This is the dramatic moment a thief continue to drive a stolen quadbike even after it burst into flames as he leads police on a 70mph chase.
Steven Johnstone, 41, broke into a garage on a farm in Teesdale, County Durham, shortly after midnight on October 11, last year.
Police dashcam shows him trying to outrun cops as he hurtles along busy roads on the Yamaha Kodiak 700.
Sparks are seen coming from under the bike moments before it erupts into a fireball, but incredibly Johnstone carries on driving.
He then crashes the burning bike into a bush on a residential road by the River Skerne near Darlington and flees on foot.
Steven Johnstone (pictured), 41, broke into a garage on a farm in Teesdale, County Durham, shortly after midnight on October 11, last year
Police dashcam shows him trying to outrun cops as he hurtles along busy roads on the Yamaha Kodiak 700. Sparks are seen coming from under the bike moments before it erupts into a fireball (right), but incredibly Johnstone carries on driving
Officers tackled him to the ground, with one exasperated cop telling him: ‘Absolutely astounded how stupid you’ve just been there. You are so lucky that did not blow you to smithereens.’
He was taken into custody and later charged with theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a class B drug and receiving stolen goods.
Johnstone, of Bradford, admitted the charges and was jailed for two-and-a-half years at Durham Crown Court on Monday.
He was also banned from driving for two years and three months.
The chase started when police spotted the stationary quad bike and a red Vauxhall Astra in the middle of the A67, between Gainford and Piercebridge in County Durham.
Officers approached but on seeing police, Johnstone panicked and sped away on the quad.
Johnstone drove the wrong way around a roundabout and careered onto the wrong side of the road, while sparks flew off the bottom of the vehicle.
He carried drove around eight miles to Darlington where he darted into residential streets where it exploded into flames.
Johnstone’s co-accused, Metin Ucurcan and Jack Smith who were inside the Astra, were also arrested for their roles in the farm garage burglary.
Ucarcan has since been jailed for 37 months for the offence and a separate break in at a property in Darlington, last year.
He then crashes the burning bike into a bush on a residential road by the River Skerne near Darlington and flees on foot
Officers tackled him to the ground, with one exasperated cop telling him: ‘Absolutely astounded how stupid you’ve just been there. You are so lucky that did not blow you to smithereens’
Smith received a 21-month suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
Neighbourhood Inspector Edward Turner, of Durham Constabulary. said: ‘This was a highly organised burglary by a trio who had quite clearly planned to target the farm that day.
‘Our Ruralwatch members were one step ahead however and tracked the gang’s movements, which allowed officers to locate the two vehicles involved.
‘Ruralwatch members are invaluable and have once again shown that their dedication and vigilance helps us get results like this.
‘I hope this sentence sends a clear message to criminals that our rural communities are not an easy target and we will continue to work closely with our local residents to keep these areas some of the safest places to live and work.’