Dramatic Car Chase in Hammersmith

Stolen Mercedes scatters pedestrians on King Street

Police were involved in a dramatic car chase along the streets of Hammersmith as a stolen Mercedes sped the wrong way up King Street and up the Shepherd's Bush Road nearly hitting pedestrians and crashing into other vehicles. The incident occurred at 1.00am on the 9th December.

Officers were on routine patrol in Hammersmith Broadway in an unmarked Police vehicle. On reaching the junction with Blacks Road they saw approximately 8 males running west into Blacks Road. The men were followed and seen to get into 2 motor vehicles (a silver Mercedes A class and a black Mini Cooper). Both vehicles were stolen.

The Mercedes alarm began sounding and the hazard lights began to flash. The officers stopped their vehicle approximately 4 metres behind the Mercedes, which reversed backwards almost hitting their car. It then moved forward to allow the mini to make its escape and it made off onto Hammersmith Broadway.

One of the officers got out of his vehicle and ran to the driver’s door of the Mercedes, which was locked. He identified himself as a Police officer whereupon vehicle made off. The officer ran after it smashing the offside windows in an attempt to gain entry and stop the vehicle however the vehicle accelerated west along Blacks Road towards the dead end.

It then tuned right at the end mounting the footway and drove along the pedestrian only access of Angel Walk towards King Street. The vehicle crashed into the wall of the building on the west side of Angel Walk and a bollard but managed to squeeze through onto King Street where pedestrians were on the footway.

It then turned right and went east along King Street, the wrong way along the one-way street heading into oncoming traffic causing motorists to take evasive action. It then reached the junction of King Street and Hammersmith Broadway where the car again mounted the footway this time outside Edwards Public House where pedestrians had to run to get out of the way.

The Mercedes then made off north up Shepherd's Bush Road losing control with the back of the vehicle swinging out to the right before continuing at high speed north. The vehicle had no headlights on and veered onto the wrong side of the road where it hit an oncoming marked police van. The car managed to continue north and turned right into Brook Green far too fast and lost control ploughing through clearly marked roadwork fencing and shunting 2-parked vehicles.

All occupants then got out of the Mercedes and police detained two suspects. Two males aged 17 and 18 were arrested and are now helping police with their enquiries.

December 13, 2006