NORTH Yorkshire’s four most senior police officers joined colleagues on patrol in York today, as thousands of Christmas shoppers flooded the city centre.

As part of a seasonal campaign to deter criminals in York, Chief Constable Dave Jones, Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick, Assistant Chief Constable Paul Kennedy and Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Ken McIntosh joined officers on the beat.

A total of 19 officers from the force, including police constables and PCSOs, patrolled the city centre and out-of-town shopping centres.

Sergeant Carol Horner said: “The purpose of this was to prevent crime, deter criminals and reassure the public. The fact that there was so many of us in the city has been really well received by the public.”

Sgt Horner reminded people to be vigilant and aware of their belongings while they shopped, especially as the city had seen a spate of mobile phone thefts recently.

“One thing we have noticed in York recently is a few crimes where people have come into cafes, dropped leaflets on tables over the top of people’s mobile phones, then picked up the leaflets and the phone as they’ve gone," said Sgt Horner. "So we’d like to warn people about that at the moment.”