Colchester to Clacton police chase sees man arrested

Roads policing officers chased a grey Audi which was “of interest” after it allegedly failed to stop for officers on the B1027, between Wivenhoe and Clacton, on Thursday evening.

The car had been spotted on the Avenue of Remembrance in Colchester at 6pm on Thursday, the force said.

Police officers completed checks which suggested the car was linked to a suspected theft of food from a shop in Clacton.

Essex Police officers spotted a grey Audi which was 'of interest' in Colchester on Thursday (Image: Essex Police)

Pursuit-trained officers followed the car after it reportedly failed to stop on the B1027, a police spokesman said.

The car was found in Clacton about an hour after it was first spotted and a 43-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a string of offences, including failing to stop, shop theft, and dangerous driving whilst unfit through drugs.

He remained in custody for questioning on Friday, Essex Police said.

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A spokesman for the force said: “Tactics were put in place to stop the car on the B1027 but the car failed to stop. As a result, the car was followed by pursuit-trained officers.

“Those officers then located the vehicle close to Ruaton Drive, Clacton, shortly before 7pm.”

He added: “The vehicle was stopped, and a 43-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of failing to stop, shop theft, and dangerous driving whilst unfit through drugs.

“He remains in custody for questioning.”

The most senior police officer in the Tendring district, Chief Insp Ella Latham, says thefts in the district are not tolerated and will always be taken seriously.

The district commander said: “We don’t tolerate thefts from our shops in Tendring.

"When these reports are made to us, it may not always result in an immediate arrest, but the details given to us are crucial and will feed into teams across the force, including our highly-skilled roads officers.”

She added: “It is only through their skills and training that they were able to bring this incident to a safe conclusion and allow this investigation to progress.”