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Driver arrested for crashing into Cheltenham newsagents after high-speed police pursuit

A 19-year-old man was arrested last night after he drove through the window of a shop in Cheltenham trying to escape a police chase.

The driver, who has not been named by police, was arrested on suspicion of driving offences, criminal damage and failing to stop in connection with the incident after he crashed into Clarence Stores.

Gloucestershire Police say the incident started at around 8:10pm after the driver of the blue Jeep Cherokee ignored requests to pull over on Prestbury Road.

Police successfully used a stinger device to burst the jeep’s tyres after a short pursuit from the St Paul’s area to Clarence Square.

The driver carried on through two flat tyres, driving through red lights at speed before failing to take a left turn and crashing through the window of Clarence Stores.

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No pedestrians were injured as a result of the crash, however, three of the four suspected passengers of the jeep got away from police after fleeing the scene.

Sam Holtom, Clarence Stores shop assistant, said that the store has came to a standstill following the crash.

She added: “The shop will be shut for a bit until the insurance company can assess the damage and then build it back up again. Then we’ll get back into trading.

“This is the second time a car has hit the shop so something needs to be done, either the speed outside or bollards put outside for the safety of the shop. If somebody was in here it would be a completely different scene.”

Police say the three passengers who escaped are believed to have been all male, dressed in dark clothing, and they are appealing to anyone who was near the crash site at the time to call 101 and quote incident 432 of 8 October.

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