A man was arrested in Aberdeen in connection with a string of offences across the north and north-east following a dramatic air and land pursuit.
Police Scotland deployed a helicopter to support a team of specialist officers on the ground during the operation.
Officers said the man was eventually apprehended in relation to alleged drugs and driving offences in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray as well as several alleged house-breaking incidents in the Inverness area.
Police said a 27-year-old man was reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with the housebreakings in Inverness and was appearing at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
It is expected that a report will be submitted to the fiscal in “due course” in relation to the drugs and driving offences.
Detective Inspector Norman Stevenson, from the Aberdeenshire and Moray division of Police Scotland, said of the operation on Thursday: “This incident demonstrates the assets we have available in dynamic situations. A number of additional roads policing units were deployed to assist in this case, along with the air support unit.
“Specialist officers along with divisions across the north area worked together to bring this incident to a safe and successful conclusion. This case in particular highlights the benefits of the extra resources that are available to us through Police Scotland in order to deter and detect criminal activity throughout the force area.”
Aberdeen City Commander Chief Superintendent Adrian Watson said earlier this week that the use of the aircraft was among the many operational benefits of a national police force.
The helicopter has already been scrambled several times from the central belt for deployment in the north-east.
It was used as part of Operation Ruby, a car crime crackdown which was launched this year after vehicles worth about £1.5million were stolen.