Published: 18 February, 2009, 11:59
Edited: 18 February, 2009, 11:59
It may sound like a nail-biting car chase scene from a Hollywood movie, but at least two British police forces are exploiting a new “web-like” device.
The X-net wraps itself around the wheels of a moving vehicle and forces even the most skilful of drivers to be rendered powerless.
The British Police Complaints Authority has warned that the number of fatalities caused by police in the UK is “far too high”. In an attempt to combat these high statistics, police have used various devices to try and safely end car chases. Futuristic gadgets such as the “stinger”, a portable bed of nails, and “the zapper”, which beams radio waves that force a target car to stall, have been two of the weapons used to disable suspect vehicles, but often allow the suspect to continue driving. Where these previous devices have failed, the X-Net is revolutionary as it literally stops vehicles in their tracks and makes it impossible to drive the vehicle any further.
The net demobilises a car by puncturing its tyres with barbed spikes, making a speeding vehicle grind to an abrupt halt. But the X-net does not stop there. The suspects are then trapped inside the vehicle like flies in a spider’s web as the latticed netting swallows up the car, preventing the use of doors and windows. Made out of Dyneema, a material eight times stronger than steel and also used to make bulletproof vests, it is little surprise the X-Net is capable of bringing cars to a complete standstill, often within 50 metres.
Although a British company created the X-Net, they have been used extensively by the US military and have played an important role in stopping the vehicles of terrorists. The US army has purchased more than 2,000 X-Nets to use in Afghanistan and Iraq. In Britain the appliance is used most widely to impede stolen cars and getaway vehicles but has been kept relatively guarded so police can remain a step ahead of criminals. Garry Handley the Gloucestershire road safety chief, one of the counties where the X-Net is being deployed commented:
“This is a very good piece of equipment and something we will be integrating more into police operations. We are all aware of people who drive in a dangerous manner and put other people’s lives in danger. When we use this equipment it will help us bring dangerous situations to a halt more safely.”
Costing £3,000 the X–Net packs way into a rucksack and takes just 20 seconds to be slung in front of an approaching vehicle. Although the X-Net causes minimal damage to a vehicle its only drawback is that, despite its strength, it has to be cut away by a knife and therefore can only be used once.
Stealing cars in Britain may not be as “joyful” in the future as the latest weapon against “joyriding” is proving to be an inventive and successful way to halt the runaway car.
Gabrielle Pickard for RT