Drone footage captures moment three men are arrested on suspicion of car theft

Dramatic drone footage shows the moment three men were arrested following a police pursuit in Nottinghamshire.

Officers used the drone's thermal-imaging camera to track the men, aged 23, 19 and 18 in Kirkby-in-Ashfield in the early hours of Friday (28 January).

A vehicle had been spotted with false number plates on the A611 - it was followed by police onto the M1 and then towards Mansfield.

The car crashed into a parked vehicle and the men ran off on the A38.

Within a minute, one suspect was detained with the help of a police dog and two others ran off in the Orchard Walk area.

After further searches in gardens, two more men were stopped.

The drone footage shows officers running down streets and alleyways, shining torches and using a police dog as they hunt for suspects.

The men were arrested on suspicion of failing to stop, dangerous driving and car theft.

They remain in police custody.

Footage from Nottinghamshire Police:

The drones are equipped with two cameras, one which records normal footage, and is used as an eye in the sky to assist officers on the ground.

The other camera has a number of different thermal-imaging and night sight functions which can help pick out heat sources in the darkness, making it difficult for suspects to hide and evade capture.

The camera flicks through the different functions to see if any gives a clearer view of anyone who may be trying to hide.