Five people have been arrested in England following a police operation targeting high value agricultural machinery and quad bike thefts in Wales.
Three arrests were made on 22 February following a number of warrants that took place in the Shropshire and West Midlands areas as part of Operation Calafat.
Now a further two people were arrested in the West Midlands on 1 March following a spate of burglaries in rural areas across Gwynedd.
North Wales Police’s Serious Organised Crime Unit and West Mercia Police arrested the men on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary.
They are both being held in Telford custody, where they will be questioned by police.
Operation Calafat comes following reports of high value agricultural machinery and quad bikes thefts in rural areas including Tywyn, Dolgellau and Bala in November last year.
The three people arrested on 22 February have since been released on bail pending further enquiries.
Detective Inspector Richard Sidney said: “Our investigation into these agricultural thefts continues.
"We are committed to pursue those who cause the most harm and financial impact in rural comm3unities.”
It comes after nine police forces across the north of England formed a region-wide Community Protection Notice (CPN), described as a "joint strike" against rural crime.
This means all nine police forces will now work as one to prosecute hare coursers, poachers and other rural offenders.
It also hands police and the courts greater powers to prosecute serial cross-border criminals who breach their CPN conditions by repeatedly targeting rural victims.
