Suspected fuel thief arrested after police chase in Newark
A 31-year-old was taken in on suspicion of dangerous driving, drug driving, failing to stop - and theft
A suspected thief, accused of stealing hundreds of pounds of fuel, has been arrested after officers managed to stop his car in Newark.
Police finally brought the vehicle to a halt after it rammed into an officer's car and was clocked at going at more than double the speed limit on local roads.
A 31-year-old was taken in on suspicion of dangerous driving, drug driving, failing to stop - and theft.
Officers spotted a car linked to a high-value fuel theft
Officers were in Balderton at around 12.30am on Thursday (December 7) when they spotted a car linked to a high-value fuel theft, valued at around ÂŁ400, after a garage in Mansfield reported a driver left without paying just days earlier (December 3).
They then received intelligence, which suggested the vehicle responsible was in their sights.
Ordering the car to pull over, it then sped off - and was clocked going at more than double the speed limit in parts of the Newark area.
It eventually came to a stop in Cleveland Square, but the driver tried to escape my reversing straight into a police car.
He was detained shortly afterwards, and the car was searched.
They found large numbers of oil drums in the back of the vehicle, that police believed were intended to be used to steal fuel.
They searched through the police database to find that the suspect was involved in a burglary and shop theft that took place three days apart in Newark.
Around ÂŁ120 worth of meat was stolen from a shop on 18 October 2023, before several Christmas trees and other items were taken during a break-in at a store on 20 October.
Following the car stop, a 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, drug-driving, failing to stop, burglary and theft.
The suspect was additionally arrested for going equipped to steal, criminal damage, driving without insurance, and possession of Class A and Class B drugs.
PC Josh Gibbons, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Road Policing Unit, said: “The car in question initially came to our attention when we received intelligence linking it to a high-value fuel theft in our force area.
“When our officers then ordered the car to pull over, the level of driving that followed was incredibly dangerous and could’ve quite easily resulted in someone being injured.
“This included our own officers, with the vehicle ramming a police car at one stage before it was eventually brought to a halt.
“As a result of this stop, we have been able to arrest a suspect in connection with a string of offences, including an outstanding burglary and shop theft.
“While this was a good result, inquiries are still very much ongoing into each of these incidents, so we’d ask anyone with any information that could assist us to get in touch.”
Anyone with any information is asked to call the police on 101, quoting incident 9 of 7 December 2023, or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.