Low-speed dumper truck chase sees two police cars destroyed

The idea of a police chase may conjure up the image of criminals racing down the road in a stolen car with sparks flying off the punctured tyres, but it seems that law-breakers in Norfolk may prefer altogether slower – and much larger – machinery.

This comes after police in the county were involved in a two-hour, 37-mile pursuit of a bright yellow dumper truck, with the oversized vehicle averaging a mere 18.5mph. Despite easily managing to keep up, police did face plenty of dangerous driving as the criminal made his way from Norfolk into Suffolk. A 39-year-old man has been arrested following the incident.

During the chase – which took place around 12:30pm on Monday just outside Norwich – a police Volvo V70 and a Ford Focus were written off, with a BMW X5 police car also being damaged. The bill is thought to run to £50,000. The truck had been stolen from the village of the Spixworth north of Norwich and was pursued into Suffolk, finally being stopped around 2:30pm near Brandon.

DC Andy Vinsen said "We're keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed this incident and who hasn't already spoken with officers.

"In particular, we want to trace any motorists who were driving in the wooded area between Methwold and Mundford at about 1:45pm on Monday who witnessed the damage of a BMW X5 marked police car.