In 2023, a report from the Police Executive Research Forum called for police to put the brakes on car chases unless a violent crime has been committed and the suspect poses an imminent threat. The report noted a spike in fatalities and an increase in pursuits by some departments, including in Houston and New York City.
According to police, the incident occurred just before 6 a.m. at a garage on West 43rd Street near the West Side Highway. Four men entered the garage around 5:45 a.m. and attempted to steal several luxury cars, including a blue McLaren sports car and a black Mercedes‑Benz G‑Wagon.
Fetzer said that, early on in the incident, he sprayed water at one of the cars in frustration but didn't expect the reaction he got. He described how the cars swerved at them, honked, and put the cyclists' lives in danger.
"Peckham Rye is a busy area - densely populated with residents, pedestrians, public transport users and drivers which means there is a potential for witnesses. "We would like to speak to anyone who was in the Peckham Rye area, particularly Rye Lane, on Saturday evening between 18:00hrs and 19:30hrs. If you have any doorbell or dashcam footage from this time in the area, please contact us too.