Police break car chase as fuel runs dry
A police unit was forced to give up the chase of a getaway vehicle in northern Sweden as it ran out of fuel, with officers unable to fill up as they had only a charge card for a petrol station 20 kilometres away.
"While in this case the operation was ultimately successful, it would be good if in emergencies you could fill up with fuel at any petrol station," police officer Louise Jakobsen argues in a report of the incident.
Jakobsen described how her unit was in pursuit of a speeding car from Nordmaling towards Umeå when it became clear that their vehicle, which runs on ethanol, was about to run dry.
Another vehicle involved in the chase informed other police units that they had caught sight of the offending vehicle and called in support, but Jakobsen's car was unable to continue to the destination due to a lack of fuel.
"We were thus unable to help the other unit," she said.
Furthermore when the police officers decided to stop in Hörnefos to fill up they found that the car only had an OKQ8 card and they were thus forced to drive a further 20 kilometres back to Nordmaling to be able to buy fuel.
"One could argue that perhaps it is the unit's fault that there was no more than half a tank in the car but we had been involved in a similar chase earlier in the evening and had not had time," said Jakobsen.
While the operation was ultimately successful, the officer suggests that in the future the police should be able to use the closest petrol station, regardless of operator.
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"While in this case the operation was ultimately successful, it would be good if in emergencies you could fill up with fuel at any petrol station," police officer Louise Jakobsen argues in a report of the incident.
Jakobsen described how her unit was in pursuit of a speeding car from Nordmaling towards Umeå when it became clear that their vehicle, which runs on ethanol, was about to run dry.
Another vehicle involved in the chase informed other police units that they had caught sight of the offending vehicle and called in support, but Jakobsen's car was unable to continue to the destination due to a lack of fuel.
"We were thus unable to help the other unit," she said.
Furthermore when the police officers decided to stop in Hörnefos to fill up they found that the car only had an OKQ8 card and they were thus forced to drive a further 20 kilometres back to Nordmaling to be able to buy fuel.
"One could argue that perhaps it is the unit's fault that there was no more than half a tank in the car but we had been involved in a similar chase earlier in the evening and had not had time," said Jakobsen.
While the operation was ultimately successful, the officer suggests that in the future the police should be able to use the closest petrol station, regardless of operator.
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