This is the terrifying moment a robber’s getaway van rams a police car before a crook is flung out of a passenger door and onto the road during a high-speed chase.
Police released dramatic dashcam footage of the chase after four robbers were jailed for a combined total of 30 years following a raid at a jewellers.
The 43-second clip shows the thieves’ white transit van weaving across three lanes of motorway traffic as two police cars attempt to box it in.
At one moment the van careers from the hard shoulder diagonally across to the fast lane before deliberately ploughing into the back of a police car.
The van then swerves violently across the carriageway, narrowly missing a petrol tanker and lorry in the slow lane, as the robbers try to escape.
One of the crooks is hurled out of the van as it speeds around the wrong way at a roundabout before bags are seen to be thrown onto the road.
Police were forced to abandon the chase to prevent innocent motorists being injured or killed but the gang were caught by a separate patrol 20 minutes later.
Despite fleeing, four men were arrested and charged with robbery and driving offences and on Monday (21/11) they were jailed at Warrington Crown Court.
Lewis Chalmers, 27, of Chorlton Cum Hardy, Manchester, was jailed for nine years after he admitted robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and two counts of affray.
Patrick Massey, 26, of Salford, was jailed for nine years after he admitted robbery, aggravated vehicle taking and two counts of affray.
Darren McAndrew, 32, of Newton Heath, Manchester, was jailed for eight years after he admitted robbery and aggravated vehicle taking.
Joseph Schofield, 20, of Manchester, was jailed for 48 months after he admitted robbery, dangerous driving and two counts of affray.
The chase, which crossed two counties and involved 20 officers and two force helicopters, took place on July 27 this year.
Cheshire Police were alerted to a raid at 11.18am at Moody’s Jewellers in Pillory Street, Nantwich.
The gang, wearing balaclavas, forced a hole in the window and stole a number of watches before making off in a vehicle.
At the time, Moodys said on their Facebook page: “Whilst we were safely protected inside the shop by our wonderful security measures, a violent gang of four attacked the windows with various means ranging from a drain grid cover to a Samurai sword.”
Officers attended and carried out a number of enquiries at the scene and a search was made around the area.
A car was found in nearby Brine Road in Nantwich which had been set on fire. But police soon tracked down the gang’s second getaway vehicle and pursued it down the M6 motorway.
Despite being forced to abandon the chase after the van sped through a residential area, a police patrol spotted them trying to steal another car and arrested them 20 minutes later.
Cheshire Police, North West Motorway Group, Central Motorway Police Group, West Midlands Motorway Group and Staffordshire Police were involved in a later chase with the gang after they switched to a white transit van.
Detective Constable Craig Stevens, of Cheshire Police, said: “This is a great result and highlights that we are effectively borderless.
“No matter where you run, we will work together to capture you and bring you before the courts.
“I’d like to thank everyone for helping to put these dangerous men behind bars.”
Constable Nicholas James, of the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG), said: “It was a complicated and fast moving situation that had a positive safe outcome.
“The professionalism of all officers in this incident was commendable.”
