Police today swooped on three breakers’ yards suspected of running as illegal ‘chop shops’ across Bradford.

The three raids happened simultaneously at 9am at two premises in Spencer Road, Lidget Green, and one in Essex Street in the city centre.

The premises are suspected of being run as ‘chop shops’, where stolen cars are taken to be broken into parts and re-sold.

The police are now painstakingly checking hundreds of car parts in the yards to see if they are taken from vehicles known to be stolen.

Environmental Health and Customs and Excise officers are also taking part in today’s raids.

So far, three men have been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.