The Foxbury Force Series by Graham Oakley

Although Foxbury's Town Burglars burgle one shop each month to give the police practice chasing burglars, this time the robbers have other plans.

A gang of pirates have gone into business on the Municipal Boating Lake. After Inspector Flannel is kidnapped, the Foxbury Force goes undercover led by Sergeant Bumper. After several duckings and enlisting the services of a tractor, the Force is victorious and the pirates duly penitent.

This is the Foxbury Force's third adventure. Mysterious noises frighten off the tenants at No 13 Tomb Lane and the force are called in to investigate. Inspector Flannel is convinced that supernatural phenomena are responsible, but he couldn't be more wrong.