Two men arrested and drugs and a bladed weapon recovered following police pursuit

Following the arrest of two people in a stolen car and the recovery of suspected drugs and a weapon following an incident in Knowsley yesterday, Sunday 24 October, ACC Rob Carden has praised the officers involved in a police pursuit for their bravery and determination to keep members of the public safe. 

At around 9pm, patrols on Knowsley Lane sighted a black Ford Kuga which had been reported stolen earlier this month.

The car was travelling at high speed and failed to stop for patrols, who then initiated a pursuit of the vehicle.

Police brought the vehicle to a stop at the roundabout near junction 2 of the M57, to prevent the car travelling in the wrong direction on the motorway.

Officers detained the driver and passenger, searched the vehicle, and recovered a machete and an amount of suspected cocaine and cannabis. 

The driver, a 26-year-old man from Leigh, Greater Manchester, was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, theft of a motor vehicle, driving while disqualified, possession of a bladed article, drug driving, and possession of Class A and B drugs. 

A passenger in the car, a 24-year-old woman from Leigh, was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a bladed article and possession of class B drugs. 

Both have now been taken into custody and will be questioned by police. 

The driver of the Kuga and the driver of a police vehicle were taken to hospital for non-life-threatening injuries sustained during the stop. 

Two officers and the passenger in the Kuga also suffered minor injuries. 

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Carden said: “The incident in Knowsley yesterday is a great example of the lengths that we at Merseyside Police will go to in order to keep the public safe.

“Had the stolen car been allowed to continue along the motorway, a very serious incident would have been almost unavoidable. Thanks to the courage and determination of our officers, a tragedy has been avoided and road users have been kept safe’.

“I would like to thank all our officers involved and hope they will make a quick recovery from the injuries they sustained while carrying out their duties.”

Matrix Operations Inspector Mark Worrall said: “Thanks to the swift action of our officers, we have arrested two people and prevented a dangerous weapon and drugs from causing harm in our communities. 

“We are committed to taking weapons and drugs off our streets and, rest assured, if you tell us about any suspected possession or offences we will take action and put those responsible before the courts.”

If you have any information on criminality in your community, pass information via our social media desk on Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre'. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.