Second man held after stolen car crash in Portslade

A second man has been arrested after a crash involving a stolen car in Portslade yesterday (Tuesday 4 February).

The car crashed into a house in Valley Road, leaving one of the three occupants trapped while the other two ran off.

Sussex Police said: “Police investigating an incident in which an Audi TT car left the road and collided with a house in Valley Road, Portslade, at about 1.15pm on Tuesday 4 February have arrested a second man.

“The 17-year-old was one of two men who fled the scene on foot. He has been detained on suspicion of stealing a car, failing to stop and resisting arrest.

“The other man who fled is still being sought.

“A 23-year-old man who was trapped in the car and released by firefighters, suffering only minor injuries, has been arrested on suspicion of stealing a car.

“The Audi had been reported stolen from an address in Angmering on Sunday 2 February.

“There were people inside the house at the time. They were not hurt but were forced to seek temporary accommodation elsewhere.

“The extent of damage to the house is being investigated. It is currently assessed as unsafe and local authority engineers are still dealing with this.

“The Audi had been seen by patrolling police officers a short while earlier and officers were searching the area for it when it crashed.

“The precise circumstances of that search are being looked into and the matter has been referred to the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission) as a matter of standard policy purely because of the police activity at the time.”

Anyone who saw what happened or who has other relevant information is asked to contact Sussex Police on 101 or email collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk.