COUNCILLORS were relieved no residents were injured in a “horrific” incident where five masked suspects rammed a garage in a failed attempt to steal a vehicle in a Bradford district village.

The failed theft of a vehicle took place between 12.45am and 12.55am today (Tuesday) on Bridge Street in Oakworth.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson: "Five suspects attempted to steal a vehicle from an address on Bridge Street, Oakworth.

"The suspects arrived in a vehicle which they used to ram the victim's garage door in order to gain entry.

"All five suspects had their faces covered with balaclavas and masks.

"They made off empty-handed after being disturbed by the homeowner."

If anyone has any information about this crime, contact police on 101 and quote crime reference number 13220669349."

Cllr Rebecca Poulsen (Cons, Worth Valley) said: “That’s horrific. To be a masked group of people, it’s very unusual and definitely out of the norm for the area.

“I’m glad nobody got injured and that the people ran off.

“Hopefully the police will track them down.

“Like most areas, people do try cars but this one sounds like it was targeted.”

Cllr Chris Herd (Cons, Worth Valley) added: “Thankfully no residents were hurt.

“The police are brilliant but they can’t be everywhere all the time.

“People need to gather as much intel as possible to help police.”

Cllr Russell Brown (Cons, Worth Valley) said: “I would encourage residents to report all crimes and hopefully it will lead to action.

“If there are suspicious vehicles lurking around, get a plate number, don’t try to take action yourself. You don’t want to get thumped.

“Getting a plate number and a description of the vehicle will help police put together a case.

“People want police to be there all the time, but obviously they can’t be.

Cllr Brown, who lives in Oakworth, added: “Oakworth is part of a rat-run for people travelling to Lancashire.

“I would encourage residents to work with police so we can get a better police presence in our ward.

“Worth Valley is the largest ward in the district.

“There are a lot of farms and some rural crimes can be quite frightening.

“People should always report any crimes. Doing so justifies police allocating more resources to come.

“It’s the only way for us to get an equal share of police coverage.”