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Hi-Tech Net Used To Stop Bad Guys In their Tracks

by Terrence O'Brien on February 12, 2009 at 07:12 AM


The U.K. police are testing out some new equipment that will have bad guys across the Atlantic asking, "Where do they get all those wonderful toys?"

Certain counties in the British Isles are testing out a new device to replace the Stinger system of road spikes used to disable vehicles in police chases. The X-Net is a super-strong net laced with rows of small spikes used by the U.S. military to stop suspected suicide bombers in Iraq and Afghanistan. And now, U.K. police are deploying the net for local law enforcement duties.

The X-Net improves upon the Stinger system by not just puncturing the tires, but also by wrapping itself around the wheels and axle, bringing a target car to a halt in under 80 yards. The X-Net also does less damage to the vehicle, so that stolen get-away cars can be returned to their owners with less need for repair.

The light net is compact enough to be tucked away in a rucksack, and can be deployed in under 20 seconds. However, it does cost up to 10 times as much as the Stinger system (over $4,000), so it may be a while before it makes it into regular use by police across the country and the world. [From: Daily Mail]

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Tags: law, law enforcement, LawEnforcement, police, video, x-net

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