Police chase through Kettering and Corby ends with 'stinger' stopping fleeing car

Police used a 'stinger' to stop a Vauxhall Astra after chasing it from Kettering to Corby last night (Tuesday).

Two teams of officers were involved in the high-speed pursuit after the vehicle failed to stop in Kettering.

It was eventually halted in Westcott Way using a hollow spike tyre deflation device — a 'stinger' — but no arrests were made.

A spokesman for the Northamptonshire Police Road Crime Team said: "The vehicle was initially lost but recovered with the help of our operations team. It was a lengthy pursuit across Kettering and then laps of Corby before the stinger was deployed.

"The vehicle was eventually found nearby in Oakley Road."

Stingers are used to puncture tyres on oncoming vehicles when they are thrown into its path by an officer from the side of the road — who then quickly retracts it before a following police car passes by.

They are designed to gradually deflate tyres making it tougher for a motorist evading police to carry on driving.

Northamptonshire Police ordered nine extra stingers last year at the back end of last year, increasing to 15 the number of vehicles carrying them across the county.

Message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the highest standards in the world. The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you