A carjacker got more than he bargained for when the van he stole turned out to still have the owner in the back as he engaged in a 11-mile high-speed car chase across Bury and Heywood.
The reckless thief’s journey through Ramsbottom, Bury, Heywood and Rochdale caused a police car to be overturned and several other cars damaged as the careless criminal made his attempted getaway.
The pursuit, which involved 10-15 marked and unmarked police cars and the police helicopter later resulted in the arrest of a 25-year-old man.
The theft happened at around 10am this morning when the carjacker stole a white Luton van parked in Haslingden, with the owner still in the back of the vehicle.
Stopping briefly in Ramsbottom to argue with the owner, the carjacker then continued on his way with the victim still on board, but as he accelerated down Walmersley Road towards Bury, the owner was thrown out of the back of the van and into the road.
The route of the carjacker can be seen below:
Police officers then clocked the van as it passed through Bury and followed it onto the M66 southbound before it exited at the Pilsworth junction, triggering the pursuit of the vehicle through the Pilsworth Industrial Estate and back towards Heywood.
In a panic, the offender stopped and reversed backwards into the BMW X5 police vehicle behind him on Bury Old Road, causing it to overturn, leaving the officers luckily able to escape with minor injuries.
The van then continued towards Rochdale, causing several collisions with vehicles belonging to members of the public as it passed through the town at speed.
The offender then reversed into a second police car, causing minor damage, but forcing the pursuit by car to be terminated, with the police helicopter stepping in to track the van’s direction and passing the information on to the force on the ground.
As the van reached Tweedale Street in Rochdale, the offender attemped to flee on foot but was quickly arrested just around the corner on nearby Kay Street.
A 25-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, drink driving and assault.
Image courtesy of Only In Heywood, with thanks
