Police have seized a car after its driver was spotted using a public road in the West Midlands 'like a race track'.
Reckless Driving Leads to Seizure
The incident occurred in the West Bromwich area on Thursday, January 15, 2026. Officers from the West Midlands Police traffic unit, known as the D-Unit ANPR Interceptors, were on a 'Fatal 4' patrol targeting major traffic offences when they observed the blue Volkswagen Polo being driven in a dangerous and anti-social manner.
A crucial detail emerged: the vehicle and its driver had already been issued with a formal Section 59 warning for previous anti-social vehicle use. Under the Police Reform Act 2002, a Section 59 warning can be issued for vehicle use that causes alarm, distress, or annoyance. This includes acts like excessive revving, street racing, and reckless driving.
The Legal Consequences of Anti-Social Driving
Because the driver was caught repeating the offending behaviour, officers had the immediate authority to seize the vehicle. The police team shared an image of the seized Polo on social media platform X that evening to highlight the consequences of such actions.
The accompanying post stated: "WMP D-Unit ANPR Interceptors were on fatal 4 patrol in the West Bromwich area, when the driver of this vehicle was seen to be using the road like a race track. The vehicle and driver had already been issued with a S.59 warning, so the vehicle was seized and driver reported."
A Busy Night for Traffic Officers
Later on the same evening, the traffic unit reported another successful intervention. They used pre-emptive tactics to stop a Nissan Qashqai which was suspected to be stolen and linked to various offences.
Police said that the occupants attempted to flee on foot but were quickly arrested with assistance from the National Police Air Service and other officers on the ground. The recovered vehicle will now be returned to its rightful owner.
This series of incidents underscores the ongoing efforts by West Midlands Police to tackle dangerous and anti-social driving on the region's roads, using legislation like Section 59 to remove persistent offenders from the streets.
