A suspected thief has been arrested after allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase through parts of Greater Manchester and Lancashire in a stolen Amazon delivery van carrying parcels worth around £1,000.
The 25-year-old man was detained after officers pursued the vehicle from Wigan through Bolton and into Chorley, where the van eventually crashed into pedestrian barriers and collided with another vehicle that had stopped at traffic lights.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the incident lasted around 40 minutes and involved extremely dangerous driving through residential and built-up areas.
According to police, the stolen delivery van was driven at speeds of approximately 100mph, which was around three times the speed limit in some of the areas through which it travelled.
During the pursuit, the vehicle also struck and injured a cyclist and caused significant damage to several items of street furniture.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, police said no one suffered serious injuries. The cyclist and other people affected by the incident were reported to have suffered only minor physical injuries.
The suspect was arrested at the scene of the crash and later released on bail while police investigations continue.
Police Alerted to Stolen Delivery Van
Greater Manchester Police received a 999 emergency call at approximately 18:23 BST on Wednesday after receiving a report that an Amazon delivery van had been stolen.
Officers began searching for the vehicle and managed to locate it within around 15 minutes of receiving the report.
Police initially attempted to bring the van to a stop without initiating a formal pursuit. However, officers said the driver refused to stop and instead accelerated away from them.
The situation then developed into a dangerous pursuit that travelled through several towns and communities.
The van was driven from Wigan towards Bolton before continuing into Lancashire and eventually reaching Chorley.
During the chase, officers said the driver reached speeds of about 100mph, despite travelling through areas where pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists were present.
Police said the vehicle was being driven at roughly three times the posted speed limit at points during the incident.
The pursuit continued for approximately 40 minutes before the stolen van crashed in Chorley.
Van Crashes at Traffic Lights
The chase came to an end when the delivery van collided with pedestrian barriers and then struck another vehicle that had stopped at traffic lights.
The crash caused additional damage to the surrounding street infrastructure.
Police officers attended the scene and arrested the driver.
The man was arrested on suspicion of several offences, including theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.
He was also arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence of a controlled substance and possession of Class A and Class C drugs.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and the suspect has been released on bail pending further inquiries.
The parcels inside the stolen Amazon vehicle were believed to have a combined value of approximately £1,000.
Police have not indicated whether any of the parcels were lost or damaged during the pursuit and subsequent crash.
Police Warn of Serious Risk to Public
Greater Manchester Police described the incident as extremely dangerous and warned that the driver’s actions could easily have resulted in serious injury or death.
PC Nat Mannyng, from GMP’s transport unit, said the vehicle had been travelling at extremely high speeds through residential streets while families, pedestrians, cyclists and other road users were carrying on with their daily activities.
He said the driver had shown a complete disregard for the safety of members of the public and that innocent people had already been harmed during the incident.
According to the officer, the fact that the incident resulted in only minor physical injuries was fortunate given the speed of the vehicle and the areas through which it was being driven.
PC Mannyng said the behaviour could have led to a much more serious collision and potentially far greater consequences.
The police officer’s comments highlighted the dangers associated with high-speed driving in built-up areas, where vehicles can encounter pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists with little warning.
The incident also demonstrated the challenges faced by officers when attempting to recover stolen vehicles without putting members of the public at additional risk.
Investigation Continues
Although the pursuit has ended and the suspected driver has been arrested, police investigations are continuing.
Officers are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the theft of the Amazon van, the route taken during the pursuit and the collisions and damage caused along the way.
Investigators will also assess evidence relating to the allegations of dangerous driving, failure to stop, drug possession and driving under the influence of a controlled substance.
The condition and movements of the van during the 40-minute incident are also likely to form part of the investigation.
Police may review available CCTV footage, traffic-camera recordings and other evidence from Wigan, Bolton and Chorley to establish exactly what happened.
Witness accounts will also be important in determining how the van was driven and how the cyclist and other road users were affected.
The cyclist who was injured during the incident is among those whose account may assist officers as they piece together the events.
The damage caused to pedestrian barriers, traffic infrastructure and other street furniture will also be assessed.
Suspect Released on Bail
Following his arrest at the crash scene, the 25-year-old suspect was questioned by police in connection with the alleged offences.
He has since been released on bail while further inquiries are carried out.
Being arrested and released on bail does not mean the suspect has been found guilty of any offence. Police will continue gathering evidence before deciding what further action should be taken.
The incident serves as another warning about the risks created when stolen vehicles are driven at extreme speeds through populated areas.
For police, the priority throughout such incidents is to apprehend suspects while protecting other road users and pedestrians from harm.
In this case, officers said the outcome could have been significantly worse, given that the stolen van was allegedly travelling at around 100mph and had already struck a cyclist and damaged public infrastructure.
The fact that the vehicle eventually crashed into barriers and another car at traffic lights brought the dangerous journey to an end.
No serious injuries were reported, but police stressed that the outcome could easily have been different.
The investigation remains ongoing, with the suspect on bail as officers continue examining the circumstances surrounding the theft, the high-speed pursuit and the subsequent crash in Chorley.
