Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Tuesday, 20th August 2024, at 16:50hrs
Two men have been arrested following reports of a drone being flown close to a prison in Leyland.
The incident happened in the early hours of this morning when officers were called to HMP Wymott. On arrival, a suspicious vehicle made off from officers, which resulted in a high-speed pursuit. It came to an end when the car crashed and ended up flipped onto its roof as a result.
In a statement released today, Lancashire Police said,
“We have arrested two men following reports of a drone flying close to Wymott Prison in Leyland.
We were called at around 12.25am this morning (Tuesday, 20th August, 2024) after reports the device was seen to fly close to the walls of the prison.
Officers have deployed to the area and noticed a suspicious vehicle which has driven away from the scene at speed.
Following a short pursuit, the vehicle was involved in a collision and flipped onto its roof before the two men inside ran away. A search of the car found a drone, a large quantity of what is believed to be Class A drugs and mobile phones.
With support from LFRS Drone team and PD Buzz, one man was located hiding underneath a nearby caravan and arrested. A second man was found hiding under a truck and was also arrested.
A 26 year old man from Leeds is under arrest on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug and dangerous driving.
A 18 year old man from Hyde, Greater Manchester is under arrest on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug. Both are currently in custody waiting to be questioned.
It is an offence to fly drones within 400 metres of a closed prison or young offender institution. Drone operators breaking the rules could face fines of up to £2,500 while those found smuggling illicit items face up to 10 years in prison.
We will continue to work closely with the Prison Service and positive action will be taken against those breaking the law. If you have any information about drones in the ‘no fly zone’, call 101. If you see one, dial 999.
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