Dramatic dashcam footage from the UK has captured the moment that a gang of suspected catalytic converter thieves attacked a police vehicle in the middle of a pursuit.
The incident happened in Greater Manchester on December 15 in mid-afternoon. The dashcam footage from the pursuing police vehicle shows the driver of a silver VW Jetta slamming on the brakes as they approach an intersection.
A masked man then emerges from the back seat of the Jetta and hurls an electric grinder at the windshield of the police vehicle. It hits the hood and bounces off. At the same time, the driver of the VW puts the car into reverse and slams into the front of the police car. In the process, the masked man is hit by the Jetta’s rear door and knocked over. He quickly jumps back in and the driver speeds down a narrow residential road trying to get away from the police.
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In a statement, the Greater Manchester Police said the occupants of the Jetta had been involved in a spate of catalytic converter thefts.
“One of our officers followed a suspicious Volkswagen Jetta on the afternoon of Wednesday December 15 after a series of recent reports of catalytic converter thefts,” the police said. “The car – believed to be on cloned plates – is said to have been involved in these incidents of late, during which offenders are understood to have been armed with weapons.”
The Daily Mail reports that the individuals involved in the chase managed to escape, leading police to ask for members of the public to call them if they have any relevant information.