Police issue update after covert force BMW collides with Mini during pursuit with stolen vehicle

An unmarked police car was involved in a collision on Sunday afternoon as it attempted to chase down a stolen vehicle following a burglary in the area. The force’s covert BMW X5 and a Mini, which contained a 9-year-old passenger, were involved in the collision on Norway Road in Hilsea at approximately 3:30pm.

A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “Following a reported burglary and theft of a vehicle on Australia Close, Portsmouth on Sunday morning (September 29), officers tracked, located, pursued and subsequently recovered the vehicle in question, abandoned on Beechwood Road, having collided with a parked vehicle.

“During the pursuit, one of our police vehicles was in a collision with another vehicle. Thankfully, only minor injuries were reported.”

The child involved in the collision was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital where she spent several hours after sustaining injuries including a bump to her head, seat belt trauma injuries to the neck, stomach and chest, and ligament damage in both legs.

The collision resulted in the end of the pursuit but the stolen car had its wheels spiked before hitting a parked car in Beechwood Road moments later. The two men and boy involved in the incident made off on foot but the police located and arrested them a short time later.

A 41-year-old man from Portsmouth was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, failing to stop a mechanically propelled vehicle when required by a constable, driving a motor vehicle dangerously and burglary dwelling with intent to steal.

A 19-year-old man from Southsea was arrested on suspicion of driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit, failing to stop a mechanically propelled vehicle when required by a constable, driving a motor vehicle dangerously and burglary dwelling with intent to steal.

A 17-year-old boy from Portsmouth was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, failing to stop a mechanically propelled vehicle when required by a constable, driving a motor vehicle dangerously, possession of a controlled drug of Class B and burglary dwelling with intent to steal.

All three have since been released on conditional police bail, pending further enquiries.

For more information about the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, click here.