M3: Vehicle 'narrowly' avoids head on collision with police car following pursuit on M3

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Roads Policing Unit has shared an interesting image on its Facebook following a pursuit on the A31 near Alton in the early hours of March 30. Officers spotted a vehicle, which they suspected to be stolen with cloned number plates, with its boot wide open and a motorcycle hanging out of the back of it.

As a result, a pursuit commenced and the motorcycle was discarded with the vehicle heading onto the M3 at junction 9 but the car went the wrong way and went north on the southbound carriageway, 'narrowly avoiding a head on collision' with a police vehicle travelling the correct way.

The Facebook post said: "We were able to maintain visual on the vehicle before it turned and went the correct way where we were able to get behind it again at Jct 9.

"As you can see from the photo attached, one of the occupants even decided to wave in a slightly odd manner towards officers as we approached Junction 12 of the M3.But little did they know we'd get a chance to say hello and exchange greetings a bit sooner then they probably expected. We had a stop stick set up at the exit to junction 12, which was beautifully driven over by their driver. A quick short trip back onto the M3 was ruined by punctured tyres and the vehicle was boxed on the hard shoulder as they gave up."

Four people were arrested for offences including dangerous driving, fail to stop for police, theft of motor vehicle, conspire to steal, robbery and more. It was confirmed that the vehicle was stolen from Dorset with cloned number plates but the police officers managed to recover all of the items discarded during the pursuit including a mobile phone.

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