Twelve people have been arrested as Cleveland Police widen their investigation into suspected serious and organised criminal activity before the A66 crash which killed seven people, including two serving police officers.
Nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61, have been arrested across Teesside on suspicion of a range of offences, including possession of a firearm and participating in the activities of an organised crime group.
The arrests represent a significant development in the investigation into what happened before the fatal collision in South Bank in the early hours of Saturday.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died when the police vehicle they were travelling in was struck by a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the A66.
All five young men inside the Passat were also killed.
They have been identified as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jacob Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Cole Robert Worthy, 17.
Two Vehicles Under Investigation
Cleveland Police said its investigation is examining criminality which allegedly took place before the fatal crash.
Officers had received several reports involving two vehicles being driven dangerously.
The first, believed to have been a Volvo XC60, was reportedly seen ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area.
Investigators believe the second vehicle the Volkswagen Passat subsequently involved in the fatal collision was associated with the activities of the Volvo.
Police said both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates in an apparent attempt to avoid detection.
Despite the cloned plates, the vehicles were detected by the force’s automatic number plate recognition technology.
The Volvo XC60 has now been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough as part of the criminal investigation.
Passat Was Pursued Before Fatal Collision
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is separately investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision because of the police involvement immediately before the deaths.
According to the IOPC, Cleveland Police had received reports connecting the Passat with “numerous incidents”.
The vehicle was believed to have been displaying cloned registration plates which triggered an automatic number plate recognition camera.
A police vehicle subsequently pursued the Passat, but the pursuit ended approximately 10 seconds before the fatal collision.
The Passat continued along the A66 in the wrong direction before colliding head-on with the marked police vehicle occupied by PC Blades and PC Clough.
The IOPC said the two officers who died had been in the area to assist with a search for the Passat and were not the officers who had been pursuing it.
Police Say No Evidence Of TikTok Filming
The crash had prompted speculation about whether social media and videos of dangerous driving played a role, particularly after material associated with some of those who died circulated online.
BPI News previously reported that it had seen footage appearing to show Makai Saddington driving at speed and other material showing young men in cars wearing balaclavas.
Cleveland Police have now specifically addressed the issue.
The force said that, at the current stage of the investigation, there is no evidence indicating that the activities on Friday night and Saturday morning were being filmed for TikTok.
Police also confirmed that four of the five people travelling in the Passat had previous police convictions.
The force’s latest information instead places a growing focus on suspected serious and organised criminal activity and the relationship between the Passat and Volvo before the collision.
Investigation Described As “Fast Moving And Complex”
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox, who is responsible for the strategic leadership of the investigation, described the inquiry as both complex and connected to serious criminality.
“This has been a fast moving and complex investigation, with significant links to serious and organised criminal activity,” he said.
Fox said police had a duty to thoroughly investigate the criminal activity which culminated in the fatal incident and bring those responsible to justice.
He said the force’s response would continue “in the weeks and months to come” as officers investigate serious and organised crime across Cleveland.
Fox also paid tribute to Cleveland Police personnel who have continued working following the deaths of their colleagues, saying officers and staff had demonstrated “incredible resilience”.
PC Matthew Blades Remembered As Teacher
Further tributes have meanwhile been paid to the two officers killed in the collision.
Before joining Cleveland Police, PC Matthew Blades worked as an English teacher at Carmel College in Darlington.
The college remembered him as an “intelligent, kind and approachable teacher” who was a valued colleague and gave generously to the young people he taught.
It said many members of its community would remember Blades and expressed its thoughts and prayers for his wife, two sons and others who knew him.
The college also extended its condolences to the family and friends of PC Clough.
PC Tom Clough Remembered For “Warmth, Humour And Authenticity”
PC Tom Clough had previously served with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary.
He joined the force in 2013 and served until April 2018 as an authorised firearms officer at the Sellafield Operational Policing Unit.
Chief Superintendent Richard Clark, Clough’s former commanding officer, described him as the “epitome of professionalism”, highlighting his work with the Dynamic Search and Interdiction Team and as a police medic.
Clark said Clough combined his professional abilities with a “fun-loving, cheeky nature” and a wit capable of lifting the spirits of colleagues during difficult shifts.
He said Clough had an ability to bring people together through his “warmth, humour and authenticity”.
Cleveland Police said its investigation into the criminal activity preceding the collision will continue, while the IOPC is separately examining the circumstances of the police contact and pursuit before the crash.