Three cars seized - and string of offences discovered - in just 30 minutes in Malton

Officers had to queue them up to be taken away after discovering a long list of offences:

- they were uninsured/untaxed

- the passengers weren’t wearing seatbelts in all three

- all three vehicles had mechanical defects

Two were foreign-registered vehicles being driven by UK residents to try to avoid tax and insurance.

The third was a UK vehicle but the driver didn’t have insurance.

One of the drivers was wanted for failing to attend court.

It will cost the owners more than £200 to get their vehicles back, on top of any fines, penalty points and other penalties.

A force spokesman said: "They say these things happen in threes.

“We patrol North Yorkshire’s roads 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

"We will always take action against uninsured drivers.

"Anyone who’s been hit by one will understand why."