The driver refused to stop, and the chase left multiple vehicles damaged
On a January afternoon in Rossendale, a refusal to stop at a routine traffic check set in motion a chain of consequences that stretched across several streets and ended with two men in custody. Police had connected a black Renault Megane to a theft in Darwen, and when the driver chose flight over compliance, the pursuit that followed drew in a helicopter, damaged civilian vehicles, and ultimately closed on Market Street in Shawforth. No one was hurt, but the wreckage left behind offered a quiet testament to the weight of a single decision made at speed.
- A car linked to a Darwen theft refused to stop for tactical officers on Grane Road, instantly transforming a traffic check into a high-speed pursuit through Rossendale.
- The chase was serious enough to require a police helicopter, which tracked the Megane as it moved through the town at dangerous speed.
- The fleeing vehicle collided with a grey Ford, leaving both cars heavily damaged — the Megane's driver's side crushed and one tyre completely destroyed.
- The pursuit finally ended on Market Street in Shawforth, where two Manchester men, aged 23 and 30, were arrested on suspicion of theft and driving offences.
- Both suspects remain in custody at Greenbank police station while officers process the case, with further updates expected once questioning is complete.
On the afternoon of Thursday, January 26th, officers from the tactical operations unit spotted a black Renault Megane on Grane Road in Rossendale — a car they had linked to a theft earlier that day in Darwen. When they moved to pull it over, the driver accelerated away, and what had begun as a routine stop became a pursuit serious enough to bring a police helicopter into the air.
As the Megane wound through Rossendale's streets, it collided with a grey Ford, leaving both vehicles badly damaged. Images from the scene showed the Renault with its driver's side severely crumpled and a tyre stripped flat from the impact. Still, the driver pressed on.
The chase came to an end on Market Street in Shawforth, near Rochdale, where two men from Manchester — aged 23 and 30 — were arrested on suspicion of theft and driving offences. Remarkably, despite the collisions and the intensity of the pursuit, nobody was injured.
Both men were taken to Greenbank police station and remained in custody at the time of reporting. Police noted they would share further details once the pair had been processed — while the damaged vehicles left on Rossendale's streets stood as a stark illustration of what a refusal to stop can set in motion.
A black Renault Megane was spotted on Grane Road in Rossendale on Thursday afternoon, January 26th, and what followed was a high-speed pursuit that would leave multiple vehicles damaged across the town. Police had linked the car to a theft that had occurred earlier in Darwen, and when officers from the tactical operations unit tried to pull it over, the driver refused to stop.
What began as a routine traffic stop escalated quickly. The Megane's driver accelerated away from the patrol, forcing police to give chase through the streets of Rossendale. The pursuit was serious enough to warrant the deployment of a police helicopter, which tracked the vehicle as it wound through the town. During the chase, the Megane collided with a grey Ford, leaving both vehicles badly damaged. Photographs from the scene showed the Megane with severe damage along its driver's side and one tyre completely flattened from the impact.
The chase continued until the black Renault was finally forced to stop on Market Street in Shawforth, a small town near Rochdale. Two men from Manchester, aged 23 and 30, were arrested at the scene. Both faced suspicion of theft and driving offences. Despite the intensity of the pursuit and the collisions that occurred, no one was injured during the incident—a fact that police emphasized in their statement.
The two men were taken into custody at Greenbank police station for questioning. As of the time of reporting, both remained in custody while officers processed the details of their arrests. Police indicated they would release further information once the men had been fully processed through the system.
The incident highlighted the risks posed by drivers who refuse to stop for police. While the tactical operations unit was able to bring the pursuit to an end without serious harm to anyone involved, the damage to civilian vehicles served as a visible reminder of what can happen when a driver chooses to flee rather than comply with a traffic stop. The involvement of the police helicopter underscored how seriously the force took the initial link to the Darwen theft.
Citações Notáveis
The vehicle then failed to stop for Tac-Ops patrols and was involved in a pursuit during which a number of vehicles were damaged.— Rossendale Police statement
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why did the police helicopter get involved in what started as a simple traffic stop?
Because the car was linked to an earlier theft in Darwen. That connection elevated it from a routine stop to something more serious—they needed to make sure they caught the vehicle and the people inside it.
The driver must have known they were in trouble if they refused to stop.
That's the question, isn't it. Whether they panicked, whether they knew what they were suspected of, whether they thought they could outrun a helicopter—we don't know. But the choice to run turned a traffic stop into a chase that damaged other people's cars.
How common is it for these pursuits to end without injuries?
Common enough that police felt it worth mentioning. But it's luck as much as skill. A grey Ford driver was in the wrong place at the wrong time. They could have been seriously hurt.
What happens to the two men now?
They're in custody being processed. The police said they'd provide updates once that's done. But they're facing theft charges and driving offences—the latter likely including dangerous driving or failing to stop for police.
Does the fact that they're from Manchester matter?
It suggests they came into Rossendale specifically, or were already in the area. Either way, it wasn't a local incident—it was outsiders bringing trouble into town.