Thieves drive lorry wrong way down motorway after stealing from Cornish distillery

This is the moment police caught up with the gang as they careered down the M42

Four men have been jailed after being caught stealing from a Cornish distillery before driving a truck with false plates the wrong way down a motorway.

The gang stole more than £80,000 of premium gin, rum and Champagne from a site in Wadebridge in the early hours of September 8 last year.

They were then spotted driving on the M5 with cloned plates, leading to a pursuit that saw them drive the wrong way along the M42 before ramming a police car, injuring two officers.

A rolling road block was put in place and the lorry was stung causing the tyres to deflate.

Once it had crashed, the driver and the front passenger made off on foot, crossing the busy lanes of the motorway.

The driver was caught shortly afterwards while the passenger was arrested on the grass verge. Officers then found three men in the back of the lorry along with the stolen alcohol.

The events as they unfolded

Dramatic footage of the chase released by West Midlands Police shows the white van careering along the M42, before exiting at junction nine.

The driver then attempted to rejoin the motorway but drove along the motorway exit slip-road, leading the vehicle into oncoming traffic.

A police vehicle that attempted to block the lorry was struck, causing the officers inside severe bruising and whiplash.

Another car was also struck, causing three people minor injuries before a police car managed to ram the lorry into the central barrier.The driver of the lorry immediately made off across the busy all lanes of the motorway but was caught a distance away.

The front seat passenger was also arrested on the grass verge. Inside the back of the lorry, officers found three men with the stolen alcohol.

'The consequences could have been catastrophic if the truck was not stopped' - police

All five men have now been sentenced for their roles in the theft and subsequent police chase.

The driver, Adam Leek, 40 of Birmingham, was jailed for five years and eight months after he admitted conspiracy to commit burglary, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance. He was also banned from driving for 65 months.

The front passenger, Sam Hall, 29 of no fixed address, was jailed for 31 months for conspiracy to commit burglary and possession of a class B drug.

James Delaney, 37; Joshua Selvey, 23, and Reiss Crombie, 32, all from Birmingham, were each jailed for 33, 28 and 28 months respectively for conspiracy to commit burglary.

Selvey was also convicted of possession of a class B drug.Delaney failed to appear at court for a second time and was sentenced in his absence. A warrant has been issued for his arrest and he is on the run.

A trial at Birmingham Crown Court heard the theft had been extensively planned and each of the gang had specific roles.

The premises and offices in Wadebridge were ransacked, bottles of alcohol were opened and smashed on the floor and entry points were damaged, requiring thousands of pounds of repairs.

Speaking about the police pursuit, inspector Sion Hathaway, from Central Motorway Police Group, said: "Our officers are highly trained at driving in unpredictable and dangerous situations. They continually assess any pursuit to determine risk to the subject vehicle and other road users.

"The driver of the lorry had only one aim, which was to avoid capture, no matter the cost to other members of the public. We were assisted by the National Police Air Service to bring the incident to conclusion as safely as possible.

"The brave actions of my staff are a reminder of how police officers don't hesitate to put themselves in harm's way to protect the public. Had the officers not taken positive action to stop this vehicle the consequences could have been catastrophic.

"The serious injuries suffered by two officers left them in severe pain and needing lengthy treatment, which they are continuing to recover from today. I applaud their actions on the day which no doubt prevented potential injury to members of the public."