Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Police officer commandeers bike to chase down car thieves

Action by Manchester (UK) officer wins praise on Twitter – while over the Channel, bike cops pursue and arrest Porsche 911 driver in a French town’s district… also called Manchester

A Greater Manchester Police officer has won praise after he commandeered a bike and chased down the driver of a stolen car who had crashed the vehicle, with its passenger also arrested – while across the English Channel, two bicycle police officers pursued a Porsche 911 and arrested the driver in a northeastern French town’s district called … wait for it … Manchester.

In a tweet, GMP Traffic Police said: “#XT21 sighted a Toyota Prius (stolen by robbery) in Longsight and after a short pursuit, It collided with a lamp post in Fallowfield.

“The driver thought he was quick on his feet, however, he couldn't out run PC Pilkington who commandeered a passing bicycle to catch his man.”

In a second tweet, they added: “Thank you to the owner of the bike. It was safely returned to him with our thanks.

“Two people have been arrested on suspicion of Robbery and they are currently in custody awaiting interview.”

Twitter users – including one who witnessed the pursuit – were quick to offer their congratulations.

The name of the officer involved also raised eyebrows on Twitter among fans of Line of Duty, the TV series that is currently pulling in millions of viewers on Sunday evenings.

Meanwhile, in northeast France, two bicycle police officers chased down and helped arrest the driver of a Porsche 911 who had been attracting attention over the previous fortnight for his antisocial behaviour including ignoring the rules of the road and causing his tyres to screech.

According to a report in L’Ardennais, the municipal police officers spotted him last Tuesday driving through a pedestrian crossing, almost running over some people who were using it.

They set off after him, and quickly got in front of the Porsche. A passenger in the vehicle tried to flee but was swiftly apprehended by one of the officers.

The other officer chased after the driver, who vaulted a wall as he tried to flee, and with the help from colleagues from the Police Nationale made the arrest, with a police dog helping recover a package of drugs the motorist is believed to have dropped as he tried to make good his escape.

The pursuit took part during what cycling fans know as Ardennes Week in a town, Charleville-Mézières that is the capital of the Ardennes department in northeast France – and, rather improbably, in a district of the town that goes by the name Manchester.

The driver of the Porsche, who is reportedly already known to the courts, was taken into custody while the vehicle itself was impounded.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

9 comments

Avatar
mattdavidge | 3 years ago
2 likes

I hope he started his strava....

Avatar
Jenova20 | 3 years ago
3 likes

Did he ride it on the pavement and through red lights? What about riding 2 abreast, and in the middle of the road?

Just getting all the questions for the anti-cycling brigade out of the way...

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to Jenova20 | 3 years ago
3 likes
Jenova20 wrote:

Did he ride it on the pavement and through red lights? What about riding 2 abreast, and in the middle of the road?

Just getting all the questions for the anti-cycling brigade out of he way...

Definitely all of those. He also , I hear, held up the traffic whilst barrelling along at 40mph....

Avatar
GMBasix | 3 years ago
0 likes

If there's one thing I hate, it's recumbent coppers

Avatar
mdavidford replied to GMBasix | 3 years ago
0 likes

Is that a sleeping policeman that's just woken up?

Avatar
Sriracha | 3 years ago
2 likes

Cops on bicycles quickly overtake the driver of a Porsche 911... there has to be some missing detail here. I'm guessing traffic played a part? Or were these derestricted e-bikes? Anyway, chapeau to les flics.

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
7 likes
Sriracha wrote:

Cops on bicycles quickly overtake the driver of a Porsche 911... there has to be some missing detail here. I'm guessing traffic played a part? Or were these derestricted e-bikes? Anyway, chapeau to les flics.

Those f*cking LTNs again...

Avatar
BIGWATTS replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
1 like

Clearly as an undercover Cyclist, PC jumped all the lights to catch up.

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to BIGWATTS | 3 years ago
0 likes
BIGWATTS wrote:

Clearly as an undercover Cyclist, PC jumped all the lights to catch up.

just as well nobody saw him, as he didn't have hiviz....

Latest Comments