Stolen Range Rover driven on rail tracks as thief flees cops, chase reminds people of ‘Grand Theft Auto’

After speeding away from the cops, the thief abandoned the car on the tracks causing transport disruption. As the videos go viral, the police are still looking for the suspect.

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After the car had been taken off the line, train services were resumed.

It’s not everyday that life imitates art, but for commuters near a UK railway station, a police chase of a stolen vehicle reminded them of ‘Grand Theft Auto (GTA)’. In a video going viral, a thief in his attempt to evade arrest, drove the vehicle on railway tracks, and the thrilling video of the chase is breaking the internet.

The footage shows the driver, who despite the sunny weather had windscreen wipers, suddenly reversing the car while the door was still open. In the process, he also injured two officers. While the female officer managed to get free, her male colleague was dragged by the door before he was tossed into a parked car when the thief hit the brakes.

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According to The Sun, the police were alerted around 9:30 am on Thursday that a stolen Range Rover had travelled into Hertfordshire ground from Essex. As the black car was located in Cheshunt, officers from Essex Police attempted to speak to the driver. That is when things went awry.

Watch the video here:

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“It was like a scene from Grand Theft Auto, the video game,” an eyewitness, Ali, who captured the ordeal on camera, told BBC News. “Gobsmacked” by what he witnessed, the man told the news outlet that he was there to catch a train but missed it because of the thrilling chase.

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The CCTV footage showed the driver speeding away from the scene barging into the tracks by breaking the barrier. A cab operator at Cheshunt Station Cars told the Evening Standard that one of their drivers was hit in the collision as tried to escape.

Describing the incident as “crazy”, something he had never heard or seen before, the operator added: “He wrote off one of our cars. Our driver wasn’t trying to stop him, he was just in the way. But all our drivers are safe now.”

Greater Anglia, Stansted Express and London Overground services have been affected following the incident.

🎫 Due to an obstruction on the line at #Cheshunt, the following ticket acceptance is in place:

Great Northern between Kings Cross and Hertford North / Cambridge.

London Underground between Kings Cross / Liverpool Street.

— Greater Anglia (@greateranglia) July 15, 2021

Another eye witnessed shared image of the abandoned car on the track that blocked the railway route.

#greateranglia #cheshunt pic.twitter.com/YIxzFAAldW

— David (@ContainerDave) July 15, 2021

A Network Rail spokeswoman later told the news outlets that the car had been taken off the line and repair work on the track was due to take place. After some delay, operations resumed on the route, according to National Rail Enquiries.

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However, while police continue to hunt down the suspect, the video of the chase has taken social media by storm and not just eye witnesses, even netizens agreed that it reminded them of the popular computer game. It even led to #GTA trend in the UK.

How many times does one get to say in their lifetime “Omg I just saw a car driving on the train tracks while I was waiting for my train” https://t.co/ZOueA0q0DK

— 𝕊𝔸𝕄𝕀 ℍ𝔼ℕ𝔻ℝ𝕀𝕏 (@SAMSMOODBOARD) July 16, 2021

The new fast and furious looks diff here https://t.co/fBujH9V4eL

— liya (@liyamdn) July 16, 2021

I know this is how my mum sees me driving https://t.co/QffsGNN7Xk

— ö 🍒 (@_gozleme_) July 15, 2021

This is actually something I’d do on GTA when I finally get to play it for the first time 😂🤣😭 https://t.co/FoeLnRqWB5

— Audré🇯🇲✨ (@AudreDBAer) July 16, 2021

moving like they’re playing gta 💀 https://t.co/IshRA7Ehb2

— Olivia💫 (@aiviloco) July 16, 2021

#greateranglia #cheshunt pic.twitter.com/YIxzFAAldW

— David (@ContainerDave) July 15, 2021

Saw GTA 6 trending & it’s just people making jokes about this😔 https://t.co/sKaMNXf9c2

— Tom (@cpfctom_) July 15, 2021

Me on gta trying to race the train https://t.co/usvk7llb6A

— shk (@shkhn_) July 16, 2021

GTA 6 out already ? https://t.co/4I50tO7T2N

— SLIMANE (@SLIMANE29K) July 15, 2021

pic.twitter.com/NzcGLa6hho

— Richard Wood (@richardwood83uk) July 15, 2021

More reliable than the 40 year old trains which normally run from there.

— 🏳️‍🌈Adrian and GD Gem #WearAMask🏳️‍🌈 (@dog_gem) July 15, 2021

Appalling. He indicated left and went right!

— Trevor Greetham (@TrevorGreetham) July 15, 2021

20 seconds before this was recorded … Uh I mean … 140 years before it was recorded : pic.twitter.com/YeEWCajOFw

— Romain Chafore (@RomainFchr) July 15, 2021

This has to be a movie set. This is madnesss ! What did he have in that car. The clues to find Madeleine

— TheDon🇯🇲 (@DFWorld123) July 15, 2021

THIS can’t be real LIFE I’m seeing LOL !!!

— Dee (@DeezVybz) July 15, 2021

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The theft prompted an immediate shutdown of the Louvre museum in Paris. (Pixabay)

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