When Nicky Tracey joined six police cars heading towards their base in the same make of vehicle, the officers assumed that he was part of the convoy.
But Tracey was in fact driving a stolen car belonging to his mother - and going to Huddersfield Police Station to hand himself in.
And just three days later the learner driver found himself in even more trouble with the same police force - when he damaged one of their vehicles.
Tracey pleaded guilty to charges of taking a vehicle without consent, driving without a full licence or insurance and two charges of criminal damage.
Kirklees Magistrates ‘ Court heard that on January 27 Tracey went to his mother Lynn Day’s home in Gledholt Road.
The 28-year-old left following an argument and stole Mrs Day’s Vauxhall Astra.
The crime was reported to police and an hour later Mrs Day received a phone call from Tracey.
Alex Bozman, prosecuting, said: “He said: ‘You’ll want your car back’ and then told her he was going to hand himself in.
“He attended at the police station, the vehicle was parked up and he handed the keys over to police.”
Tracey, of Lidget Street in Lindley, was then placed on police bail with conditions not to contact his mother or go to her home.
On January 30 he went to the house and when she refused to let him in, he started to damage her car.
Tracey also damaged a Vauxhall Corsa belonging to West Yorkshire Police after being placed in the back of the vehicle in handcuffs.
He kicked out at the centre console, causing damage to a radio screen, and a police van had to be requested to transport him to the police station.
Mike Sisson-Pell, mitigating, said that the original incident happened after his client rowed with his stepfather.
He than rang his mother and set off towards the Castlegate police station to hand himself in when she said that she had already reported the matter.
Mr Sisson-Pell added; “When he got to the ring road, three police cars came past all flashing their blue lights.
“He pulled in behind them as they were going to the police station.
“Three more police cars then came in behind him and so he joined the convoy of cars.
“They were all Astras, they presumed he was police and he pulled into the police yard with them.
“When he got out they asked what he was doing there and he said: ‘That’s a stolen car, I’m handing myself in’.
“And he did hand himself in - in the most expeditious way possible.”
District Judge Michael Fanning asked probation staff for a report ahead of Tracey’s sentencing.
