A major manhunt is going on in West Yorkshire.
Officers are hunting a bearded man armed with an axe after a crash - and police have described their attempts to catch him as “a major operation.”
The man who is believed to be carrying a small axe, is thought to have been driving a van which was involved in a smash with three other vehicles at the junction of Scott Hall Road and Sheepscar Street North in Leeds at about 5.30pm yesterday. (Sat)
He fled from the scene in a white van and was reported to have been seen close to the Arndale Centre in Headingley a short time later, where he is believed to have used the axe to steal a bicycle that was locked up after abandoning the van close by.
He is then thought to have abandoned the bicycle close to St Chad’s Rise and fled into woods.
He is white, in his 30s or 40s, with a black beard and a flat cap. He is also believed to be wearing a light coloured jacket and jeans.
Supt Lisa Atkinson from Leeds District Police said: “There is a significant policing presence searching for this male and we are very keen to bring this incident to a conclusion as soon as we can and as safely as possible.
“No-one has been seriously hurt and it appears the male has only used the axe as a means of stealing the van and the bicycle, but we would urge anyone who sees this male not to approach him and to contact police on 999, so we can locate him and detain him.”
