Northumbria Police officer borrows passer-by's bicycle in Whitley Bay to catch fleeing suspect

Officers attempted to pull over a vehicle of interest around 11pm in Whitley Bay, but the driver sped off.

The car’s movements were traced by Northumbria Police’s operations department before it came to a stop and the occupant made off on foot.

An officer asked a nearby member of the public if they could borrow their bike in order to make up ground on the suspect.

Chief Inspector Ian Cutty of Northumbria Police said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to this good samaritan who allowed us to use their bike to quickly catch up with a suspect.

“This was a fantastic example of the public working with us to help disrupt and detect crime and I would like to personally thank the individual who assisted us.”

After catching up within minutes, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, and remains in police custody at this time.

The bicycle has now been returned to the member of the public.

Chief Inspector Cutty added: “It was a fast-moving incident and the manner of the driving put other road users’ lives in danger.

“It was totally unacceptable and our immediate priority was to bring the vehicle to a stop and detain who we believed was inside.

“Thankfully, the officers showed superb skill and initiative not only during the pursuit itself, but also after a suspect had made off on foot.

“Their quick thinking, along with the help of the public, allowed us to swiftly detain a suspect and ensure nobody was hurt.

“This was an excellent outcome for all involved and we will continue to use every tactic at our disposal in order to pursue suspects and bring offenders to justice.”