Five men have been arrested following a pursuit on the M42 motorway involving a stolen heavy goods vehicle (HGV) that rammed into a police car, caused suspected broken ribs to an officer, and drove dangerously in the wrong direction.
At Around 10:00 hours yesterday (8th September), officers from the Central Motorway Policing Group attempted to stop a heavy goods vehicle bearing cloned plates as it headed northbound on the M42.
Instead of complying, the HGV failed to stop. Officers used a stinger to deflate the front tires near Junction 7, but the vehicle continued.
A second stinger was deployed before Junction 9 to deflate the rear tires.
Despite these efforts, the HGV drove off the motorway and risked the lives of members of the public by speeding in the wrong direction down the southbound exit slip road.
As the suspected thieves drove head-on into oncoming traffic, the vehicle rammed into a police car and struck several other vehicles, leaving one police officer with suspected broken ribs.
With the assistance of the National Police Air Service, officers swiftly detained the driver, who had fled on foot along the motorway.
Four additional suspects were arrested inside the truck, where police also discovered 200 crates of stolen spirits.
The seized HGV is currently undergoing forensic examination. All five suspects, aged between 22 and 40, remain in custody and await questioning.
Authorities from the West Midlands, Warwickshire, and Staffordshire were involved in the incident.
Describing the events as “dangerous action with complete disregard to other road users,” the police emphasised the dynamic nature of the operation, which was aimed at ensuring public safety while apprehending criminals engaged in theft and burglary.
The M42 has since been reopened for regular traffic.
If you would like to stay up to date with this story, please remember to subscribe to our free newsletter:
Before you go...
In a world where mainstream media narratives often eclipse the harsh realities faced by our valiant men and women in the emergency services, we at Emergency Services News have made it our mission to bring these overlooked stories into the spotlight.
Our team is exclusively composed of dedicated volunteers, all veterans of the emergency services. They commit their time and expertise to this cause, not for financial gain, but out of a shared passion to honour their colleagues and dispel the misconceptions that mainstream media perpetuates.
Despite running at a loss, we persist. We believe in the importance of our mission - to elevate the dignity and courage of those who risk their lives for us every single day. But we need your help.
Your donation directly sustains ESN, enabling the continuous delivery of authentic, critical stories often overlooked by mainstream media. We deeply appreciate your support, which enables us to further our mission of delivering important, underreported stories. Thank you for standing with us and thank you for supporting our team of former emergency services & HM Forces personnel.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
200 cases of spirits at £15 a bottle is £36,000. That is decent money. The 4 accomplices must, if convicted of theft, being carried in a stolen vehicle and making a total of 5 in a cab designed for 2, perhaps 3 and of course the theft, end up in jail for a decent period of time, at least 5 years. The driver should get another 5 for his antics. No discounts and no parole. Future convictions should attract a doubling of the preceding sentence as a starter.