Traffic Pursuit Officers and aircraft from the National Police Air Service were quickly mobilised to search for a black Mini, after police received calls from concerned members of the public reporting the vehicle’s erratic driving on the A1M near to Catterick.
Members of the public starting alerting police, at around 9.20am last Thursday 6 May, saying that a black Mini was travelling at speed, southbound on the A1.
Eyewitnesses reported the vehicle coming into contact with the central reservation, then swerving across the carriageway to undertake vehicles using the hard shoulder.
Further witness reports informed officers that the vehicle had left the carriageway at Dishforth, making a short stop at a local restaurant car park, before re-joining the A1 shortly after.
Due to the danger posed to the public, officers scoured the area with NPAS searching from the sky, in a bid to bring the vehicle to a safe stop and prevent any harm from coming to both the public and the driver themselves.
At 10.25am the vehicle was successfully located as it attempted to leave the forecourt of a petrol station in Thirsk with a flat front tyre. The driver was arrested and taken into custody.
Searches of the vehicle uncovered a bag containing a substantial amount of cash.
The driver, a man in his 40’s from London, has been charged with driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. He remains under investigation for possible money laundering offences.