Highway patrol officers uncovered a car full of allegedly stolen copper in Sydney’s Inner West last week.

Copper pipes poking through the windows of the car and a bent number plate sent alarm bells off for police on Sunday.

Police noticed the Nissan Qashqai on Parramatta Road in Stanmore packed to the brim with copper piping off-cuts. 

The three people inside the car were also impacted by the pipes, with a passenger in the back sitting on a folded seat.

The driver and passengers insisted the man’s seatbelt was on, but police allege the way the back passenger was sitting made it impossible for the seatbelt to be fastened.

The front passenger had copper pipes extending past his head.

The occupants of the car allegedly relayed ”inconsistent” stories about how they came into possession of the copper piping.

Officers seized the copper, with inquiries into its origin under way.

The driver underwent a roadside drug test, which allegedly returned a positive result.

He was issued a court notice for possession of suspected stolen property.

Both passengers were also issued with a notice to attend court for possession of suspected stolen property.