Dangerous moped rider gets armed response

A 29 year old man has been arrested after riding a moped across pavements in Hove. By coincidence, the officers chasing him were armed.

Police received a report at 09:50 of a moped rider without a helmet riding across pavements near Seven Dials. The same moped was later coincidentally seen by firearms officers in an unmarked police vehicle in Kingsway, Hove.

When challenged by the armed response team he failed to stop and rode off towards Shoreham shortly after 10:00. The police helicopter was called to help catch the rider, along with officers from the roads policing unit.

The moped rider eventually abandoned the vehicle near Haybourne Road in Brighton at 10:50. He was arrested by an officer on foot in nearby Cooksbridge Road.

The man was taken into custody after being arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, theft of a motor vehicle, driving while disqualified, and failing to stop for an officer.