Duo arrested in Yapton after police chase injures officer

The officer, who is a member of the Sussex Road Policing Unit, based in nearby Arundel, had approached the stolen car, which had stopped in a cul-de-sac, in Gaugemaster Way, Ford, shortly after 8am today (Monday, October 28), after being followed by police cars across West Sussex.

It had first been spotted on the eastbound A27 at Emsworth at about 7.15am.

As the officer ran up and took hold of the driver’s door of the car, it reversed and he was trapped by the door, and was dragged along for a short distance before being thrown free.

The car sped off, ramming a police car and causing slight injury.

However, other officers stopped it in little more than two miles away, in Burndell Road, Yapton, soon afterwards, and arrested the two occupants, a man who was driving the car, and a woman passenger.

Chief Inspector Tanya Jones said; “This was good work by several officers who traced and followed the car for several miles on major and minor roads before it was brought to a halt.

“The injured PC was very lucky not to have been more seriously hurt.

“We were also very grateful to local people in Yapton and Ford, who came out and provided valuable assistance, and information about what was happening and the movements of the car.”

The car had been reported stolen from outside a house in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and the 39-year-old man of no fixed address, and the 36-year-old woman from the Isle of Wight, are currently in custody for interview and further enquiries.

The officer was treated at St Richards Hospital, Chichester, for cuts and bruises, and was allowed home.

Nobody else was reported injured in the incident.