Five men have been charged with conspiracy to commit burglary in St Albans, Hertsmere and Watford following a sting by Herts police’s Operation Scorpion.

Officers from the Hertsmere Scorpion Team identified a vehicle which was believed to be linked to burglaries in the three areas while carrying out patrols on the evening of Monday, January 6.

They had been alerted that the vehicle was in Cambridgeshire before travelling south, and it was then spotted on the A505 near Duxford.

With assistance from the Mobile Scorpion Team, the Beds, Cambs and Herts Road Policing Unit, Essex Police, the Metropolitan Police and the police helicopter, the vehicle was pursued into London - where it was eventually stopped on the A406 and the five occupants were arrested.

Herts police's Specialist Investigation Team took charge of the investigation, and all five men were charged with conspiracy to commit dwelling burglary.

Those charged were Alexis Castro, age 37, from London, and Christian Rubio, 38, Carlos Aranis, 30, Mario Fernandez-Garrido, 33, and Sergio Saravia, 38, all of no fixed abode.

Mr Saravia was also charged with failure to stop a vehicle when required to by police.

The men are due to appear at Hatfield Magistrates' Court tomorrow (Thursday, January 9).