WATCH: Thief riding flaming ATV leads police on 70 mph chase
DURHAM, England (KFOR/Storyful) - Police dashcam video was just released, showing a thief trying to outrun officers while the stolen ATV he was driving was fully engulfed in flames.
"You are so lucky that did not blow you to smithereens," an officer in Durham, England is heard telling the man once police had him in custody.
Steven Johnstone, 41, was just sentenced to 2.5 years in prison and banned from driving for more than two years for the October 12, 2022 incident.
Video at the top of this story shows flames shooting from the back of the Yamaha Kodiak 700 quad, followed by Johnstone's arrest.
Police say speeds reached up to 70 miles per hour until Johnstone abandoned the fiery ATV.
Durham Constabulary said Johnstone stole the four-wheeler from a farm a few miles away from where he was arrested.
Officers could see sparks shooting from underneath the quad, which eventually caught fire.
Johnstone was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a class B drug, and receiving stolen goods. He was sentenced on November 20.