A quick-thinking van driver became an unlikely crime-fighting hero after offering an armed police officer a lift to catch a fleeing suspect – in scenes that have since gone viral.
Newly released body-worn camera footage shows the extraordinary moment an armed officer jumped into the back of a passing people carrier while chasing a man wanted following a serious assault in Margate, Kent.
The suspect was sprinting towards Tivoli Road on June 16 as firearms officers, weighed down by heavy protective equipment, struggled to close the gap.
Then an unsuspecting motorist spotted the chase unfolding.
Without hesitation, the driver pulled alongside the officer and offered him a lift.
“Go, go, go! Cheers buddy. Follow that police officer,” the armed officer shouted as he climbed into the vehicle.
The van accelerated through the streets while the officer directed the driver towards the fleeing suspect.
“Just go past him. Keep going past him,” he instructed.
Seconds later, the people carrier overtook the suspect and came to a halt.
The officer leapt from the vehicle, drew his weapon and successfully arrested the man before he could escape.
Praise has been heaped on a van driver who gave an impromptu lift to armed officers chasing a suspect in Thanet.
During the chase on Tuesday 16 June, a passing motorist stopped to help and told a pursuing armed officer to get in the back of his van. pic.twitter.com/fIHullvtJK
— Kent Police (UK) (@kent_police) June 25, 2026
Afterwards, the modest driver, whose identity has been protected, received a handshake and heartfelt thanks from the officer.
“I am just glad I could be of service. That was quite exhilarating,” he joked.
Kent Police Armed Policing Superintendent Will Lay praised the driver’s split-second decision, saying the suspect had come close to evading officers in a nearby park.
“However, our armed officers remained committed,” he said.
“Thanks to the quick and selfless actions of this responsible and public-spirited driver, officers were able to apprehend the dangerous individual.
“The successful arrest may not have been possible without the member of the public and his vehicle.”
Mr Lay added the motorist “should feel proud of his contribution to keeping his community safe” and said the force was “truly grateful for his assistance”.
The dramatic footage has since spread rapidly across social media, where many users hailed the driver as a hero.
Commentator Rhys Laverty described the clip as “every man’s dream”, adding: “Give the bloke a medal” – before joking: “Surprised the copper didn’t say he’d have to fill in a form before hopping in.”
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