Mad Mullah of the Traffic Taliban breaks into his OWN police station in bizarre security stunt

He is known for his controversial views and often extreme policing methods.

But this time Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom - dubbed the Mad Mullah of the Traffic Taliban - appears to have outdone even some of his most bizarre stunts.

In an bid to test the security of North Wales Police headquarters, the 53-year-old officer resorted to breaking into his own office.

He had apparently become concerned about the situation after scaffolding went up around the building in Old Colwyn, Gwynedd.

So, in a break-in worthy of a cat burglar, Brunstrom first waited for darkness to fall and then clambered up the scaffolding before slipping in through an open window.

It is understood that security has now been beefed up in response to his exploits.

Speaking today, a force spokesman confirmed that Brunstrom - who prides himself on being one of the fittest officers in the force - had broken into his own headquarters.

"Our headquarters is currently being refurbished and as a result, there is scaffolding attached to the building," she said.

"We can confirm that the chief constable tested the security himself."

Brunstrom apparently told senior officers he wanted to prove how easy it would be for a burglar to get into the building which is undergoing a £3.4m refurbishment.

An officer who didn't want to be named, said: "He would have had no trouble hoisting himself up the scaffolding.

"His unexpected arrival didn't set off any alarms - he just walked into an office and told everyone how he got in."

It is not the first time the chief constable has gone to extreme lengths to demonstrate a point.

Earlier this year Brunstrom was filmed being shot with a 50,000-volt round fired by a Taser stun-gun to prove they were safe.

He was heard swearing loudly after being shot by one of his fellow officers for only a second and a half.

However, Brunstrom is probably most famous for his rigorous - and frequently reviled - approach to traffic enforcement.

It was his widespread use of speed cameras which earned him the title Mad Mullah of the Traffic Taliban and the hatred of many motorists.

Brunstrom's shock jock tactics also backfired earlier this year when he used horrifying pictures of a decapitated motorcyclist at a road safety summit.

The shocking images were released without consulting the victim's family.

It later emerged he had actually demanded even more "gruesome" pictures to illustrate his road safety presentation.

In an email to staff he wrote: "We must have better slides. Not enough. Not gruesome enough. Motorcyclist is outstandingly good."

Mark Gibney, 40, a father of three, was killed in a high-speed collision on a remote road in North Wales in 2003.

Brunstrom used a picture taken at the scene at the "Arrive Alive" presentation for the media in April this year at his force's headquarters in Colwyn Bay.

The picture showed Mr Gibney's head on a grass verge, encased in a helmet with the visor raised and his eyes still open.

The use of the picture led to Mr Gibney's widow and children discovering the exact injuries he had suffered. Until then the details had been kept from them to spare their feelings.

Last year Brunstrom added yet another name to his collection of titles after being made an honorary druid.

Swaddled in white robes, he was dubbed Prifgopyn - which means "spider" in Welsh - an honour he was awarded for his services to the country.