Used to Flatten Police Car Tires, Aid in Suspect’s Getaway
Police in Australia are warning their U.S. counterparts about criminals turning the tables on police by making crude versions of road spikes and hurling them in the path of pursuit cars.
And since they are not actual road spikes used by police, there is little police can do about it.
Police want the homemade road spikes, made from housing nails, plumbing tube and butter knives - to be added to the list of prohibited articles or have them categorized as an offensive weapon.
Three such spikes were thrown in front of police cars in Australia recently as they chased a vehicle with suspects from a break-and-enter.
The homemade road spikes had up to 16 long housing nails driven through a section of thin, plastic plumbing tube about three feet in length. To ensure the sharp end of the nails remained upright, two blunt kitchen knives were taped to each end of the tube.
Police were forced to swerve to avoid the spikes. No police car tires were punctured, but the offenders got away.
Police recovered the homemade spikes and officers across southern Australia were warned about the improvised weapons in the latest edition of Police Weekly, an internal bulletin.
“It is an offence to carry road spikes, but these aren’t technically road spikes,” one officer said. Other police said they were unsure which offense a criminal could be charged with if found with homemade road spikes.
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)