Quick-thinking cop grabs teen's bike to catch suspected car thief after 70mph chase
By: A quick-thinking policeman grabbed a passer-by's bike to catch a suspected car thief following a 60mph police chase.
Incredible bodycam footage captured the determined officer chasing a driver in a car before hopping on a bike leant by a man, who could be heard shouting 'go get 'em!'. The clip shows the Range Rover Evoque reversing at speed, navigating bends and oncoming traffic, while the police officer follows in hot pursuit.
As reported by Yorkshire Live, the drama unfolded when the driver failed to stop in the Dalton Lane area of Rotherham at around 6.15am on Wednesday. The police officer signalled for him to pull over, sparking the chase through Parkgate in the town.
In the video, the driver could be seen driving backwards before turning at a junction, then continuing at speeds of 70mph in a 30mph area. The car is also seen driving the wrong way around a roundabout before crashing his car.
Two suspects flee the vehicle, but the officer shows no signs of giving up. Turning his attention to one of them, the chase continues on foot. The video then shows a kind member of the public calling the officer over before thrusting the handlebars of his own bike into his hands.
The officer then hops on and starts pedalling as the owner shouts, 'go get 'em!' The officer starts furiously pedalling as the suspect flees.
He then hops off the bike and continues on foot, running into a garden, climbing a fence and cornering the suspect shouting "get on the floor now!". The suspect lies on the ground with his arms up and palms to the floor before being cuffed by the officer.
The 25-year-old was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. South Yorkshire Police say they believe the car was stolen from Nottinghamshire last week and the suspect is believed to be responsible for a robbery in which £90,000 of jewellery was taken.
The man remains in police custody and the second person, who was believed to be the driver, remains on the run.
Roads Policing Inspector Matt Collings said: “This job is a great example of the dedication and commitment of officers to catch those responsible for crimes and how sometimes, a simple routine traffic stop can lead to greater finds.
“Those involved in criminality are more likely to take further risks on our roads and pose a danger to innocent members of the public, our role as roads policing officers is to intercept their criminality and reduce that risk.
“A huge thank you to the member of the public who leant our officer their bike, knowing we have the support of our communities is a great feeling.”