# unmarked cop cars



## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

whats the unlikeliest unmarked cop car you've seen?

the reason i ask was that i was around the Fareham area the other day and saw an Alfa 147 (im sure of) and thought "thats unusual for an unmarked cop car"

seen a black Q7 roaming the A27 a few years ago around the southampton area


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## cole_scirocco (Mar 5, 2012)

Kia Sorento. Sat off parked up and I saw the lights come on after me, went to pull over and they flew past after the car in front.


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## ColinEhm1 (Sep 5, 2013)

There going about Glasgow area with Hyundai i30s and insignia estates now and there good old Astras and basic ford focus and have a focus st marked one which is normally seen on the m8


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

They have a bit of everything these days. 

A couple of years ago the police in Glasgow started using cars they confiscated under the proceeds of crime act. 

They had a Q7 too. 

Seen Skodas, Focus STs, Evos, Audi S3, S4 and various 3 and 5 series BMWs. 

That's what I can think of off the top of my head.


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

Astra van - sport model or a Range rover sport


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## ITSonlyREECE (Jun 10, 2012)

Couple of years ago down Southend sea front during a car meet I can remember seeing a banged up Mk3 Ford Fiesta being driven by a fully uniformed police officer.

About 2 years ago I got pulled over by a traffic Sargent in a really old Volvo estate.

An old friend had a crappy Peugeot 206 which had a bodykit etc, he put it on eBay and it was sold to a police force up north I believe - I'm guessing they had some unknown use for it, possibly a bait car?


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## jaxcass (Oct 7, 2013)

They can have what ever car has been imponded. Every Xmas forces go from north to south or south to north see whats been impounded and then use them for the drink drive campaign! I was stood outside the pub the other day and seen 2 grey RS3's Fly past with nothing but blue lights!!!


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

Kerr said:


> They have a bit of everything these days.
> 
> *A couple of years ago the police in Glasgow started using cars they confiscated under the proceeds of crime act. *
> 
> ...


good idea i reckon :thumb:


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

Vauxhall Senator, Audi A4, Honda Accord, Audi A3, two seater smart car, and a couple of foreign plate's volkswagen golf's with all the foreign logo's did shock me when they go zooming past with the sirens.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

Our local police used to have a magenta sapphire cosworth, now they have skoda superbs


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## T-5ones (Sep 12, 2006)

A mate got pulled by a Saab with a roof box fitted! Crafty bastids.


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## milner3226 (Apr 14, 2011)

The most unusual one I saw was a Range Rover Sport but that was a while ago. Other than the unmarked 3 series that parks in the same place in town, ive not seen many about recently. They are usually quite easy to spot as all the police force's cars tend to have the same first two letters on thier number plates. For example round here (warwickshire) it is BX.. ...


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## chisai (Jan 1, 2009)

I remember seeing a liveried up Mitubishi I-Miev on the M8 in Glasgow.


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## Mattwilko92 (Aug 4, 2008)

Grey R32


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## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Local to me there has been all sorts:

VW T5
Leon Cupra
Various audi and bmw's
Evo's
Focus ST looked well silver with black wheels
Land Rover Discovery
Insignia VXR


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Mostly octavia estates in N Wales although there is a burgundy people carrier type thing as well!!


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## Rabidracoon28 (May 31, 2012)

GMP (Manchester) has a nice array and would have been better had this not happened:

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...s/police-officer-writes-off-loaned-40k-359210
They have a choice of assorted Beemers, Scoobies and Audis. My favourite is a dark blue STi saloon.


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## iamryan (Nov 9, 2011)

cops my end use a range rover sport (white with the tiniest ariel I have ever seen) a blue ford ranger that looks like a farmer owns it and the local traffic sargeant uses a silver vectra c


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## Poohbore (Aug 10, 2013)

In Cardiff they have an all black Mercedes m class as the firearms vehicle, reminds of torch wood with all the small blue lights on it. 

I've also seen in gwent a ford smax, the 2.5t version


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## Willows-dad (Jul 12, 2012)

There is a beautiful blue cupra r round here, but the most unusual one I've seen was a vauxhall vivaro van with roof rack and ladders! Apparently as covert surveillance vehicles they can use anything at there disposal. This includes the vehicles normally used by maintenance staff.


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## sbrocks (Jul 5, 2007)

Not unmarked, but one of our old traffic cars, now being used as a demo vehicle for youth/young driver integration

We also run ST Focus' R32's and VXR Insignia's


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## Guest (Jan 6, 2014)

They are using black freelanders near me.


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## nichol4s (Jun 16, 2012)

Back in the 90's in Rotherham they had an escort cosworth


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## Young_JD (Mar 8, 2013)

Lime green focus rs, was mountune'd as well, sure it'd be confiscated though proceeds of crime act, beautiful car & was silly quick!


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## Poohbore (Aug 10, 2013)

Loving the rs200


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## davelincs (Jul 20, 2009)

In Lincolnshire, I have spotted xf ,s jaguar, a6 estate, but I doubt if it was a bog standard a6, merc estate, BMW estate, probably a lot more I have not come across, a good give away is the additional Ariel on the roof


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## Stumper (Apr 5, 2009)

The strangest one I've seen is a Scania 144 tractor unit!

The Police use them around this area so they can see in the cab of other trucks to catch drivers playing with phones/tablets/laptops or the ones who get caught now and again watching movies while driving!

Not sure if they can be classed as unmarked though as they don't have blue lights and sirens as they're just hired.


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## CoOkIeMoNsTeR (Mar 6, 2011)

They have a fleet of X5's here and a handful of Disco 4s as well as some nice 330d and 535d marked and unmarked, also a Mondeo ST TDCi, Octy VRS, A6, A6 Allroad! S-Max 2.5T, V70 T6 etc. Just got rid of the last of the old T5s over here, will miss them, they were easy to spot :lol:


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## Brigham1806 (Apr 1, 2011)

We've had a white Merc recently on our estate at work.. Almost identical to mine... 

I now get more funny looks than normal! 

Also a few Audi saloons, range rovers, BMW 3 & 5 series.


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## ITSonlyREECE (Jun 10, 2012)

It would've been interesting to see the RS200 being used by the police. As far as I'm aware, the above RS200 pic is a promo taken by Essex Police on the A12 before the road opened.

At some point the car was involved in some sort of major crash and has since been fully rebuilt by the private owner. It's chassis number is #122.


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## CleanCar99 (Dec 30, 2011)

Where do you stand on failing to stop for an unmarked car? I mean if you were in a brand new range rover a 4am in Brum, would you stop for 2 guys in a i30 ?

I wouldn't (i don't have a flash car anyway), but it could be anyone trying to car jack!


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## Benn (Aug 22, 2007)

bidderman1969 said:


> whats the unlikeliest unmarked cop car you've seen?
> 
> the reason i ask was that i was around the Fareham area the other day and saw an Alfa 147 (im sure of) and thought "thats unusual for an unmarked cop car"
> 
> seen a black Q7 roaming the A27 a few years ago around the southampton area


Fareham/Hampshire have a whole new fleet of cars now.
The Alfa is a replacement and normally does motorway jobs.. You'll sometimes see it pulling lorries over.. Same with the 4door red subaru saloon.
I deliever to Farehams impound/servicing depot. So i see all the cars, very handy too.


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## DOBE (May 4, 2012)

Kerr said:


> A couple of years ago the police in Glasgow started using cars they confiscated under the proceeds of crime act.
> 
> They had a Q7 too.












There's a blue Focus RS that patrols the M8/M74 in and around the Glasgow area too.


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## Blackroc (Dec 10, 2012)

I understand the Police around the Midlands have a new BMW M135i on order. It's being stickered up so not stealthy but worth avoiding if you want a chase!!!!


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

theres a x5 as i found out the other day when it suddenly slowed down to 20 in a 30 meaning i got close to it, (luckily other half said dont overtake) as 2 mins later it flashed its lights to say what it was. guessing by slowing down he was tempting me to see if i reacted


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## bidderman1969 (Oct 20, 2006)

Benn said:


> Fareham/Hampshire have a whole new fleet of cars now.
> The Alfa is a replacement and normally does motorway jobs.. You'll sometimes see it pulling lorries over.. Same with the 4door red subaru saloon.
> I deliever to Farehams impound/servicing depot. So i see all the cars, very handy too.


so was it a 147? i really thought i was imagining it tbh, :lol:


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## Davemm (Mar 9, 2009)

Local police have a white evoke


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## Young_JD (Mar 8, 2013)

kybert said:


> Where do you stand on failing to stop for an unmarked car? I mean if you were in a brand new range rover a 4am in Brum, would you stop for 2 guys in a i30 ?
> 
> I wouldn't (i don't have a flash car anyway), but it could be anyone trying to car jack!


You have to ring 101 or 999 & check the number plate i believe


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## WP-UK (Apr 24, 2011)

kybert said:


> Where do you stand on failing to stop for an unmarked car? I mean if you were in a brand new range rover a 4am in Brum, would you stop for 2 guys in a i30 ?
> 
> I wouldn't (i don't have a flash car anyway), but it could be anyone trying to car jack!


AFAIK - traffic stops in unmarked police cars need to be carried out by (or in the presence of) a uniformed officer.

I stand to be corrected but I also believe if you signal you are stopping and don't break any traffic laws you may proceed to a safe location (petrol station etc.) and explain politely to the officers your reason behind your actions. I don't believe in that exception it is classified as failed to stop.


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## WP-UK (Apr 24, 2011)

Also, round my way, until recently they had a contract with Vauxhall, meaning all Traffic and ARV's were Insignias, patrol were Astras and PCSO/CID had Corsas. There were a couple of exceptions with Ford S-Max ARV's. 

Now they have a contract with Volvo so we have V70s and S60s and due to a recent merge have picked up some of Hampshires BMWs.

Until recently, due to where the fleet were registered, all police vehicles came with an OU** *** plate making them easier to spot, along with bumper fend off LEDs, a 'caravaning' mirror on the passenger wing mirror or 2nd rear view mirror and a couple of ariels. They are a bit more discrete now :thumb:


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

Having had access to area's where the cops keep "some" of their unmarked cars, I can say they have use of almost ANY car on sale in the UK, not just as traffic cars but as cars used for following or "staking out" vans motorbikes "blackbirds used to be favorites" Busas and almost every kind of sport bike, I've seen 4 big Merc 4X4 type things, blacked out windows, (don't know the type) ripping down the York bypass with 6+ VFR unmarked bikes in front, anything that didn't move over immediately got stopped and warned, coppers or SAS don't know, but they certainly weren't messing about!! :doublesho


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## ColinEhm1 (Sep 5, 2013)

Ask them to show you there warrant card which they should have on them at all times, if they fail to do so or heitate then put the boot down and head to a police station, but me personally I wouldn't pull over for a under cover vechile I would head straight to the nearest police station as its easy enough to buy a set of blue lights off ebay and fit them to your own car so Theres risks stopping for a normal car with blue lights


kybert said:


> Where do you stand on failing to stop for an unmarked car? I mean if you were in a brand new range rover a 4am in Brum, would you stop for 2 guys in a i30 ?
> 
> I wouldn't (i don't have a flash car anyway), but it could be anyone trying to car jack!


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

Seen unmarked Golf and Astra ( both grey) stop drivers on M8 between Hillington and Paisley


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## Strothow (Oct 29, 2009)

Davemm said:


> Local police have a white evoke


Yup i've seen this around!


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## jolls (Dec 25, 2012)

How to get your own spec on the car you want-http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/448726/Undercover-cops-sacked-for-running-a-car-buying-scam-while-working-for-the-force


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## Benn (Aug 22, 2007)

bidderman1969 said:


> so was it a 147? i really thought i was imagining it tbh, :lol:


Yeah sure it is, best one is there is now a unmarked Skoda Roomster...
They have a job lot so used one for unmarked lunch runs i guess...


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## Mrizzle (Aug 11, 2012)

I am informed by a serving officer that the Scottish force cannot buy or use vehicles older than three years old due to serious accidents and lives lost by vehicles that we're being driven to calls in vehicles that were older than this.


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## Grant. (Apr 10, 2013)

There are a few marked and unmarked Focus ST's around here, black wheels and all! 

Also seen a few unmarked sprinter vans.


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## woodys (Dec 20, 2010)

Silver Citroen vts pimped up all the boy racer goodies cruising M27 and portsmouth luring in the go faster boys, and also a silver scania Articulated tractor unit solo unit on M6, sneaky.


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## RedUntilDead (Feb 10, 2009)

DOBE said:


> Nope, Im sure that Q7 is fully marked up


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## DOBE (May 4, 2012)

RedUntilDead said:


> DOBE said:
> 
> 
> > Nope, Im sure that Q7 is fully marked up
> ...


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## Fiesta-125 (Mar 18, 2012)

I've seen a few in the south. Black focus ST with little dome light on the roof and two in the rear window. Seen a Audi a5 too. All blacked out. Normally newish fairly fast cars with giveaway like Blacked out windows all round. Light in rar windo or dash board.


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## SadlyDistracted (Jan 18, 2013)

bidderman1969 said:


> whats the unlikeliest unmarked cop car you've seen?


An honest one ?


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## Billigmeister (Mar 3, 2013)

In Cov a few years ago there was a brand spanking new Porsche 911 type thing. I got quite a shock when i saw the blue lights pulling someone over.

They also had a mitshubishi evo thing


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## G.P (Dec 13, 2011)

Today in Worcestershire, grey Transit panel van and Black Focus with roof bars..


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## SadlyDistracted (Jan 18, 2013)

Gloucestershire/Worcestershire

Silver Octavia VRS, the only visibles are a) camera in top right of rear screen and 
b) small 'blue' lights also inside rear screen, on small vertical poles either side

Nothing like open policing eh!


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## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

Saw the latest Focus ST dressed up in the police uniform in Torfaen (South Wales) and it looked superb. I so wanted a picture of my ST next to it but doubt the officers would allow it haha.


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