A criminal drove the wrong way down the M4 in Swindon in a car full of stolen goods.
Scott Lippiatt had been on a theft spree in the town when officers spotted a nicked Citroen Berlingo travelling towards Junction 16 on 15 January this year.
Specialist police teams, including firearms and roads policing, were sent to stop the car. They boxed the vehicle in, but the driver managed to escape.
The driver ran a red traffic light, mounted a grass verge and drove in the wrong direction on the wrong side of the motorway.
Three firearms units made contact with the vehicle – causing it to crash at low speed into the central reservation.
Three men were arrested and taken to hospital as a precaution before being conveyed to custody.
The gang were involved in several thefts locally – tools were reported stolen from a vehicle in Beatrice Street and motocross bikes, equipment and clothing were reported stolen in Austin Road.
23-year-old Lippiatt, of Stanier Road, Siston, was charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop, multiple counts of theft from a vehicle, driving a vehicle without the owner’s consent, going equipped for theft, driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and without insurance.
He pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced to 17 months imprisonment.
John Matthews, 39, of Lawrence Weston, Bristol and Chaz Bevan, 26, of Broadbury Road, Bristol, were given community orders for their roles in the crime spree.
PC Warren Johnston said: “By doing what he did, Lippiatt showed no respect for other motorists by driving in such a mindless and dangerous manner with the potential of causing multiple serious collisions.
“This was all done with a stolen vehicle full of stolen goods he had taken from vehicles in Swindon prior to making his way onto the motorway.
“The team work displayed by multiple teams within Wiltshire and quick decisive actions of officers brought the matter to a swift and safe conclusion and allowed the return of a number of high value stolen items to the their owners.”
