A brazen thief has just carried out what is believed to be Britain’s “slowest car chase” after trying to escape at 10mph. Euton Rook had been driving a car of interest to police, a Ford Mondeo, when they signalled him to stop in a village in Derbyshire.
However, the 42-year-old carried on driving and ploughed into a stinger device that popped every tyre. Dashcam footage then showed the car attempting to escape at walking speed through Swarkestone on August 18, in what police called “one of the slowest pursuits ever seen in Derbyshire”, before he was eventually boxed in and arrested.
Rook then hit a crash barrier, rammed a police car and injured the officer who was driving when they pulled in front of his vehicle to bring him to a stop.
After the footage was put online, a viewer commented: “I don’t think there’s been a slower pursuit in Britain. Brilliant stuff.”
Rook was found to have been banned from driving, wanted for recall to prison, and for thefts from a Greggs branch at the Derbion shopping centre on July 8, and the Co-op in Chellaston Road, Derby, on August 13.
Police had been looking for a Ford Mondeo on August 18 over suspiscions a numberplate had been altered. Officers also found tape over the number plate as the car had been used in numerous shop thefts.
At Southern Derbyshire magistrates’ court, Rook admitted two counts of shop theft, failing to stop when required by a police officer, using a vehicle without insurance, failing to provide a specimen, criminal damage, and assault of an officer.
He was jailed for 41 weeks, given a driving ban, and ordered to pay damages to the injured officer and the two shops.