West Midlands Police have detained a 38-year-old man from Wolverhampton following a high-speed chase around the area of Blakenall in Bloxwich on Tuesday morning (29 March).
Officers were alerted to the scene at approximately 10.10am after a stolen van linked to a burglary was spotted. The van sped off around the Beresford Road and Well Lane area smashing through a lamppost until it was stopped in Guild Avenue.
Guild Avenue, Bloxwich where the van was eventually stopped. Image: Google
Local residents said that approximately six police cars were involved in the chase around the streets of Blakenall, including Walker Road and Harden Road.
Christopher Talbot from Wolverhampton fled the scene but was caught and detained on suspicion of dangerous driving. He appears in court today charged with criminal damage to three police cars and two cars belonging to members of the public, alongside dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking and driving while disqualified.
Talbot also faces four burglary charges from Next in Telford that took place this month.
During the chase, five police officers were hurt, though no serious injuries were reported.
A shocking video circulating on the Blakenall and Surrounding Areas Facebook page shows the van reversing at speed into a police car with the driver stumbling out of the car and collapsing.
Talbot has been in trouble with the police before when he was charged with burglary following a ram raid at Boots in Wolverhampton in 2020. The car involved in that raid later hit a 19-year-old cyclist from Darlaston who died at the scene.