Man arrested for stealing a van, going equipped to steal, drugs and road traffic offences after attempting to escape from police

On the evening of Thursday April 24, officers from Epworth Neighbourhood Policing Team were on the A18 at Althorpe when this Ford Transit was observed driving without any lights on, and after requesting the vehicle to stop, it decided to try and flee from officers.

The vehicle was involved in a short pursuit and was brought to a stop shortly afterwards, and contained one individual who did not have a licence or insurance.

It was established that the driver did not possess a key for the vehicle, and all the wiring inside the vehicle was exposed, leading officers to believe this may be a stolen vehicle.

Further checks with the insured party confirmed the van had been stolen just before being sighted by police and the owner was not aware, hence, it had not yet been reported.

The driver was arrested at the scene for theft of a motor vehicle, going equipped to steal, drugs offences and road traffic offences. The driver is currently lodged at Humberside Police’s custody suite.

A spokesman said: “This has shown what a simple stop check on a vehicle can reveal, and how proactive policing in the communities we serve is so beneficial.

“We have recently published a lot of information around safeguarding your vehicles, especially around Ford Transits and Ford Fiestas which we are seeing a significant increase in thefts of these vehicles.

“Please remain vigilant and report any suspicious circumstances.”