A STOLEN car taken from Sussex has been recovered in North Dorset after weeks of searching by police officers across two counties.

Teams from Dorset Police tracked down the vehicle following a coordinated effort involving neighbourhood officers in Gillingham and Sturminster Newton, supported by colleagues in Blandford.

The car had been reported stolen in early March, triggering a joint investigation with Sussex Police.

Officers spent nearly four weeks narrowing down its possible location across North Dorset before it was finally spotted over the weekend.

It was ultimately located by officers from Blandford’s response team, bringing the long-running search to a successful conclusion.

Police said the owner has been informed and is “very happy” to have the vehicle recovered.

The case is now being handed back to officers in Sussex, who will continue enquiries into how the car ended up more than 100 miles away in Dorset.

The recovery highlights the scale of behind-the-scenes work involved in tracking stolen vehicles, with officers following leads across force boundaries and relying on support from local communities.

Police also praised the role of businesses in the investigation, with several providing CCTV footage to help build a clearer picture of the vehicle’s movements.

A spokesperson said: “Gillingham officers had been working with our Sussex counterparts for the best part of four weeks so we are chuffed to get it back to the owner.

“As always thank you to all the businesses we approached who provided us assistance with CCTV, we can’t do it without you.”

The vehicle has now been seized as part of the ongoing investigation.-