Unmarked police cars l've not seen before..

Kristoph · 11 Mar 2014 at 18:53

Where I live it's not uncommon to see the odd 5 series unmarked police car, but on the way home from work I saw three cars doing an almost cat and mouse style driving.

All three unmarked, led by a Golf (can only assume it was an R, the speed it was accelerating). The Golf sped to a junction, blocked off the joining traffic and then an Audi A4 estate and a BMW estate sped through, with the golf then joining the back of the group.

They did this at the next lights with another car leading.

Would they drive VIP's at high speed (70~) through a busy 30 limit?

Can't imagine it's a routine call out as I've never seen these cars in this area. Somerset isn't exactly a hive of activity.

Rroff · 11 Mar 2014 at 18:57

No idea on the specifics in this case but there has been unmarked Golf R and Focus STs around the Yeovil area for awhile - always in dark grey with tinted windows. Never seen em using Audis around this area before.

EdwardTeach · 11 Mar 2014 at 18:59

What happens to their old cars, do they ever auction them off?

Vita · 11 Mar 2014 at 19:38

We have unmarked 3/5 series bmws, along with the Volvo v70's. Typical unmarked police cars.

Meridian · 11 Mar 2014 at 19:59

What that most sounds like is a training exercise of some type. Many forces train outside their own area, so they may not be local cars. Where I used to live it was common to see unmarked cars doing driver training.

R.C.Anderson · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:01

How do you know they were unmarked police cars, rather that just 3 stupid drivers messing around?

Gaverick · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:10

During the Raoul Moat case I was driving home on the A1 and was passed by a line of 30+ unmarked cars, there was alsorts from vans to estates to hatcbacks to 4x4's, old and new, all with blue lights behind the grilles.

Richie · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:12

EdwardTeach said:
What happens to their old cars, do they ever auction them off?

Why would you want one?

There is a common misconception that police cars are specially tuned for performance. They aren't. The suspension might be upgraded on some of the cars to deal with the extra load (traffic cars, armed response etc) but the rest of it is standard spec stuff.

Would you really want a thrashed car with loads of panel damage (screw holes etc)?

Voxination · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:16

Kent police have a Mitsubishi L200 which I thought quite odd, especially when they have a few LR Discovery's too.

Dup · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:19

A number of years ago I was exiting a corner on a Scottish country road and passed two white Volvo estates as I was going much faster than them. I was quite on the limit and they must have been going very close to if not over the speed limit as it was. A number of miles down the road I stopped in a car park in a small town full of similar looking cars and men in police uniform. 10 mins later the two estates pulled up to join the party.

Turns out they were doing pursuit training amongst other things out in the sticks and they were impressed with how swiftly my CTR moved. The officer trailing his rookie however wasnt impressed they couldn't keep up, oops! There was some good banter but obviously they threw in a few stern hints to calm it down. They were even more shocked I had the dogs in the boot :/

craaaaaig · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:19

Kent police also used to have Leon cupras, last time I saw one was 2010 though. In the usual grey with tints

rG-tom · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:34

I was overtaken by an unmarked range rover Evoque on the a57(m) in manchester on Sunday.... Interesting choice. Only an sd4 too from the badge so not even a potent one. (is there such thing?)

Voxination · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:45

craaaaaig said:
Kent police also used to have Leon cupras, last time I saw one was 2010 though. In the usual grey with tints

They still have a Blue Lean Cupra R that hangs around the Strood area.

BananaDunka · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:46

Could swear I saw an unmarked Kia down here not too long ago.

They're blending in proper, those coppers!

Steve2000 · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:50

They use Octavia VRSs, Imprezas and BMW X5s round here.

Rroff · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:57

mrk said:
Could swear I saw an unmarked Kia down here not too long ago.

They're blending in proper, those coppers!

Its possible - they used to cruise up and down the A20 and around that area in a big blinged out rolls (I'm guessing at some point it was confiscated).

Re the point above about tuned - I'm pretty sure some of them are - those golfs around here are decidedly not running stock - seen em in action on the dual carriageway here a couple of times heh.

geekman · 11 Mar 2014 at 20:59

Is it bad that I know the makes, models and registrations of all my local unmarked cars?

rjk · 11 Mar 2014 at 21:09

We have a seat Leon round here apparently. Never noticed it before but I suppose that's kind of the point.

I remember a while back when I was considering an impreza STi that there were a few for sale with what looked like twice annual maintenance records and prodrive packages although I assume they were specced that way rather than an aftermarket addition.

The activities in the OP don't sound like something the police would do particularly but what do I know

beermonster · 11 Mar 2014 at 21:12

Saw a similar thing near Newark, three identical grey golfs with very small blue and red LED's in the grill driving at silly speeds weaving in and out traffic, one overtook and flashed me head on so I had to slow to an almost stop, was pretty daunting.

snapdragon69 · 11 Mar 2014 at 21:21

Private VIP security also adopt this defensive strategy even though it's illegal. Maybe it was just Almuhoojaroon or Combat 18?

Unmarked police cars l've not seen before..

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