Anger over police response to number plates scam

He called 999 on Saturday evening after seeing the alleged incident on Jennings Close shortly after 6.30pm.

The resident said: “There was no sign of the police. What if that car had gone on to knock down and kill a kid? It’s an absolute disgrace.”

A spokeswoman for South Yorkshire Police said the incident was downgraded because the vehicle had left three minutes after the 999 call was made.

A further call was made to police the following day to say the vehicle was back on the street. 

But the spokeswoman said police had been tied up with a major incident at Tesco, where a man was taken to safety after a mental health crisis.

Anyone with information about the alleged plate-swapping can call 101 quoting incident 842 of July 21.