Police uncover £70,000 whisky heist in back of lorry

In the early hours of Saturday morning, December 14, 2024, police officers in the UK conducted a drink-drive patrol near Bradford, West Yorkshire, when they encountered a lorry that had failed to stop for them. The situation escalated into a brief pursuit along the northbound M606. Officers from West Yorkshire's Roads Policing Unit used a stinger to bring the vehicle to a halt at approximately 7:50 am. Upon searching the lorry, they discovered boxes of Johnny Cree whisky valued at £70,000, which are believed to have been stolen. The whisky was found without any accompanying documentation, raising concerns about its legality. In connection with the case, two males traveling in the lorry were arrested and are currently in custody. This incident temporarily closed the northbound lane of the M606 while officers managed the scene. The operation was part of the wider Operation Limit initiative, which aims to reduce incidents of drink and drug driving during the holiday season. This campaign, running from December 1 to January 1, highlights ongoing police efforts to combat the dangers of impaired driving, especially given that, according to statistics, nearly 1,900 individuals are killed or seriously injured annually in the UK due to such offenses. The discovery of the stolen whisky was an unexpected outcome of what had begun as a standard drink-drive patrol, emphasizing the unpredictability of policing activities and the potential for uncovering more serious offenses in the process.