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'We know where you are' - police's cat and mouse car cruisers crackdown | 'We know where you are' - police's cat and mouse car cruisers crackdown |
(about 2 hours later) | |
CCTV caught this driver performing stunts as the passenger hangs out of the window | CCTV caught this driver performing stunts as the passenger hangs out of the window |
"Oh I'm spinning... bro I'm going sideways!" | "Oh I'm spinning... bro I'm going sideways!" |
The voice of an excited BMW driver racing another car, which belches black exhaust smoke as its engine revs loudly. | The voice of an excited BMW driver racing another car, which belches black exhaust smoke as its engine revs loudly. |
His dashcam footage gives a stark driver's-eye view of why car cruising has caused several accidents on the busy Daleside Road in Nottingham. | His dashcam footage gives a stark driver's-eye view of why car cruising has caused several accidents on the busy Daleside Road in Nottingham. |
He jumps a red traffic light. Then as the blue lights of a police car appear behind him, he tells his friend: "Look, they pulled me bro!" | He jumps a red traffic light. Then as the blue lights of a police car appear behind him, he tells his friend: "Look, they pulled me bro!" |
"They pulled me bro" - footage shows the moment car cruiser is pulled over | |
The 22-year-old, from Birmingham, was one of the first drivers arrested after Nottinghamshire Police's Operation Wheelspin began in September. | The 22-year-old, from Birmingham, was one of the first drivers arrested after Nottinghamshire Police's Operation Wheelspin began in September. |
His car was seized because he had already been issued with a Section 59 warning for anti-social driving. | His car was seized because he had already been issued with a Section 59 warning for anti-social driving. |
After officers seized the dashcam recording, he admitted driving without due care and attention, and driving a vehicle without a front registration plate. | After officers seized the dashcam recording, he admitted driving without due care and attention, and driving a vehicle without a front registration plate. |
He has been banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £130 in costs. | He has been banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £130 in costs. |
Sgt Jim Carrington says car cruisers are putting lives at risk | Sgt Jim Carrington says car cruisers are putting lives at risk |
Car cruising is nothing new, but Sgt Jim Carrington agrees that officers are now playing a game of cat and mouse, as drivers use closed social media groups to move between several locations on a single night. | Car cruising is nothing new, but Sgt Jim Carrington agrees that officers are now playing a game of cat and mouse, as drivers use closed social media groups to move between several locations on a single night. |
"They are a lot more organised. They work regionally and nationally," he said. | "They are a lot more organised. They work regionally and nationally," he said. |
"We can follow them. They will try and avoid us. What we are trying to do is send a message that Nottinghamshire is not a playground for these individuals." | "We can follow them. They will try and avoid us. What we are trying to do is send a message that Nottinghamshire is not a playground for these individuals." |
Sgt Carrington says the cruisers are putting both their lives and the lives of the public at risk. | Sgt Carrington says the cruisers are putting both their lives and the lives of the public at risk. |
"They're using the public highway as a race track, and if that goes wrong obviously that can create all kinds of carnage," he said. | "They're using the public highway as a race track, and if that goes wrong obviously that can create all kinds of carnage," he said. |
Officers track the movements of cars on the Operation Wheelspin database | Officers track the movements of cars on the Operation Wheelspin database |
The BBC joined Operation Wheelspin as officers tracked cars converging around Nottingham and Mansfield on a Saturday night. | The BBC joined Operation Wheelspin as officers tracked cars converging around Nottingham and Mansfield on a Saturday night. |
Its database now has the number plates of more than 1,400 vehicles seen at car cruising events. | Its database now has the number plates of more than 1,400 vehicles seen at car cruising events. |
PC Logan Grieh is in plain clothes so he can watch what is happening without raising suspicion and tell his uniformed colleagues which cars to intercept. | PC Logan Grieh is in plain clothes so he can watch what is happening without raising suspicion and tell his uniformed colleagues which cars to intercept. |
A laptop in PC Grieh's unmarked police car shows a map of locations, where those cars have been picked up on automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) traffic cameras. | A laptop in PC Grieh's unmarked police car shows a map of locations, where those cars have been picked up on automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) traffic cameras. |
CCTV footage of a car driver performing stunts at a retail park near Colwick | CCTV footage of a car driver performing stunts at a retail park near Colwick |
A message over the police radio says cars are heading towards a retail park near Colwick, where drivers perform dangerous stunts. | A message over the police radio says cars are heading towards a retail park near Colwick, where drivers perform dangerous stunts. |
Recent CCTV showed spectators watching cars "drifting" and skidding in circles - one with a man hanging out of the passenger window as he filmed. | Recent CCTV showed spectators watching cars "drifting" and skidding in circles - one with a man hanging out of the passenger window as he filmed. |
As we arrive, a line of cars speed away. Then a silver BMW performs a "donut". | As we arrive, a line of cars speed away. Then a silver BMW performs a "donut". |
Two marked police cars overtake us on blue lights, as they are called in to intercept on the A612. | Two marked police cars overtake us on blue lights, as they are called in to intercept on the A612. |
PC Logan Grieh calls in marked police cars to intercept a driver who was seen performing stunts | PC Logan Grieh calls in marked police cars to intercept a driver who was seen performing stunts |
PC Grieh says the stunts are very dangerous because the drivers could lose control at any point. | PC Grieh says the stunts are very dangerous because the drivers could lose control at any point. |
"It's not guaranteed that they will complete a full donut," he says. "They can easily go into spectators that are quite close, and seriously injure them." | "It's not guaranteed that they will complete a full donut," he says. "They can easily go into spectators that are quite close, and seriously injure them." |
A message comes in that the BMW has lost control on a cul-de-sac, a few miles away in Burton Joyce. | A message comes in that the BMW has lost control on a cul-de-sac, a few miles away in Burton Joyce. |
The driver has already been issued with a Section 59 warning, so his car is seized. | The driver has already been issued with a Section 59 warning, so his car is seized. |
One of the rear tyres is almost worn away and there are two spare wheels behind the driver's seat. | One of the rear tyres is almost worn away and there are two spare wheels behind the driver's seat. |
A car is seized after the driver performed stunts, despite a Section 59 notice | A car is seized after the driver performed stunts, despite a Section 59 notice |
The driver is charged with driving while disqualified, failing to stop and driving without due care and attention. | The driver is charged with driving while disqualified, failing to stop and driving without due care and attention. |
He could face a further charge of drug-driving, depending on the result of a toxicology test. | He could face a further charge of drug-driving, depending on the result of a toxicology test. |
But the police hope most drivers will be deterred by their Section 59 notices. | But the police hope most drivers will be deterred by their Section 59 notices. |
Those warnings have been issued to 74 people so far and only 10 have been caught reoffending. | Those warnings have been issued to 74 people so far and only 10 have been caught reoffending. |
As the night wears on, some of Operation Wheelspin's targets pass ANPR cameras around Castle Donington in Leicestershire, while others appear to be meeting at Worksop and Rotherham. | As the night wears on, some of Operation Wheelspin's targets pass ANPR cameras around Castle Donington in Leicestershire, while others appear to be meeting at Worksop and Rotherham. |
Then the database shows vehicles heading towards another favourite car cruising spot, a short stretch of dual carriageway between two roundabouts, just off junction 27 of the M1 in Nottinghamshire. | Then the database shows vehicles heading towards another favourite car cruising spot, a short stretch of dual carriageway between two roundabouts, just off junction 27 of the M1 in Nottinghamshire. |
PC Grieh watches several known number plates pass him there. It looks as though the drivers are being scared away by a marked police car dealing with a separate incident. | PC Grieh watches several known number plates pass him there. It looks as though the drivers are being scared away by a marked police car dealing with a separate incident. |
The database shows many of them heading into Ilkeston instead, so the officers alert Derbyshire Police. | The database shows many of them heading into Ilkeston instead, so the officers alert Derbyshire Police. |
Police intercept a driver caught racing his mother's car | Police intercept a driver caught racing his mother's car |
By midnight, it all looks quiet, so their sergeant calls it a night. But then another message comes in. | By midnight, it all looks quiet, so their sergeant calls it a night. But then another message comes in. |
Cars are racing again at Daleside Road - the dual carriageway in Nottingham where that dashcam footage was filmed last September. | Cars are racing again at Daleside Road - the dual carriageway in Nottingham where that dashcam footage was filmed last September. |
PC Grieh calls in the number plate of a car that speeds away in front of him and two marked police vehicles intercept it at the next roundabout. | PC Grieh calls in the number plate of a car that speeds away in front of him and two marked police vehicles intercept it at the next roundabout. |
The driver is given a Section 59 notice, and warned the car will be seized if he is caught again. | The driver is given a Section 59 notice, and warned the car will be seized if he is caught again. |
And he won't just be in trouble with the police, because the car belongs to his mum. | And he won't just be in trouble with the police, because the car belongs to his mum. |
Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. | Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. |
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