberside police said they had launched an investigation.

He said: "It seems that when Mr Longthorp first rang, he was heading into another county. It would have been impossible for a patrol to reach him because of the location and speed they were doing."

"There has obviously been a breakdown in communications complicated by the crossing of borders.

"Police forces do co-operate and can cross the county line. But in this case, Humberside Police decided the common-sense thing to do was inform West Yorkshire."

Updated: 14:31 Wednesday, August 22, 2001