A Northumbria Police car tripped up spectacularly on Dean Road, South Shields, when its handbrake failed during a foot chase. The marked police vehicle rolled backwards and smashed into the wall of a nearby house, sparking chaos as officers rushed after a fleeing suspect.
Handbrake Fail Causes Unwanted Crash
Officers had just jumped out of the vehicle to give chase when the handbrake didn’t hold. The patrol car rolled backwards, colliding with the wall of a residential property. Luckily, the force confirmed no damage was caused to the wall and only very minor harm came to the police vehicle.
Suspect Still Nabbed Despite Bumpy Incident
Despite the brief distraction from the rogue rolling car, the police swiftly caught and arrested the suspect on foot. Northumbria Police issued a statement assuring all proper procedures were followed and that the property owner had been contacted to sort things out.
“No damage caused to the wall of the property. Very minor damage caused to the marked police vehicle. All necessary processes have been followed, and remedial action with the property owner has been addressed,” a police spokesperson said.
Footage Sparks Online Buzz
Videos of the police car rolling into the wall made rounds on social media, prompting the force to clarify the incident. Their main goal—to apprehend the suspect—was achieved amid the unexpected vehicle mishap.