‘One big joke’ led police car taker to court
A MAN who stole a police car then drove it on an estate has been convicted and is facing a possible prison sentence.
Police said Daniel Wild, 33, thought it ‘was one big joke’ - but he’s now due to appear before a crown court judge to be sentenced after he pleaded guilty to a series of charges.
The Observer reported a video being shared on Tiktok showed a liveried Greater Manchester Police 4X4 being driven recklessly in Kirkholt.
The car can be seen in the footage reversing along the pavement of a street at pace, before being backing into a side street and bouncing off the kerb and back onto the road.
It happened after an officer left the vehicle to detain and arrest a 28-year-old man in a shop nearby after a pursuit, GMP said.
In a statement on Friday, the force said: “We have successfully convicted a man following his irresponsible actions last weekend, Sunday, April 14, when it transpired a video was being circulated of a police vehicle being driven dangerously in Kirkholt.
“This happened after an officer left the car to bravely detain a 28-year-old man in a nearby shop following a pursuit.
“Following extensive enquiries by officers to track and trace the responsible person, Daniel Wild, 33, of Kildare Crescent in Rochdale, was arrested and has been convicted after pleading guilty.”
Police said Wild appeared at Stockport Magistrates Court on Thursday.
He is due to be sentenced on Thursday, May 16, at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court.
Wild, said GMP, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving; aggravated vehicle taking; two counts of driving without insurance; two counts of driving otherwise in accordance with a licence; failing to report at a collision; failing to stop at a collision and driving a vehicle without a seat belt.
Chief Inspector Michael Parker, from GMP’S Roads Policing Unit, said: “This person thought, unlawfully, that taking a marked police vehicle whilst the officer was detaining a violent suspect, and driving it around the community in a dangerous manner at excessive speeds, was one big joke.
“Thankfully no members of the public came to harm, but this sort of behaviour will never be tolerated by
Greater Manchester Police, and we want to reassure and remind our communities actions like this do have severe consequences.”
The force said Wild was remanded on bail ahead of the sentencing hearing in Manchester next month. No further details have been revealed.