TJ
06-06-2004, 08:29 PM
Police choppers, 92 cop cars finally track down car thief
A man has been arrested after driving a stolen car while trailed by a massive force of 92 police vehicles and two police helicopters on a Hollywood-style, hours-long chase around suburban Tokyo, police said.
Ironically, Masami Takahashi was arrested for trespassing after he bolted from the light van he had been driving and tried to hide from pursuing officers in a barbershop in Fuchu, a suburb of the capital.
However, the 33-year-old unemployed man from Yokohama is expected to be slapped with a bagful of charges related to the Tuesday case and officers are currently questioning him.
Another man with Takahashi for much of the chase fled on foot, with police still searching for him.
Two people, a police officer on a patrol bike and a 47-year-old female pedestrian, were injured in the chase.
Police said Takahashi stole the light van in Fuchu on Tuesday morning. Hours later, police said, he rushed up behind a 41-year-old woman, stole her bag and then drove off in the van.
A police patrol car alerted to the incident started giving chase. When Takahashi appeared likely to shake his pursuers, officers called in reinforcements, police said.
As Takahashi continued to elude pursuing police while he wound his way through the tiny streets of five suburban Tokyo municipalities, ever more police vehicles joined in the chase.
When one patrol car skidded around in front of the Yokohama man, he slammed into the side of the vehicle, then quickly reversed, knocking the motorcycle cop off his bike.
Eventually, the officers forced Takahashi to stop his flight by car. But, upon halting the vehicle, he got out and fled on foot, bursting into the Fuchu barbershop.
Pursuing officers were hot on his tail, however he was arrested immediately.
(Wire reports, Japan, June 2, 2004)
A man has been arrested after driving a stolen car while trailed by a massive force of 92 police vehicles and two police helicopters on a Hollywood-style, hours-long chase around suburban Tokyo, police said.
Ironically, Masami Takahashi was arrested for trespassing after he bolted from the light van he had been driving and tried to hide from pursuing officers in a barbershop in Fuchu, a suburb of the capital.
However, the 33-year-old unemployed man from Yokohama is expected to be slapped with a bagful of charges related to the Tuesday case and officers are currently questioning him.
Another man with Takahashi for much of the chase fled on foot, with police still searching for him.
Two people, a police officer on a patrol bike and a 47-year-old female pedestrian, were injured in the chase.
Police said Takahashi stole the light van in Fuchu on Tuesday morning. Hours later, police said, he rushed up behind a 41-year-old woman, stole her bag and then drove off in the van.
A police patrol car alerted to the incident started giving chase. When Takahashi appeared likely to shake his pursuers, officers called in reinforcements, police said.
As Takahashi continued to elude pursuing police while he wound his way through the tiny streets of five suburban Tokyo municipalities, ever more police vehicles joined in the chase.
When one patrol car skidded around in front of the Yokohama man, he slammed into the side of the vehicle, then quickly reversed, knocking the motorcycle cop off his bike.
Eventually, the officers forced Takahashi to stop his flight by car. But, upon halting the vehicle, he got out and fled on foot, bursting into the Fuchu barbershop.
Pursuing officers were hot on his tail, however he was arrested immediately.
(Wire reports, Japan, June 2, 2004)