A heroic member of the public helped police detain a suspect during a high speed car chase in St Albans at the weekend.

The incident occurred on Saturday, September 16, when a stolen Range Rover was driven into Hertfordshire from London.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police were following the vehicle when it was spotted at Junction 3 of the A1(M), near Hatfield, and continued onto the A414 towards St Albans. The vehicle failed to stop.

A helicopter from the National Police Air Service was overhead, and helped track the vehicle while it was travelling at high speeds.

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Officers from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit joined the chase along with the Met Police, and cornered the car in Marconi Way, where it crashed into a lamp post - just two hours after it had been stolen.

At that point, a member of the public jumped in to help detain one of the suspects.

Two men, aged 20 and 21 and both from London, were arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle; failing to stop for police; dangerous driving; driving while under the influence of drugs; handling stolen goods; and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

The 20-year-old has also been charged with possession of class A drugs.

Both men have been bailed while enquiries continue.

PC Brad Glover said: “I’d like to thank the member of the public for helping to detain one of the men.

"However, we would not routinely encourage members of the public to help for their own safety.

"The quick arrests meant we were able to take the vehicle, traveling at high speeds, off the roads – which may have prevented a serious injury collision to an innocent road user.

“This was a massive team effort. We worked closely with the Metropolitan Police, St Albans and Broxbourne Intervention teams, our Force Communication Room and Case Intervention Team (who deal with prisoners)."