England: A man who has gone missing after running straight into the water during an attempt to run from cops following a stolen car crash is believed to be alive, police say.
The search started when police were notified of a Renault Clio crashing into a local bollard in the town of Sheerness, Kent, a bit after 23:00 GMT on Friday. Early investigations led police to believe the car was stolen earlier that evening from the parking lot of a pub in The Leas, Minster-on-Sea.
Three people have been detained on suspicion of driving the vehicle without consent of its owner. Two of the women ages 19 and 29, have been released without charges, while 27-year-old man from has been released on bail.
A spokesperson from Kent Police Dept. said the search for the fourth suspect resumed at 10:00 (Brian time), after overnight searches were carried out, but has since been called off after ‘extensive inquiries’ now lead them to believe that the suspect is alive, having found his way out of the dangerous waters:
“The sea was extremely rough and there was a genuine concern for the man’s safety.” said Detective Chief Inspector Adam Ball. “However, after extensive enquiries, we now believe that he found his own way out of the water.
The man is still a person of interest wanted for questioning by the police, despite the search for his safety being called off.
