Police dog snares her suspect after high-speed chase

FORCE HELICOPTER DEPLOYED DURING PURSUIT

A helicopter was circling around the county on Tuesday night last week after a high-speed chase on the M1 which ended with a suspect being snared by a police dog.

The pursuit started 15 miles from Leicester at junction 23 of the M1, near East Midlands Airport. There was a high-speed chase down to junction 21 at Fosse Park.

Here, the suspect vehicle turned around and went the wrong way back up the southbound carriageway towards junction 21a.

The motorway pursuit was called off by Leicestershire Police but the vehicle was later spotted abandoned in Sheffield Street, in the Westcotes area of Leicester, and the helicopter began circling the area.

On the ground, the force’s special operations team carried out a search with a police dog – a Belgian malinois called Katia – which helped capture a suspect.

The special operations team tweeted last week morning: “PD Katia detained a suspect that chose to run last night after a high- speed pursuit on the M1 during which the driver decided to go the wrong way up the motorway before later abandoning the vehicle.”

The suspect has since been released and police are continuing to investigate the incident.

Police said in a statement: “Shortly before 10.30pm yesterday officers from the roads policing unit requested a car to stop at junction 23 of the M1.

“However, the car failed to stop and a pursuit was authorised. The car left the motorway at junction 21, before returning and travelling north on the southbound carriageway to junction 21a. The pursuit was subsequently aborted.

“A short time later, it was reported the car, a Vauxhall Astra, had been found abandoned in Sheffield Street, Leicester.

“Assistance was provided by the National Police Air Service and one man was detained nearby.

“As a result of further enquiries, he was subsequently released.

“Inquiries into the incident remain ongoing.”