Two men arrested on theft of a motor vehicle following a pursuit in Tameside

Greater Manchester Police's TVIU and PD Harley made crucial arrests over the weekend.

On Sunday 27th April, Greater Manchester Police specialist officers from the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit were on patrol in Tameside when they spotted a car which was believed to be stolen.

Officers activated their blue light equipment in their vehicle in attempts to pull the car over and speak to the occupants. After noticing police officers behind, the vehicle made off and after a short pursuit, two men abandoned the vehicle in a car park in Bredbury and made off on foot.

One man, aged 41, was swiftly detained by TVIU on suspicion of theft of motor vehicle and driving whilst disqualified. Thanks to swift assistance from the Tactical Dog Unit, the second man was arrested nearby by Police Dog Harley, hiding in a bush, on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. They both remain in police custody for questioning.

Whilst waiting at the scene, the rightful owner of the stolen vehicle showed up, and we were able to reunite them with their car.

Inspector Craig Birkhead from the Specialist Operations Branch said: "Once officers had sighted the suspected stolen car, the driver decided to make off at high speeds in an attempt to evade capture. 

"Fortunately, no members of the public were injured, and thanks to the quick-thinking actions of the officers, we were able to mitigate any potential risks they posed to residents.

“It showed a dedicated response by officers to apprehend the suspects and I hope this proves that we are successfully able to track, trace and detain those who are causing harm to our local communities.

“Thanks to our canine capabilities and specially trained drivers in the force, we were able to immediately locate the suspects and arrest them and return the stolen car to its rightful owner."