A burglar who drove a stolen moped dangerously around West Leeds is now behind bars after being brought to a stop by police.
Officers spotted the moped being ridden by a man in a balaclava in Armley on 16 November and began to pursue it after it failed to stop.
After following it through West Leeds, where it was driven the wrong way down a main road, officers used tactical contact to bring the pursuit to an end.
Jonathan Nye, 29, who was wanted for burglary offences, was arrested at the scene.
Nye, of Fearnley Place, Leeds, pleaded guilty to a burglary at a house in Farnley in July and an attempted burglary in Pudsey in September.
He also admitted dangerous driving, driving without a licence or insurance and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent in relation to the moped.
He appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday, where he was sentenced to a four years behind bars. He was also banned from driving for five years.
Chief Inspector James Farrar, head of the Roads Policing Unit, said: “Our Roads Policing Unit and specialist Proactive Intercept Team will take a robust approach to criminals when it is safe and proportionate to do so, and this case highlights that.
“Criminals may think they can use motorcycles and the road network to continue their offending. My message to them is clear: we will pursue and take firm action to bring you to justice and protect communities from crime.”
Detective Constable Ed Tidswell of the Leeds District Crime Team said: “Nye thought he could evade police by travelling around the city on a moped.
“By working together with our colleagues in the Proactive Intercept Team, we were able to build up intelligence about his movements to make sure we were in the right areas to catch him.
“His driving on the night of 16 November put himself and other people at serious risk and showed a complete disregard for any other road users.
“It is right that he is now behind bars and I hope residents can be reassured by the action taken to bring him to justice.”
Another man, Tyler Kemp, 24, of no fixed abode, was also jailed for two years for his part in the attempted burglary in Pudsey.