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Follows the extraordinary work of some of Britain's most elite units and police officers, documenting the changing tactics of criminals and the response of the UK police forces.
2003
Pat & Carl (with a little help from Conrad and Dave) arrest the world’s noisiest car thief. Who’s on a push-bike. Seriously!
Derek & Grant along with Pat & Carl chasing a stolen beamer in Slough. Pat & Carl chase the occupants once they’ve decamped, Derek discovers what appalling music taste the driver has, and Grant finds a stuck-on number plate with the real one underneath. Naughty naughty... Derek & Grant check up on a disqualified driver who is still driving.
Pat & Carl on the Britwell Estate deal with two silly boys in hoodies and errr....marigold gloves. Steve the camera man proves his worth by sitting on an escapee.
Tony & Robb arrest one of the most obnoxious criminals ever seen on RW and apparently is one of the few people who objects to being on TV, 'coz he kicks the camera man. What a charming fellow.
Pat & Carl are assisted by Murphy the dog who finds a bloke in the garden. The bloke is terrified by Murphy. Serves him right. Pat & Carl in Chalvey: with the idiot who nicked the bedding and his even stupider mate. Tony arrives and he doesn’t believe them either. Pat & Carl back in Chalvey, hunting for a stolen car. And look - it’s the idiot from the bedding-nicking incident.
Pat & Carl chase a stolen car that reeks of cannabis and Carl finds an icky nappy. Pat & Carl in the grounds of a Milton Keynes hospital, chasing a lad who’s causing mayhem that ends with the death of a wall. Can he be charged with “brick-icide” as well as his other offences ?
Professional photographers become the victims of a broad daylight smash and grab in San Francisco. In San Diego, an enraged dog walker goes ballistic when she confronts a speeding driver in her neighborhood. A roadside altercation in Florida turns violent. A woman's car goes over a 20 foot embankment in Charlotte, North Carolina, landing directly on top of an SUV driving on the highway below. And a routine traffic stop in Denver, Colorado turns into two drivers' worst nightmare.
A man in Texas is pursued by an angry driver wielding a finger gun. A driver raging at two women in California is intercepted by two men who send him packing. A rideshare driver in Texas has food thrown in her face by an unruly passenger. A motorcyclist in Virginia Beach attempts to talk his way out of a baseball bat beatdown after a close call with a pedestrian.
2004
Pat and Carl are in a car chase when pat destroys the clutch and give the car a good old kicking (Basil Fawlty style) but pat makes up for it while the chase is on for a man who smashed a window with a frying pan.
Andy & Chris in Slough with the guy who appears much confused as to where to stop, and finally stops in a parking space in the local supermarket. Mark & Jim chase a Honda through Reading after it pretends to stop. When the driver finally decamps, among the numerous passengers in the car is a baby. What a muppet to drive like that with a kid in the car.
Pat & Carl in Kiddlington where this driver pretends he’s a branch of a boots. Andy & Chris in Chalvey. The chaps arrest a teenager who has attacked a pensioner and in danger of being pulled apart by local residents. Mark & Jim in an appearance in a spectacular chase through Taplow, Burnham and the Britwell.
Carl & Dave in Slough and the strange UDO (Unidentified Driving object) – much to the amusement of Carl. Chris & Andy in Slough chasing two odd bods: Carol Decker and Barry McGuigan look-alikes who you just know are going to turn up again, just like a bad smell
Andy & Chris in Reading again, chasing a stolen car and stop the pursuit in spectacular style.Mark & Jim, Berry Hill in Taplow, chasing idiots who ignore ROAD CLOSED signs. But the equipment fails to back them up so he gets away with it
Chris & Pats in Reading. The chaps play the hero and stop a woman from jumping off a bridge.Chris & Andy get lost in the maze of the Britwell Estate in Slough. When arriving at the incident, they are greeted with a woman with a mouth worse than a sewer and Derek & Tony are also called to assist and get stuck in on the arrest.
2005
The Thames Valley Police provide a fascinating insight into car crime and its prevention. Plus, shocking video footage captures dangerous drivers in action. Strong language.
2006
Simon and Chris tackle a car thief in the snow – who comes very close to turning Chris into a pancake with his car. Charlie and Chris out doing some Drug Dealer Falconry find some shady characters lurking in the bushes. Back at the nick, their arrestee’s drug stash is found in his nether regions, and someone in the custody suite fancies an attempt to swipe the takings! And, is that Grant behind the counter? Charlie and Chris head back out for some more Falconry and a demonstration of their Crim Radars Charlie and Ruffy tackle a sensitive situation with a garden spade. Chris and Simon demonstrate the Jedi-like powers of the Proactive team by tracking down a car thief to a wheelie bin! Yorkie and Dixie get down to a spot of Car Washing before heading out to track down disqualified drivers in bushes.
Chris and Simon step into the breach in a nasty car chase and save the day with a baton strike or two. Chris and Simon interrupt a healthy lunch to tackle a really angry bloke showing off a rather big sword. And he’s much taller than either of them! Chris, Simon, Ronnie, Roma, Charlie and Ruffy, in association with Conrad – now a motorbike cop – chase a nasty piece of work on the M1 with another sword – and this time the bloke’s not afraid to use it. Scary stuff. Not to mention Ronnie’s now famous prang with the marked car. Charlie and Ruffy head out to arrest a bail defaulter – and find a man with a head wound. By the time they finally get to the flat they were looking for, everyone ends up in trouble! Yorkie and Dixie chase down some panic-stricken teenagers in a Peugeot and give their own car a flat in the process. One of them, when caught, wants her mum.
Charlie and Ruffy track down an ANPR hit, whose driver ends up falling through a garage roof trying to get away. Simon and Chris catch up with a previous stop from ep one – but this time it’s his passenger who’s got the drugs. Chris, Simon and Ronnie do a drugs stop and deal with a guy who goes a bit, well, berserk in the back of their car. Just as well there’s three of them. Yorkie and Dixie sort out a minor fracas in a supermarket carpark involving a bit of stolen golf gear, a flying beer can and a guy with wings on his heels. Charlie and Ruffy hit the streets with tracker and come up trumps with some high value vehicles. And Charlie makes his first track!
Carrying out a drugs stop, Charlie, Chris and Simon make a right mess of a Renault Megane while Ruffy batters ineffectually at the passenger window; is it made of Transparent Aluminium or something? And Grant’s waiting for them back in the Custody Suite… Chris and Simon help to nab a pair of distraction burglars at a set of traffic lights Yorkie and Dixie collar a burglar that’s just left the scene using their Crim Radars. The chap is, naturally, not pleased at being stopped – but, hey; what’re those credit cards in different names doing in his pocket and how come a nearby tree has grown a pair of socks? And, as for the stolen goods in the wheelie bin… Chris and Andy give an unfortunate, burgled household a rude awakening at three in the morning.
Chris’s Crim Radar spikes again, leading him and Simon to stop a car with a passenger who makes a run for it, leaving Simon on the floor with a knee injury as he attempts to give chase. Chris ends up sorting out a binbag full of cannabis and a raft of paperwork showing just exactly who’s been making money from it, and his mobile phone, so they can call him at home if they want! Charlie and Ruffy carry out surveillance to grab a wanted man with a habit of running away and snatch him at a fast food counter! Simon and Chris, Ruffy and Charlie indulge in some more Falconry and the op they’re on reveals a drugs haul to make the eyes explode, not to mention more than a few brain cells if they had ended up on the street.
Yorkie and Lloydy interrupt Chris and Simon’s lunch with a scary car chase which ends halfway up an embankment on the M1 – leading to a nice walk in the country for half the force. Charlie and Ruffy try to stop someone who fits a description. It’s not the guy they’re after, but he gets aggressive over the whole thing when all he needed to do was give his details and be on his way in less than 30 seconds. Fortunately, Roma arrives and calms it all down again. Charlie and Ruffy do an ANPR stop over an out of date tax disc and, the driver also only has a provisional license – but no L plates. And his ‘supervisor’ has had his license revoked.
Yorkie and Dixie tackle a pair of wanted men found by CCTV and crush their golden pushbike to stop them getting away; or at least one of them, anyway. Shame the guy they’ve got isn’t the guy they were after! Charlie and Chris demonstrate the Piggott Crim Radar once again and nab a chap on a bike who resembles a persistent thief. Though the green plant material in his pockets is an unexpected bonus. Simon and Chris are in Bracknell doing more Falconry and investigate odd teenage behaviour in a multi-storey carpark. Ronnie and Roma pitch in to help when the tantrums begin and spittle flies.
Yorkie and Dixie are on a stakeout in Whitley. Roma and Ronnie are with them while they work their way through a range of magazines and do semaphore between the cars before doing a Most Haunted audition once darkness falls. And it takes them two nights of that before they get the chance to successfully spring the trap. Interestingly – even Lee whispers! The magnificent Mr Samuels makes his last ever appearance on Road Wars, stopping a chap who takes great exception to being nicked for the cannabis in his pocket. Apparently his name is ‘Noneofyourbusiness’ – though he doesn’t reveal whether it’s his first or last name.
2008
Charlie and new partner Mish Ryan are out in Slough and are alerted by their ANPR to a parked up Volvo with a bit of a criminal history, so they park up and wait for someone to return to it, as they suspect that the driver may well not be properly documented. The planned stop doesn’t, however, go according to plan as the driver decides he doesn’t want a word – but, being in a cul de sac, he’s had to flee down a footpath and gets a bit of a headstart, leaving Charlie to guess where he’s gone. By chance they catch up head to head, and the Volvo reverses away from them at speed, barging backwards past anything in the way.
Simon and Conrad are near Slough, and head off to assist a bus driver under attack nearby, with a robbery in progress. They arrive with superb timing and manage to snaffle the thief as he attempts to flee, all without disturbing Mr Hills’s shades! The suspect complains that he hasn’t done anything wrong – though the shaken bus driver says otherwise. The bus has a wide range of smashed windows and mirrors but, fortunately, no one has been hurt. Though the suspect doesn’t take at all kindly to being taken to the nick.
Simon and Conrad are out and about in Slough when they recognise the driver of a car they’ve been advised as being wanted for drugs offences (though apparently looking like Boris Becker is not a crime), so they turn around and head off after him, with Charlie and Mish heading in for backup. They lose the car briefly, but CCTV find it parked up, so they settle down to wait for him to come back to it and drive off again. The stop itself is – initially – pretty uneventful, as the driver gives himself up at once. His two female passengers, on the other hand, make things extremely eventful, when they loudly object to being filmed and decide to have a go at Simon as he won’t let them drive the car away – primarily because they’re uninsured to do so.
Charlie and Mish are in Bracknell and head in to assist with a drugs raid – along with anyone else in the team who is available. Except for the point where they run out of petrol and have to go and fill up, and then get stuck in traffic despite the sirens. Finally, everyone gets together – but it’s too late as the suspects have already driven off. Teaming up with Roma and new boy Kev Murphy with Flipper lurking on the sidelines, they move in, but have to wait again, as the suspects are now out and about on foot. As the suspected dealer has been known to attempt to swallow her stash, they want to get in quickly and hard – and boy, do they!
Conrad and Simon are in Slough, and head off to assist a youth who has been violently assaulted to force him to relinquish his bike. The report has come in from a good samaritan with whom the victim has sought refuge and so they head there first. It looks like he’s had a pretty nasty blow to the face, and a possible broken nose. He is able to give a description of the bike, along with some money and a mobile. Armed with descriptions, they head off in search of the ‘oiks’, and it doesn’t take too long to find some likely suspects. The lads know they’ve been spotted, so they flee – but not before hastily hiding the bike in a stairwell.
Conrad and Simon are in Taplow, but heading post haste towards Reading in search of a ‘vamoose’ car (i.e. stolen using keys burgled from the owner’s house) which has been left parked there. They pair up with Roma and Kev to await the return of the thieves in order to capture them before recovering the vehicle. Fortunately, they don’t have to wait long, and pile in to nab all but one of the thieves, who vaults over a high fence while Dave Jones helps his dog over to find any possible trail, despite the heavy rain. Needless to say, the humour flies in thick and fast about the high fence, as we all recall the last time Simon tried to vault one! Waller and Flipper head to Reading to help deal with a bloke who has threatened his ex-girlfriend with a knife. The threat of the knife is real, so an ARV is deployed – taser on hand – to ensure he doesn’t use it on anyone.
Charlie and Mish are in Slough in conjunction with Lloydy and Jim to help stop a pursuit. Charlie’s a bit lost, but this is less of a problem as the driver has abandoned the car and is now on foot – therefore being much slower. Anna is able to help them catch up with things once they finally make it to the scene, while Jim and Lloydy work on searching for the guy who is now, reportedly on the tracks of the main London-West Wales line, while everyone else, on the other side of the railway checks gardens. Much racing back and forth ensues as the suspect hops from one side of the line to the other, despite there being a high speed train due. As they are forbidden to join him on the tracks, Lloydy keeps watch from up a tree to see where the guy will emerge, sending off to a likely spot – but turns out to be perfectly placed to make the arrest himself – and viewers get the chance to play ‘count the bleeps’.
Simon and Conrad are in Slough – their patrol is interrupted by a sudden chase of a wanted bilker in a silver Vectra which heads over pavements and the wrong sides of roads as the fleeing driver attempts to get away, coming within an ace of hitting vehicles in all direction. Sooner or later he’s going to come a cropper, and eventually does – fleeing into the night and leaving a nasty prang behind him. The search involves a chopper and Mark who, as the search falters, ends up being called in to help with a totally different wanted man who’s been spotted by a local team also taking part in the search!
Daz and Dan are in Reading, and fall in behind a Corsa which pulls an illicit U-turn, causing Dan to pull out a tidy cliché before they try to pull the Corsa. The Corsa driver, however, has other plans and a pursuit ensues. Simon and JK are also in the area, and head in to assist. The fleeing driver doesn’t give a stuff about anything other than getting away, and Dan suspects the vehicle has been stolen. Attempts to lay a stop stick fail as the driver goes a different way, so Dan requests permission to carry out a TPAC once they’re on a suitable road. This turns out not to be necessary as the car flies down a dead end, and the driver flees on foot – hurtling through fences, rather than over them.
Waller and Kev are in Slough on patrol, and are behind a car whose driving leaves a lot to be desired, possibly because he’s been distracted by his girlfriend, who he’s been snogging at the temporary traffic lights. The car pongs of booze, so a breath test is in order – though the passenger locks herself in; apparently she’s scared. Once they get both occupants out, questioning starts, but the girl seems to be getting mega upset, and somehow convinces herself (wrongly) that Kev has agreed to let her go if she talks to him. There are suggestions that the guy deals Crystal Meth, and it’s possible that one or the other of them has hidden some drugs somewhere, but the girl gets so hysterical that it becomes impossible to deal with her.
Midnight in Reading. Daz and Dan are out on patrol and are called to a possible burglary, as a man as seen people crawling over the roof of a building. A chopper is en route, and the fire brigade are coming in with ladders. The use of the Night Sun reveals all, but we don’t see it as the Lads are called away to deal with some vamoose burglars currently being pursued. Dan recognises the driver of the fleeing car as the kid in the Corsa from Episode 9, and they’re driving along the exact same route as that chase so the stakes are upped as that driver got away.
Tristan is on patrol with Bella – and is called to an incident of criminal damage, in which young man has smashed the window of a young offenders’ rehab centre. Having found the youth concerned, Tristan discovers that the situation is far more serious as the lad has a piece of broken glass in one hand, and knife in the other – and he’s been slicing at himself with the glass. The youth refuses to be placated, and threatens to keep on cutting at himself, before taking exception at the presence of the camera and running at the cameraman.
Dan and Daz start their shift in Reading with a drugs raid. With a bit of hasty tooling up, they head to the house, enforcer at the ready, and – seven knocks later – they’re in. The house is clearly a place where drugs are used, though apparently in better nick than the Chaps were expecting, as they commence the incredibly thorough search that will be required. Dixie is upstairs with new colleague Tom French, where they find clear evidence of major drugs use, the floor behind the bed littered with needles and the walls spattered with little flecks of blood. Gross it may be, but the one thing they needed to find – drugs – weren’t in evidence that day.
Lloydy and Jim are in Slough are heading in to assist Charlie in nicking two guys involved in a drug deal. One of them has, apparently, gone into a cul de sac so they head in that general description armed with a description from Charlie, and start searching gardens. Lots and lots of gardens. As more coppers arrive, Kev spots the suspect and, delicately, attempts to climb over the wall – whereas Huey, being far more direct, hurtles straight through the gate and collars the guy amid a veritable forest of satellite dishes.
Dan and Daz are out and about in Slough, responding to a call from a local resident who is concerned at what appears to be drug dealing in a local park. Daz takes the cartoony approach, and they sneak up to a fence in true comedy style, with Dan peeking over the top of the fence, and Daz crouching to look through a knot hole. Spotting the suspects, they consider a suitable way of ambushing the group – and watch a deal take place from their hiding place. Rather than attempt to nab the guys in the park, they instead decide to speak to the customers, who are now heading away – Dan on foot, Daz in the car.
Waller and Kev are in Bracknell, on their way to assist with breaking up a whopper fight as there’s no one else available. When they arrive, there’s only a guy with a mop and bucket, who redirects them, and they find a lone officer attempting to break up an ongoing argument. They’ve all been drinking, which has clearly exacerbated matters, and one of them is happy to fight with anyone going – though they’re happy to let him on his way if he just shuts up.
Dan and Daz are in Reading on their way to a pub where a fight has broken out. Details are very sketchy, so they’re not sure what to expect – and find a woman with blood all over her face and a very, very active mouth. Donning gloves, Dan immediately requests an ambulance while he and Dan try very hard to work out how on earth she has got into such a mess. It turns out that her alleged attacker is still in the pub, and she wants him arrested for assault, so Daz heads inside.
There’s been a spate of vamoose burglaries in Reading, and Dan and Daz are on the case. They’ve just been overtaken by a sprightly Ford Focus, and their speed is such that blues and twos go on so that the Guys can follow more safely – and the chase is on. Eventually the driver mucks up a handbrake turn and stalls, before fleeing with Dan in hot pursuit which he has to break off when the guy decides to head onto a main railway line. Unfortunately, in backing up Dan, Daz has been forced to leave the Focus unattended, so the passengers have scarpered as well.
Kev and Waller are lurking around Slough on patrol, and are almost immediately called to apprehend a gang who have been spotted by an off-duty officer removing a card copying device from a cashpoint machine. Three of them are grouped around a car, so the opportunity to catch them ‘in the act’ is too good to miss and the Boys don’t want to mess it up. They execute a perfect strike, despite there only being two of them, Kev having to rugby tackle one of them to the ground, while Waller has managed to detain the other two alongside the car before they had a chance to flee.
Waller and Kev are in Slough – heading to intercept a nicked car. Apparently the car is now parked up while the driver does some shopping, so they head off to find it and wait for his return. There’s also an ARV at the other end of the road who can deploy a stop stick if necessary. It isn’t – as they manage to shock and awe the occupants enough to prevent them driving off. The stop has resulted in a few injuries, the driver getting a grazed face, and Kev a busted finger. Waller, however, is ready to run down anyone who flees – being able to run like a gazelle.
2009
Proceedings begin on the M5 just outside Exeter with Chris Davidson and his crewmate Mike Brown out on patrol. An ANPR ding alerts them to a car on the motorway with drugs history, and the driver, at first, seems ready to stop – but doesn’t. Burning off flat out, the pursuit begins with chilled commentary from Mike.
Steve Cruwys is on patrol in Exeter with Razor and is called to a house where a young man, suspected of beating up a Big Issue seller in town, has taken exception to being questioned, to the point of retreating into a house and issuing loud threats about knives. Steve arrives to a scene of minor mayhem, where the suspect is still shouting furiously in a back yard.
Exeter is clearly a ‘happening’ place to be. Darryl is on his way to a punch up in a local drinking establishment – and it’s a Sunday night! It’s reported that someone’s been glassed, and Darryl is likely to be the first to arrive. Murphy won’t be much help in this situation, so Darryl heads in on his own and nearly finds himself going face first into a flying fist. Fortunately, he only needs his glasses to drive, and they’ve been left on the dash in his van.
Darryl is out and about with Murphy in Exeter and is called to help with the apprehension of a car thief who nicked a vehicle in Torquay, rammed a police car with it, and is now hightailing it towards Exeter. By the time the chopper’s on scene, the car’s been abandoned and a suspect has been spotted on the run. It’s time for Murphy to show what he’s made of, and they head out across fields to where they can see the chopper hovering.
Chris and Mike are in Exeter in a marked Beemer and are called to have a word with a couple of youths lurking with a pushbike. It takes a bit longer than expected, but they finally spot a likely looking character – who spots them and nips off down an alleyway. Mike knows where the youth will emerge and they are soon behind them, even though he runs a red to try to get away.
Giles and Roger are patrolling the M5 in one of the STs and find themselves playing catchup with a car which has slammed past them at over a ton. Blues and twos have no effect, so they call in assistance. Some way behind, Mike and Chris are playing catch-up, also with a camera crew in the car. The bandit car exits the motorway onto a dual carriageway, but still doesn’t get any slower. Fortunately local traffic units also haven’t got any slower and there are enough available to pull off a tactical stop.
Steve's in Exeter with Razor, on the way to find a vandal who's been spotted on CCTV smashing car windows. When Steve, and a couple of local officers arrive, they find three youngsters lurking nearby. It's not certain that these are responsible, but they're definitely not cooperative. Being as there's CCTV available, a quick call is made back to CCTV Central to view footage, while it becomes fairly clear that one of the three is very drunk – and that proves his undoing when one of the others, tongue also loosened by alcohol, drops him right in it as they all show off for the camera. He really doesn't take at all kindly to being arrested, as only someone with a high blood alcohol content can, and the arrest reaches much the same proportion of aggro as that arrest of the drunk boy in series three, until they have to go one stage further and use CS.
Out with Lee and Sharp, at an Exmouth Kebab Shop, where a trainee Marine is really determined to advise everyone that, despite being incredibly drunk and aggressive, he's 'protecting our country' – which apparently entails swearing very loudly and abusively at a dog handler. At least the bleep machine's getting a workout. Word is that the trainiee, and his forces colleagues, have been hurling fists about, but the victim, sporting a damaged face, doesn't want to take it any further. Though the drunk trainee will probably have to put up with a major telling off to go with his hangover in the morning
The TAG are on their way to Torquay to execute a drugs warrant, and Gary decides that it's just too boring being stuck in the van – taking the opportunity to serenade his colleagues with a hoedown – dance moves and all. Suitably entertained, they head off to the house, where cannabis is presumed to be held. Dave and Gary are on door-smashing duty, and all move in haste to avoid losing the element of surprise.
Gareth's in Exeter, heading out to investigate reports of a group of youths in a lane behind a pub who've had a lot of alcohol, and a bit of a barney. One of them, it seems, has picked up a metal bar, so Finn has to stay put. He encounters a local officer who's stopped a cyclist, who isn't carrying a metal bar, but he is carrying a knife. He admits to this without hesitation, apparently under the impression that there's nothing wrong with going about in public armed with a six inch steak knife. Upon being informed otherwise, he decides to threaten to start spitting, and is immediately plonked on the ground. He then makes things a little worse by claiming to be HIV positive, which would make his saliva slightly more than just unpleasantly messy.
Roger and Giles are coming to the end of a late shift in Collumpton which has, so far, been rather on the quiet side. Before knocking off, they're asked to check out a vehicle heading their way on the Motorway – a vehicle which makes Giles very pleased to undertake the stop. A Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Convertible – or, as he puts it, one of the best cars ever made. It's got some insurance issues, hence their being asked to go get it.
It's a busy Friday afternoon in Exmouth, involving both the RCU and the TAG working together to raid a house whose occupants are suspected of dealing drugs. This means evidence is required, so the RCU are lurking in side roads on all routes away from the house ready to stop any potential customers leaving with their purchases. One of tonight's suspected customers is pulled over by Chris, Mark and Jim, who discover a spot of weed, on one of the occupants, and a bong on another, so they're taken to the nick for a spot of questioning.
We commence proceedings with Steve and Razor in Hemyock chasing after a four wheel drive which made off from local units. While they've found the vehicle, they're missing the driver, so Razor's nose is needed. The engine is warm, and parked alongside a shack-type building which is warm, but empty. Matters are not helped by the fact that the ground is wet, which makes it tough for Razor to find a track. They still don't know why he fled, but suspect that he might have been drinking.
The TAG doesn't always use large metal things to get through doors. Sometimes they use sneakiness. Today is one of those days, and Simon is wearing an entirely different uniform – pretending to be a postie. Moving quietly and surreptitiously – in full riot gear – they set themselves up while Simon knocks the door and claims that he's got something for the occupant to sign. The moment the door is open, someone in riot gear calmly walks up and goes in without any problem at all other than mild protesting from the homeowner.
Proceedings begin with Darryl in Exmouth, on his way to assist fellow officers who've been called in to deal with a young man who's threatened his family with a knife. The person concerned has holed up in a friend's house, and all descend, not entirely sure what they will find. Matters are quite tense, and the suspect appears to have scarpered according to the gentleman they speak to when they arrive. Matters soon deteriorate as the suspect's attempt at subterfuge falls to bits under questioning, and he attempts to leave as soon as it becomes clear that he's not got away with his pretence – a move which leads to a bit of a ruck in the back yard.
We open with the TAG – and Tony's CV. They're in Torquay today to raid a property which is claimed to have both drugs and stolen property within, so they've got the warrant and are prepping up to see what they can find. Plans are made in the van, and they head in with the Enforcer. As there's a dog, they've also got the fire extinguisher just in case. As they arrive, someone checks the door, and finds that they won't need the enforcer after all – and the TAG simply walks in.
Colin is out and about in Exeter with his dog Raven, and has been called in to assist some local officers with the dispersal of a bunch of people who've just left a pub. It is, as usual, alcohol fuelled, and there have been three callouts already thanks to the activities in the streets. Raven, muzzled so they can get right in amongst the crowds without the risk of anything more than flecks of drool on their clothes, is deployed and they head in to get people to move on.
Steve is in Exeter, heading out to help with the hunt for a man behind the wheel of a reportedly stolen car being driven by a man also suspected of stealing numberplates. The car is, as feared, abandoned – on the edge of a country park, so it's going to be down to Razor now. The doughty hound immediately picks up a track, and pulls Steve on a merry cross country chase through bushes until they catch up with someone out in the middle of nowhere.
Steve and Razor are in Exeter, heading out to assist with a report of a fight that leaves Razor with not a lot more to do than bark in the back. They reach the scene to find a single individual who is wearing a messy moustache of claret and an air of high dudgeon. He claims to have been attacked by a group of youths, and emphasises his anger at the situation with wild gesticulations that send splats of blood in all directions. He refuses to calm down, and ends up having to be section fived after lunging at Steve and the local officers who've also had to wade in.
Exeter in the dead of the night. Darryl and Murphy are on their way to deal with a couple of youths who are in the process of scaring the hell out of people at a petrol station. By the time the cops arrive, the antagonists have gone, but the damage they've left is pretty clear. A local unit has stopped two likely suspects who are loud, obnoxious and bladdered.
2007
New members of the Team, Darren 'Daz' Staley and Rosie Vosser, accompanied by Dixie, chase down people who burgle houses just for the car keys. Rosie demonstrates her command of the Proactive Crim Radar and her hunch nets the thieves, while Daz breaks the car. A bit. Ronnie Walsh (unseen) chases a stolen van through Slough whose driver seems to be allergic to driving on the correct side of the road. Despite being stung, he’s not giving up – or at least not until he runs out of road. Oops. Chris (check out the facial hair!) and Simon participate in yet more Falconry to nab a major drug dealer. Simon arrests a guy who is much bigger than he is while the rest of the team take down the door.
2009
This two-part special skids onto screens to celebrate Road Wars' best bits, from rubber-burning pursuits and dangerous drug raids to explosive kerbside arrests.
Chris and Simon are in Aylesbury keeping tabs on a suspicious car which their crim radars are peaking over. The pull, needless to say, results in a making off. The driving is crazy – but the heavy traffic frustrates the chase. Charlie and Ruffy head off to track down icky distraction burglars in Chesham. They spot a likely looking vehicle and speak to the owner who, while not being a burglar, has (guess what) only just bought it and can’t remember who he’s insured it with. Interestingly, he is quite happy to give up his car despite the recent purchase! This may be because he never reapplied for his license after being disqualified and thus hasn’t got one.
Simon and Chris are in High Wycombe to help clamp down on smash and grabs from cars. They aren’t in time to nab them on site, so they head off and help to box it in with a bit of help from Charlie and Lloydy. Not surprisingly, the thefts (of portable sat navs) are funding a drug habit. Chris and Simon, in Milton Keynes respond to a 999 call about blokes hanging around a car suspiciously. Simon recognises them, and Chris spots their ‘conveniently found’ screwdrivers. Guess what they’re doing, then? Even though the car they’re hanging around is abandoned, it’s still a bit on the suspicious – and one of them really, really doesn’t want to be arrested without realising that it’s all part of the Street Caution process. His behaviour leads to a full arrest, and Chris nearly has his arm bitten off by the car door! Rosie and Daz are in Reading and come across a madly speeding transit which they turn and head after.
osie and Daz are in Reading to nab a pair of suspected armed robbers, but still have time to indulge in a spot of ‘I spy’ with some of the local boys. The first is nabbed easily enough, while the other needs a bit of persuasion to open the front door of his flat – though he can’t see who’s out there because Daz has covered the spy hole with his fingertip. Quite why the guy has two sets of body armour in the flat is not clear… Charlie and Ruffy are in Oxford helping out a couple of PCSOs who are getting grief from a driver at the scene of a crash. One of them really doesn’t like their interest in the slightest. Quite why he feels like this is a mystery as he’s perfectly legitimate and has nothing to worry about!
In Milton Keynes again, Simon and Chris are taking part in a crackdown on drugs – but are called in to help Mark and Huey (TV-34) chase down a fleeing car. They use the warren of streets on an estate to try to cut off the car – only for the occupants to decamp. They spot someone, lose him, nearly run down some colleagues(!) before Simon heads out on foot before they finally nab their suspect in a garden hiding behind a hedge! Charlie and Ruffy, nearing the end of their shift, wait hopefully outside a Milton Keynes takeaway in hopes of grabbing some cheap nosh at closing time. They’re then foiled by a call for assistance to find some lads suspected of nicking beer from an offy earlier in the evening.
Chris and Simon are on another falconry job in Aylesbury to nab a dealer who hides his stash down a country lane. They stop the car abruptly and it takes three of them to get cuffs on the passenger! They’re carrying a rather startling amount of money, and they eventually find the stash (of weed) in the bushes. Now in Milton Keynes, Chris and Simon step in to disrupt what looks like a drugs deal between two youngsters. One of them just happens to be a passer by, while the other is very good natured at first – until they find the bag of a white substance which he claims is ‘milkshake powder’. Trouble is, even if the ‘milk powder’ is innocuous, he was intending to sell it as ‘drugs’ and could end up being done for deception! Back on Falconry duty in Aylesbury, Chris and Simon are at the forefront of another raid on a dealer.
Rosie and Daz are in Reading following a squeak on their on-board ANPR over a high-performance Audi with a dodgy numberplate. It flees – demonstrating just how high-performance it is; which is, very. Despite this, he can’t outrun them on wheels and ditches the car. Time to call in the chopper – but to no avail. While the search goes on, Rosie has a great time trying to load a car onto a recovery lorry with one of its tyres off. Charlie and Ruffy (in-car video only) are racing after a crazily speeding biker on the M1 who has no idea that they’re behind him, despite their lights and siren. Once he spots them, he indicates he’ll stop by waving his hand – and he’s still going at over 100! Chris and Simon are in Milton Keynes on a mission to disrupt drug deals.
Chris and Simon are in Milton Keynes, keeping an eye on some shady characters around a phone booth. A quick check reveals that they are following a known pattern of congregating at the booth, before heading off to another location, which (coincidentally) has a drug problem. Someone drives up to the shady characters, hands something over, then screeches off like the proverbial bat out of hell when Chris appears on the horizon. Though quite why he looks so mystified at being dragged out of a car following a high octane pursuit is the biggest question. Possibly because he’s trying to swallow the evidence…who’s the lucky devil who’s going to have to pick up a sim card covered in spit, then? Still in Milton Keynes, still with Chris and Simon, following up on a report of driver with no license, insurance or anything.
Ronnie and Roma, out on patrol in Slough, when they pass a car whose occupant hastily hides something. He claims he’s had nothing to drink, despite having booze breath and a can sitting provocatively in the passenger footwell. The car may not be moving, but the keys are in the ignition so, in legal terms, he’s in charge of the car. Once back at the nick, however, the reading on the intoximeter causes jaws to drop in astonishment!
Lloydy and Jim are out in the country hunting down a suspected burglar. Their attempt to block him fails and the driver is off down the pavement like a weasel on speed – only to come face to face with another unit around the corner. Much shock and awe ensues. Fortunately they’ve got the right man – given the damage to his car! Chris and Simon are in Newport Pagnell, also looking for a pair of opportunistic ‘walk in’ thieves. They call in Mark and Huey to cover the back of the lucky bungalow (with a green door, no less – cue another vocal rendition from The Nose!) before walking over – all decked out with the enforcer! Rosie and Daz are in Mortimer to take part in a raid on a guy who has one or two bladed weapons.
Rosie and Daz are in Reading for Operation Fanta (seriously!) looking for burglars who steal car keys to get at the increasingly hard-to-nick cars. Called in to help with a chase, they head off after a 4X4 which is able to get over the sump breaker in the road, when they can’t. Ouch! Back in Slough – Simon and Chris are looking for people pinching stuff out of parked cars. After an easy stop, a suspicious vehicle (fortuitously borrowed off a Mr John Thomas). It squeaks on databases, but the passenger doesn’t, so a visit to the nick is required for identification (mainly because he’s a convicted burglar who’s escaped from prison!).
Charlie and Ruffy are off to catch a thief in Bracknell – someone who’s pinched some alloy wheels and thrown them into the back of a stolen convertible. Using much vaunted ‘local knowledge’ they find the car. The wheels have been left lying around, but they spot the suspect and head after him – Charlie on foot and Ruffy in the car, which is why, when he takes to his heels too, he’s able to go tearing past his winded colleague and catch the suspect. Cheat. Ever generous, Charlie even finds some suitable reading material for the prisoner while he waits in the cell – though whether he really wanted to read about botched boob jobs is debatable… Iestyn and Boris are in Windsor at stupid o’clock looking for a man reportedly trying to break into a car.
Simon and JK are in Amersham to assist with a raid on a suspected drug dealer. They’re going in mob handed – with two other Tango Victor teams and the drug squad. The suspect is, not surprisingly, displeased at their arrival, but is hastily arrested while his flat is raided. Cue the usual, in depth searches, which turn up some digital scales and some cocaine. In Reading with Rosie and Daz, coming to the end of their shift, are called in to assist with a driver who is both banned and not supposed to be in Reading. He’s fled on foot and is now lurking somewhere in alleyways.
Ruffy and Charlie are in Aylesbury on the look out for a female drug dealer. Charlie catches up with her and an apparent customer, and they’re both detained for a drugs search, much of Charlie’s explanation being given with a pen between his teeth. Back at the nick, the lady is found to have hidden her stash in the plastic case used to contain a Kinder Surprise Egg toy. The bloke also has some, but the explanation about where she had her stash leads to much embarrassment and giggling during the piece to camera… Charlie and Ruffy are now in Bracknell and find themselves behind a van with a very odd looking number plate.
Lloydy and Jim are in Slough on Falconry duty. A pusher’s been disturbed and fled on a bike, and they’re soon on his trail. Lloydy manages to stop the pedalled flight by crashing into him and bowling the pair of them over! A quick search reveals no drugs, so Jim heads off with a local beat officer to see if he can find any hiding places along the escape route. This also proves fruitless, unlike the strip search back at the nick where his mixture of wraps wrapped in a hanky falls out of his underpants. Rosie and Daz are on tour in Slough, and pull a car that their ANPR suggests has no tax. No one in the car has a full license either, so there’s no insurance.
Yorkie and Dixie are in Reading on a Burglary exercise when they’re called to a break-in. They hear that the suspects have made off in a blue Saxo and commence the hunt. A local unit spots them lurking, which leads to a spot of shock and awe. There’s some stolen property in the vehicle from the property that they’d just fled from – good call. Still in Reading, a bunch of young men make the foolish mistake of racing past Yorkie and Dixie while hurling abuse. They are brusquely stopped and expected to account for themselves.
Out in Reading with Rosie and Daz on patrol, when she spots a car with a broken window. The driver seems to be taking an endless amount of time to stop, and a pursuit ensues, briefly. For some reason, the driver seems amazed at being stopped, and it appears that his befuddlement is booze-related. He’s known to Rosie, who’s previously stopped him for no insurance. With Lloydy and Jim alongside, Daz breathalyses the driver, who claims that Daz is the guy who blew in the tube! There’s also the concern that the car’s nicked, given that the window’s broken, and the driver seems eager to shout something across to his passenger, while insisting he’s only recently bought it.
The team is in Maidenhead on ANPR duty, Lloydy and Jim follow behind a car that’s pinged the system, and manage to get to him in time to notice he’s been ‘fiddling with something’ in the car. Suspecting drugs, and possibly even dealing, the search begins. Jim suspects that a stash has gone down the guy’s trousers, so they go back to the nick for some privacy. One stash of ‘e’ later, they’re off to the custody suite to process him for dealing as it’s a sufficient quantity to be dealt.
Rosie and Daz are out in Reading looking for burglars, and head to a BT exchange where a van is being broken into live on CCTV. Pretty much every unit nearby is converging on it – though the Bat Car has local knowledge on its side so our duo get there first. There’s an alarm going, and ladders leaning against a wall, but the suspect has vanished. The chopper’s been called in, but there’s a van parked a few streets away which has a history of burglary attached to it. En route, eagle-eyed Rosie spots a different van with someone lying under it!
Rosie and Daz are out in Reading on a joint operation targeting burglars. They’re called in to chase up a car that’s been nicked from outside a house; the driver of which has crashed it into some bollards. They’ve attempted to move it, given up and fled. With immensely limited descriptions, the team don’t hold out much hope of finding them, but hole up in hopes of catching them out. The tactic pays off as they spot a possible suspect, who they leave with a dog handler and chase after another who vanishes into the night; so they do swapsies with the dog handler and process their first find, who turns out to be the car owner’s son! Lloydy and Jim are in Windsor on the lookout for thieves, but instead encounter a poorly driven car and a motorbike apparently using a car park as a drag strip.
This two-part special skids onto screens to celebrate Road Wars' best bits, from rubber-burning pursuits and dangerous drug raids to explosive kerbside arrests.
Dog handler Steve deals with a troublesome group of lads; the Road Crime Unit make a surprise discovery; and Darryl is the first on the scene of a serious accident
The Dog Squad's Colin controls troublesome kids with the help of his German Shepherd; the Tactical Aid Group carry out a drugs raid in Newton Abbot where cannabis is being grown, while Roger and Giles of the Road Crime Unit pull over a driver who has hidden some drugs in a rather cheeky place
The Road Crime Unit make a surprise discovery after pulling over a car, and dog handler Steve and his faithful friend pursue a suspect. Meanwhile, the Tactical Aid Group raid a flat
Dog handler Steve deals with an aggressive assailant; the Road Crime Unit pull over a BMW loaded with drugs; and the Tactical Aid Group kit up and prepare for a raid in Torquay
Road Crime Unit officers are flagged down to help a member of the public, and dog handler Lee is called in to deal with two incidents involving men armed with knives
