Dogs and armed police called out after car stolen in Sheffield involved in police chase near Knutsford
Sheffield man arrested over incident late last night
A man has been arrested after stealing a car in Sheffield, before armed police were called after he tried to flee in Cheshire.
Cheshire Police initially found themselves in a car chase last night, after the driver, a man from Sheffield, tried to get away after they had become aware of a stolen car with what were thought to false number plates.
They got into a pursuit near Knutsford, at around 11pm last night with the white Volkswagen Taigo Life, stolen from Sheffield earlier
After a short pursuit, the car was abandoned and the driver ran off.
During a search of the car officers found a lump hammer along with two sets of number plates on the back seat. It was also established that the car had been stolen ‘from the Sheffield area’.
The Cheshire Dog Unit, armed response officers and a drone unit were also brought in, and following a search of the area a 58-year-old man was subsequently located hiding near to the railway track.
The man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of theft of motor vehicle, use of false number plates, handling stolen goods, failing to stop for officers, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and failing to provide a sample. He remains in police custody..
Chief Inspector Cameron Taylor, Head of the Roads and Crime Unit, said: “This was a real team effort, and all the officers involved played key roles in locating and arresting the suspect; including the Police Dogs, Armed Response Unit and Drone Unit.
"Whilst the initial consideration was for a vehicle using fake registration plates, we often find that this is used as an attempt to mask other criminal activities. In this case the driver did not even hold a valid driving licence and the vehicle he was using also appears to be a stolen.
“I hope this arrest will reassure residents of our continued commitment to tackling this type of crime.”