Cars seized in police blitz on Midlands street racers
Dangerous street racers are being driven out of the West Midlands as traffic police take a tough new stance on road menaces.
More than 50 vehicles have been seized at illegal 'car cruising' events in the last few months and 200-plus prosecutions secured against drivers.
Many offenders have been hit with charges of driving without insurance even though their vehicle has a valid policy.
That's because West Midlands Police ? alongside colleagues in Staffordshire and West Mercia under the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) partnership ? have secured agreement with insurers to seize any cars driven in a way that would invalidate cover.
CMPG inspector Jason Wathes explained: "No insurer would cover a driver to take part in street racing so insurance firms have given us their full support to seize vehicles that are being driven in a way that would render the policy void.
"Similarly we will also seize cars we encounter with modifications like lowered suspensions or exaggerated exhaust systems.
"Motorists, businesses and residents in areas affected by 'car cruising' have told us they are fed up with this."
West Midlands Police has emphasised the dangers of street racing by releasing helicopter footage showing one motorist hurtling down the A47 Heartlands Parkway ? a 40mph zone ? at over 100 mph.
An injunction on car cruising introduced in February 2015 was extended earlier this year by The High Court. The Black Country-wide injunction bans people from taking part in a car cruise anywhere within Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall borough.
