Police stopped a suspicious van and searched its occupants after officers received a tip-off.
A concerned member of the public contacted the force, concerned that the occupants were searching for scrap metal in the Eden area and it was suspicious.
Eden Neighbourhood Policing officers caught up with the white van, which had three men from outside of the county in it.
Eden Police said: “Nothing stolen was found, but the vehicle turned out to be uninsured and without road tax.
“This has been seized and the three males have been forced to make alternative arrangements to get home.
“Strong words of advice have been given about collecting scrap metal, licences and potential thefts.
“We urge members of the community to contact us if they notice similar incidents in their area.
“We understand the concern such activity can create and will deal with your reports robustly.”
