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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Ellen Kirwin

Police explain reason for aeroplane circling Liverpool last night

A National Police Air Service aeroplane was used in a search over Liverpool last night.

The Vulcanair P.68R plane was deployed by the National Police Air Service, on Tuesday, April 5, to help Merseyside Police with an investigation. It was used in the search for a suspected cloned car at around 8.30pm, for around 50 minutes.

After leaving Blackpool airport, at 8.03pm, the plane flew over Leyland and into Liverpool. It then circled over the city centre and Vauxhall area of Liverpool before heading back.

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The aircraft is part of a national fleet, made up of planes and helicopters, that provides air support to police forces across England and Wales. The Vulcanair P.68R plane used in last night's search is registered to the Police & Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire, however they are a national police asset.

One of the Vulcanair planes was also spotted circling over Merseyside last week to help in the search for a missing Bootle man. However this time the plane was deployed to look for a suspected cloned car.

A spokesperson for the force said: "At about 8.30pm on 5 April 2022, whilst deployed to provide air support for the North West region of England, a National Police Air Service aeroplane crew was tasked to assist Merseyside Police in a vehicle search. The aeroplane was on the task for 49 minutes."

Merseyside Police confirmed that the incident was in connection with a suspected cloned car, a spokesperson said: "We carried out searches around Liverpool city centre at around 8.30pm last night for a suspected cloned vehicle. The vehicle was not located and the incident was stood down."

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