Three teenagers from Ongar, Harlow and Chelmsford arrested after car stolen from Saffron Walden crashes into Fyfield pub while being pursued by police

Three teenagers were arrested after a car stolen from Saffron Walden crashed into a pub in Fyfield while being pursued by police.

Acting on information from the public, officers from Essex Police began following a black Ford Fiesta in Ongar on Saturday (Jan 4).

They signalled for it to stop but it carried on towards Fyfield. As it entered the village on Queen Street, it hit the Queen’s Head pub.

All three occupants fled the vehicle, two of them running through the pub’s garden and jumping into a river, attempting to swim to the other side.

They were tracked by officers with the help of police dog Buddy. The other suspect was quickly detained.

Police inquiries revealed the car had been stolen overnight on Thursday into Friday (Jan 2-3) from Saffron Walden.

An 18-year-old man from Ongar was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, failing to stop and driving whilst disqualified. He was also found to be wanted for two other serious offences.

Two 17-year-old boys, from Harlow and Chelmsford, were arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. All three remain in police custody.

Chief Inspector Julia Finch said: “Unfortunately, this is the second such incident in Essex this weekend and it is only thanks to the professionalism of the officers involved that this came to a conclusion without any injuries to the public.

“As a force, we’re working really hard to tackle groups of people we believe to be responsible for vehicle theft – and we don’t intend on stopping.

“To those who believe they can target people’s vehicles, which are paid for through hard-earned work, then the simple message is: ‘You cannot. You’ll be found and you’ll be arrested’.”