No jail for thief who crashed into Thames

Dec 21 2009 By Adam Courtney

Truck thieves skidded into the Thames

A THIEF who careered a stolen pick-up truck into the Thames at Walton has escaped jail.

Luke White, 21, of Laburnum Road, Chertsey, admitted aggravated vehicle taking and driving without insurance in relation to the story we reported in October, when stunned eyewitnesses saw White plunge into the river by The Anglers pub and then have to be rescued from the water by scores of officers who had been laying in wait for him.

But Staines Magistrates took into account the fact he made an early admission, his cooperation with officers and the fact it was his first offence, and decided against jail.

Instead he was fined £837, ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and banned from driving for a year at the hearing on Wednesday, December 9. Two other people, who were arrested at the time of the offence, were released without charge and 17-year-old was issued with a reprimand by officers.

The truck, a Nissan Cabstar, had been stolen from a house in Charlton Village at about midnight on October 12.

The theft was reported by the owner and when White was spotted by a patrol car shortly afterwards, he panicked and led police on a near-eight mile chase before eventually ending up in Manor Road and, ultimately, the river.

His laywers argued he had stolen the the truck because he had run into financial difficulty and that the chase hadn't gone above 40mph.
Surrey Police was recently criticised by a crown court judge for its apparent slowness in bringing offenders to justice but DC Ashley Mullem, who lead the investigation, was satisfied with the speed in which this prosecution reached court.

He said: "Surrey Police will not tolerate serious offences like vehicle theft and I hope the swift and effective action taken in this case demonstrates we will use all available resources to bring offenders to justice."