Two men in a lorry containing more than £40,000 worth of stolen tyres have been jailed after a “dangerous pursuit” involving police from three different forces.
Dean Higgins, 35, of Winrose Avenue, Leeds, and Connor Barnett, 21, of Quarry Way, Leeds, “showed recklessness” to put other road users at risk in a pursuit which also saw the lorry collide with a police vehicle, said Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
The lorry “weaved in and out of traffic between lanes” as Higgins drove the vehicle in a “dangerous manner” and it was “fortunate there were not more serious consequences”, said police.
A man was asleep in a heavy goods vehicle in the Woolston area of Warrington, Cheshire, when he was woken by loud banging coming from the rear trailer at around 2.45am on 12 December last year, the force said.
He saw tyres from his trailer being unloaded and placed into another, with around 500 reportedly being taken.
The police were contacted and the lorry filled with the stolen tyres left the scene.
As the vehicle, which had false plates, entered GMP’s area via the M62 from the M6, officers worked with police from Cheshire as part of a “covert pursuit”.
Once the lorry travelled into the West Yorkshire area, it failed to stop and a pursuit began, with officers also receiving support from the air.
Higgins collided with a police traffic car, causing it to spin and crash into the central reservation, said GMP. The officer in the vehicle suffered minor injuries.
The pursuit came to an end after the lorry, which had been stung, lost control and “came to a rest” near Bradford, West Yorkshire.
Higgins and Barnett fled the scene, but were “quickly located”, said police.
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At Liverpool Crown Court, Higgins was jailed for 27 months after pleading guilty to theft, driving whilst disqualified, and dangerous driving.
Barnett was jailed for 14 months after pleading guilty to theft.
PC Philip Raymond, from GMP’s roads policing unit, said: “This was a highly challenging and dangerous pursuit which involved colleagues from three different police forces.
“The pair stole thousands of pounds worth of tyres and showed recklessness as they fled, including spinning out a GMP officer – we are fortunate there were not more serious consequences for their actions.
“The work of Cheshire, GMP, and West Yorkshire has meant that the pair are now rightly behind bars for their crimes, and is testament to the commitment and dedication of all police forces.”
